First Night to Accept Credit Cards
Merchant Warehouse, a Boston-based provider of merchant accounts and credit card equipment, today announced the donation of five wireless credit card terminals to First Night® Boston. The country’s premier New Year’s Eve celebration, First Night Boston runs from 1 p.m. through midnight on December 31 at over 40 indoor and outdoor venues throughout downtown Boston. The terminals will be available at the Hynes Convention Center, as well as button booths at Park Street and the corner of Arlington and Boylston from noon to 10 p.m. that day to facilitate fast, convenient and secure button purchases.
“We feel most honored to contribute to Boston’s time-honored New Year’s Eve celebration,” said Henry Helgeson, President of Merchant Warehouse. “After 10 years in the business, this is one of the most exciting partnerships we’ve had the opportunity to embark upon. We hope everyone joining us downtown will find the donation positively impacts the flow of the crowds and helps the celebration run smoothly.”
The purchase of a First Night Button grants admission to venues featuring the best in theatre, dance, music, visual arts and film. Museums, theaters, churches and performance centers open their doors to First Night Button holders throughout the entire day.
"We’re thrilled to be able to take credit cards at First Night button sale locations for the first time this year, and are very grateful for Merchant Warehouse’s generous donation to First Night,” said Geri Guardino, Executive Director of First Night Boston. “We’ll be using their machines at our busiest locations – the Hynes Convention Center plus our button booths at Park Street and the corner of Arlington and Boylston. Thanks to Merchant Warehouse’s donation, we’re able to offer our button buyers this convenience."
About Merchant Warehouse
Merchant Warehouse was founded in 1998 on the principle that businesses should be able to purchase credit card processing software, POS equipment, and merchant services at a reasonable price. With over 40,000 merchants, Merchant Warehouse now sets the standard for price, innovation, customer service, and integrity. For more information, please visit www.merchantwarehouse.com. For information on the Merchant Warehouse agent and ISO network, please call (800) 491-4580.
Contacts:
Brian Waldman, Vice President of Marketing and Strategy
Merchant Warehouse
800.941.6557 x2050
bwaldman (at) merchantwarehouse (dot) com
Jeff Dillow or Sandra Proulx
PAN Communications
978.474.1900
merchant (at) pancomm (dot) com
Merchant Warehouse is Featured in Transaction World Magazine
On December 1st, 2007, Henry Helgeson, President & Co-CEO of Merchant Warehouse, is featured in Transaction World Magazine, as he divulges his view on state and federal legislatures intervening to impose stricter regulations in the payment card industry.
The article, titled “Laisez-Faire? Do We Need Government Intervention at All?” reflects on the debate regarding the authoritative role the government seeks to assume in the electronic transaction world, as a means to help mediate equality among all parties involved in the resource chain.
Although industry executives have already taken action to remain “in command” of their trade through the implementation of their PCI compliance policies, Helgeson doesn’t deny the possibility of a judicial examination happening.
As much as it is important that his customers be content with industry policies, Henry is also concerned for ISOs and processors, should federal and state administrations get involved and start making drastic changes. “My worse fear would be an attempt to regulate Interchange, or, for that matter, any piece of the acquiring system on a state level. Having to comply with 50 different sets of regulations could prove to be a nightmare for ISOs and processors that conduct business nationally or over a broad geographic area.”
Although this debate has only begun to stir up commotion, it seems to have shaken the industry enough to influence some significant changes, as we have seen, and will see forthcoming.
Merchant Warehouse is Featured in ISO & Agent Magazine
In the November/December 2007 issue of ISO & Agent, Merchant Warehouse President & Co-CEO, Henry Helgeson, advises ISOs about the responsibilities they should assume to ensure their merchants’ compliance with the Payment Card Industry’s (PCI) data security regulations.
