FAQ: Gateways, Merchant Accounts, Bank Accounts...

The Question:

Since my client already has a bank account set up, do we still need to set up a merchant account as well as a gateway? Do all of the gateway choices include a merchant account? Is a merchant account the same as a bank? Why do I need all three?

The Answer:

Accepting credit card payments online is more difficult than it seems it should be, and matters can be confused by more recent innovations that combine multiple previously distinct aspects (cart, gateway, merchant account, bank account, etc.). We’ll attempt to explain what is needed and why in Gateways, Merchant Accounts, Bank Accounts, Oh My! on our wiki. Or you can visit our list of supported gateways to see which gateways are supported.

Created on Jan 27, 2009.
Last edited on Jul 11, 2011