3. When do my transactions get funded?
Usually within two business days after you submit your batches to Flagship.
4. Can I be approved if I have bad credit or no credit?
We maintain one of the highest approval rates in the industry. With our free application you have nothing to lose.
5. What do I get with an Internet merchant account?
You get four things:
A Flagship Merchant Services merchant account to accept major credit cards.
A LinkPoint® API Secure Payment Gateway script to integrate into your Web site so your customers can make purchases directly off your site 24 hours a day without you having to run the transaction manually. to link to your web site.
24/7 toll free customer and technical support along with a dedicated web site called mymerchantoffice.com where you can review all of your transactions, run reports and download your monthly statement.
6. Do I need a shopping cart for my Internet merchant account?
No, we provide you with code that passes your customer's information to our gateway. However, merchants that have a large number of products may find it easier to use a shopping cart. If you only need a virtual terminal then you don't need a shopping cart.
7. What if I need help with my account?
Flagship Merchant Services customer service representatives are available to serve you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in more than 140 languages and dialects. In addition, Mymerchantoffice.com, First Data's merchant-dedicated Web site, allows you to access your merchant account information online at any time, from any location.
9. Will I be trained to use the credit card terminal?
Yes. Once you receive your credit card terminal a representative of Flagship will train you on how to use the terminal. In addition, we provide a toll-free customer service number you can call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you can get help at any time.
10. What types of merchants does Flagship Merchant Services approve?
Flagship Merchant Services processes credit and debit card transactions for more than 170,000 traditional and Internet businesses. Whether you are building an e-commerce Web site, a traditional retail business or a mail order/telephone order business, you will want to open a Flagship Merchant Services merchant account, which enables you to accept payments for customer purchases.
11. How long before I can start accepting credit cards?
Merchant accounts are generally approved within two business days and merchants can process the next business day.
12. I'm not sure what terminal, equipment or software is best for my business?
Please consult your Flagship agent regarding the various options available.
13. How does LinkPoint API integrate with my Web site?
To manually enter credit card transactions, you do not need any additional integration. You log on to a Web site and complete the credit card transaction using your LinkPoint Virtual Terminal. In addition, to enable your customers to make purchases right off your Web site, we give you API script to integrate into your Web site. Your customers will then be able to make purchases from your site 24 hours a day. When they do make purchases, you and your customer will receive an e-mail detailing the transaction.
14. How is Flagship Merchant Services allowed to process credit cards?
Flagship Merchant Services is a registered ISO/MSP for clearing and settlement institutions that sponsor Flagship Merchant Services to enter MasterCard® and Visa® transactions into the interchange system.
15. How do I get my money?
There are four steps to getting your money; 1. Initiating, 2. Authorizing, 3. Completing the transaction and 4. Receiving your funds.
Step 1-Initiating the transaction to verify that a card is active and within the approved spending limit:
Brick-and-mortar and retail or restaurant environments-swipe the card or key in the number through a point-of-sale terminal (i.e., card is physically present).
Mail order/telephone order environments-enter the card identifiers the customer has provided you by mail, telephone or fax (i.e., the card is not present).
Internet environment-Customer provides your Web site with card identifiers (i.e., card is not present).
Step 2-Real-time authorizing, which reduces chargebacks and catches card-entry errors:
Credit card number is entered.
Terminal or software transmits the credit card number and expiration date and sales total to Flagship Merchant Services.
Flagship Merchant Services transmits data to customer's credit card-issuing bank.
Customer's issuing bank approves or declines the transaction.
Step 3-Completing the transaction:
Merchant's terminal or software transmits transaction details to Flagship Merchant Services in a batch at the close of the business day.
Flagship Merchant Services forwards transactions to each credit card company, which redirects the transactions to appropriate banks.
Bank debits credit cardholder's account and credits Flagship Merchant Services.
Step 4-Receiving your funds:
Flagship Merchant Services credits your merchant account, usually within two business days.
16. How is my money protected?
Flagship Merchant Services is equipped to address the key protection issues of both traditional and Internet merchants, including fraud, loss prevention and chargebacks. Flagship uses state-of-the-art security technology, and the LinkPoint® Secure Payment Gateway uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology-designed to help protect merchant and payment information.
18. What is your return policy?
Flagship Merchant Services Return Policies – Because the prices we offer our merchants are normally lower than our competition offers, Flagship Merchant Services has a strict policy of only selling equipment to our merchants who use our credit card processing services. We reserve the right to refuse sales to merchants who do not have a merchant account with our company and to any resellers.
Flagship Merchant Services will handle replacement and warranty service for the first thirty days after purchase. All equipment purchased through Flagship Merchant Services comes under manufacturer warranty.
After thirty days, we help our merchant contact the manufacturer for service on all warranties.
Flagship Merchant Services offers a terminal replacement program for $9.95 per month as an extra level of protection for the credit card machines we sell. This coverage is only available at the time of purchase. Merchants that have signed up for our terminal replacement program should call for immediate service on their equipment.
New/Unopened equipment may be returned, at the merchant’s expense, within the first thirty (30) days of purchase. (A restocking fee of 15% to 25% of the purchase price will be applied to the return.)
Any equipment not returned in the original packaging with all cords, parts and manuals will be refused and returned to sender without a refund.
Software, all Internet gateway license fees, and any set-up fees sold through Flagship Merchant Services, cannot be returned for a refund.
*Important* Your merchant account is bound by the terms and conditions of the merchant agreement and is not subject to the return policy.