The relevance of this topic hits home for ISOs, especially when factoring in their share of liability and financial risk, should one of their merchants be deemed non-compliant by PCI standards. The editorial, entitled “Caveat ISO-ISO Beware!” addresses the proactive role that ISOs need to undertake to protect their business as well as the businesses of their customers’. ISOs are reminded of how it is not only critical, but beneficial for them to learn and remain conscious of PCI compliance regulations. “It’s highly recommended that ISOs immediately take action, coordinate with industry partners, and convey PCI compliance information and tactics to merchants. Unfortunately, there are still a vast majority of merchants who are less informed, if not completely unaware of these enhanced security policies, so it’s up to the ISO to educate their customers and make sure their businesses meet all necessary requirements,” Helgeson advises.
To learn more about what you can do to ensure your compliance with PCI data security policies, please call Merchant Warehouse at 800-941-6557.
The New York Times Cites the President of Merchant Warehouse
Quoted in the November 21st, 2007 edition of The New York Times, Henry Helgeson, President & Co-CEO of Merchant Warehouse, talks about the hesitation restaurant owners have in adopting “pay-at-the-table” hand-held wireless terminals.
The article, titled “After the Meal, the Credit Card Scanner Is Served,” addresses how very few U.S. restaurants have adopted the “pay-at-the-table” solution, despite the technology having been used in restaurants throughout Europe for over 10 years, and has proven to alleviate the occurrence of fraud and identity theft.
It appears that the lack of popularity these devices have among merchants in the States can be attributed to qualms about cost and customer perception. In the article, Helgeson alludes to these common concerns: “Restaurant owners are typically cautious…. They’re waiting to see if it works before they make a big leap,” he explains.
Along with many other executives in the card payment industry, Helgeson believes that it’s only a matter of time before pay-at-the-table terminals surface in restaurants throughout the U.S. “As more merchants begin to recognize the benefits these devices can offer a business and its customers, such as security, convenience and efficiency, perhaps then we will see more of a universal acceptance,” he declares.
To read the full article, view here:
New York Times
Busiest Month Ever
Retailers turn to Merchant Warehouse in October; Company Reports Busiest Month Ever for Merchant Account Business
Merchant Warehouse, a Boston-based provider of merchant accounts and credit card equipment, today reported merchant account sales totaled 1,916 for the month of October 2007, surpassing the company’s previous one-month sales record of 1,650 in August of this year. The October average of 17.42 accounts per employee establishes a new company benchmark and is especially impressive in the highly commoditized, price-driven merchant account industry.
The Southeast region accounted for 27 percent of October merchant account sales, followed by the Northeast and West, at 24 and 21 percent, respectively. The Southwest, however, showed the biggest jump in merchant account sales with a 31 percent increase over September. Retail continued to lead in industry-specific sales, growing by 29 percent over the previous month. Specifically, merchant account sales by region and industry in order of rank for October were:
|
Industry: |
Region: |
|
1) Retail (includes restaurant) |
1) Southeast |
|
2) Internet |
2) Northeast |
|
3) Mail order/telephone order (MOTO) |
3) West |
|
4) Lodging |
4) Midwest |
|
5) Southwest |
“With fewer consumers carrying cash and checks gradually becoming obsolete, accepting credit and debit cards has never been more an essential part of doing business for the small retail or service provider,” said Henry Helgeson, Co-CEO of Merchant Warehouse. “The upcoming holiday and travel season surely contributed to our strong October growth, as merchants prepare their systems to ensure they can service their clients without interruption.”
About Merchant Warehouse
Merchant Warehouse was founded in 1998 on the principle that businesses should be able to purchase credit card processing software, POS equipment, and merchant services at a reasonable price. With over 40,000 merchants, Merchant Warehouse now sets the standard for price, innovation, customer service, and integrity. For more information, please visit www.MerchantWarehouse.com. For information on the Merchant Warehouse agent and ISO network, please call (800) 491-4580.
Contacts:
Brian Waldman, Vice President of Marketing and Strategy
Merchant Warehouse
800.941.6557 x2050
bwaldman (at) merchantwarehouse (dot) com
Jeff Dillow or Sandra Proulx
PAN Communications
978.474.1900
merchant (at) pancomm (dot)com
Merchant Warehouse is Highlighted in Chain Store Age Magazine
In the November 2007 edition of Chain Store Age magazine, Merchant Warehouse’s customer, Kuai Dumplings & Soups, is depicted as the pioneer merchant account customer who allowed the company to utilize their business for beta testing of contactless card payment processing. The article, “Tapping Into Contactless,” illustrates how contactless payments have revolutionized the card payment industry by sharing the experiences of this quick-serve, health-food restaurant.
In addition to recognizing Merchant Warehouse as their source for low-cost credit card processing equipment and services, the executives of Kuai Dumplings & Soups admit to the many benefits they’ve found from using contactless payment systems. In their experience, these systems have helped to expedite checkout processes, simplify payments, and improve overall customer satisfaction with shorter lines and faster service.
Henry Helgeson, President of Merchant Warehouse, also shares his stance on the surprisingly slow adoption merchants have taken with contactless payment systems. “It seems as though most consumers are now aware of and prefer to use their RFID-enabled cards, but for some reason, those merchants who could really benefit from having the contactless solutions haven’t yet adopted them. I’m sure that through stories like this, from merchants like Kuai Dumplings & Soups, merchants will begin to recognize their potential to maximize a business’ operations.”
Please visit our article on contactless payment terminals to learn more about how this technology can help your business excel.
Holiday Shopping Fraud Prevention
This holiday season, Merchant Warehouse, a Boston-based provider of merchant accounts and credit card equipment, reminds consumers that while online shopping has become every bit as safe as making purchases at a store, taking simple steps to prevent credit card fraud can go a long way toward avoiding making the switch from shopper to victim.
With experts anticipating the busiest year-end online shopping season ever — JupiterResearch’s “US Online Retail Holiday Forecast, 2007” estimates 126 million U.S. shoppers will spend more than $39 billion online — Merchant Warehouse urges online shoppers to keep their credit card information safe by remembering these five simple tips:
Use a secure browser, a software that encrypts the purchase information you provide; look for “https:” in the URL address and the “lock” icon on your screen to ensure a secure transaction.
Read the site’s privacy policy; this will explain how any personal information you provide may be used or shared with others.
Try to limit online buying to companies you know and trust; when making purchases from online companies with which you are less familiar, verify the seller’s physical address and telephone number in case you have any questions or problems.
Use your credit or charge card for online payments; your transaction will be protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act, which provides the right to dispute charges under certain circumstances and temporarily withhold payment while the creditor is investigating them.
Print and save records of all online payment transactions, and check online statements regularly; review and compare against your credit card statement for any errors or inaccuracies.
“The virtually unlimited number of options and mainstream consumer acceptance of online shopping, combined with the holiday shopping rush, can make it easy to forget to take simple common-sense steps to protect personal information,” said Henry Helgeson, Co-CEO of Merchant Warehouse. “While online shopping has become incredibly safe, taking an extra moment to review the above tips will help ensure your credit card information stays secure and potentially avoid the frustration of having your information stolen and used fraudulently.”
About Merchant Warehouse
Merchant Warehouse was founded in 1998 on the principle that businesses should be able to purchase credit card processing software, POS equipment, and merchant services at a reasonable price. With over 40,000 merchants, Merchant Warehouse now sets the standard for price, innovation, customer service, and integrity. For more information, please visit www.MerchantWarehouse.com. For information on the Merchant Warehouse agent and ISO network, please call (800) 491-4580.
Contacts:
Brian Waldman, Vice President of Marketing and Strategy
Merchant Warehouse
800.941.6557 x2050
bwaldman (at) merchantwarehouse (dot) com
Jeff Dillow or Sandra Proulx
PAN Communications
978.474.1900
merchant (at) pancomm (dot) com
Merchant Warehouse Goes Green
Merchant Warehouse, a Boston-based provider of merchant accounts and credit card equipment, today announced it has implemented a company-wide initiative to “go green.” The program is designed to help the company offset any potential negative environmental impact being made and to also promote a culture of environmental responsibility among its 110 employees.
The company’s first step was the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), or “Green Tags” from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation. The Green tags will be used to offset energy consumption by replacing traditional polluting sources of electricity with clean, sustainable and renewable sources of energy. Currently, Merchant Warehouse plans to purchase 433 Green Tags per year to add 433,000 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy into the country’s power grids — the equivalent of avoiding 606,200 pounds of air pollution.
In addition, Merchant Warehouse has formed an employee-managed committee to study the impact of the Green Tag program and develop recommendations for taking the company’s green initiative even further in the coming months and years.
“Our initiative proves a company does not have to own or run its own facility to make a difference,” said Henry Helgeson, Co-CEO of Merchant Warehouse. “By leveraging available green programs and technologies, we aim to turn our office space, and company, into something that returns a positive impact on the environment, and to do so in a way that makes sense for our employees and our bottom line.”
About Merchant Warehouse
Merchant Warehouse was founded in 1998 on the principle that businesses should be able to purchase credit card processing software, POS equipment, and merchant services at a reasonable price. With over 40,000 merchants, Merchant Warehouse now sets the standard for price, innovation, customer service, and integrity. For more information, please visit www.MerchantWarehouse.com. For information on the Merchant Warehouse agent and ISO network, please call (800) 491-4580.
Contacts:
Brian Waldman, Vice President of Marketing and Strategy
Merchant Warehouse
800.941.6557 x2050
bwaldman (at) merchantwarehouse (dot) com
Jeff Dillow or Sandra Proulx
PAN Communications
978.474.1900
merchant (at) pancomm (dot) com
Merchant Warehouse Cites Tremendous Growth in Merchant Account Business
Merchant Warehouse, a Boston-based provider of merchant accounts and credit card equipment, today announced significant sales growth for its merchant account business over the past quarter. Comparing year-over-year results, merchant account sales in June, July and August 2007 grew by an average of 65 percent, including an amazing 84 percent increase in July.
Month-to-month merchant account growth for June – August is as follows:
June 2006-2007 — an increase of 46 percent
July 2006-2007— an increase of 84 percent
August 2006-2007 — an increase of 70 percent
Merchant Warehouse attributes the phenomenal growth, in part, to its business model which emphasizes customer service and a strong presence on the Internet through its website, www.merchantwarehouse.com.
The company was the first to offer a full suite of credit card processing services and equipment on the Internet in 1998. This approach enabled businesses to obtain these products and services well below the average cost by cutting our several intermediaries in the sales process. That approach has helped re-shape the industry, and has earned Merchant Warehouse one of the best reputations in the credit card processing business.
“Growing acceptance of credit card payments, along with the trend of businesses increasingly using the Web to source suppliers, continues to increase our market share. Merchant Warehouse strives to lead in innovative solutions to meet the merchants’ needs,” said Henry Helgeson, President of Merchant Warehouse. “Our credibility, dedicated in-house sales and support staffs, and great prices make us a great choice for merchants in a highly commoditized industry.”
About Merchant Warehouse
Merchant Warehouse was founded in 1998 on the principle that businesses should be able to purchase credit card processing software, POS equipment, and merchant services at a reasonable price. With over 40,000 merchants, Merchant Warehouse now sets the standard for price, innovation, customer service, and integrity. For more information, please visit www.MerchantWarehouse.com. For information on the Merchant Warehouse agent and ISO network, please call (800) 491-4580.
Contacts:
Brian Waldman, Vice President of Marketing and Strategy
Merchant Warehouse
800.941.6557 x2050
bwaldman (at) merchantwarehouse (dot) com
Jeff Dillow or Sandra Proulx
PAN Communications
978.474.1900
merchant (at) pancomm (dot) com
Merchant Warehouse Article Appears in the C-$tore Journal
In September, 2007, an article written by Brian Waldman, Vice President of Marketing and Stragey at Merchant Warehouse, was published in the Northeast C-$tore Journal and the Southeast C-$tore Journal.
The article, “Getting In Touch With Contacless Payments,” talks about the benefits of a contactless payment solution, and asks whether or not your business should take the leap and start accepting contactless payments.
Find out for yourself! Read the full article here.