If you're doing business online, you need to accept credit cards on your web site, plain and simple! The nature of the Internet is such that once you convince a visitor that you are trustworthy enough to buy from, he or she HAS to be able to purchase NOW, and not a minute later.

If you think your visitor is going to mail you a check or money order, you are very much mistaken. It's very likely that they'll have forgotten you exist the minute they "click away" from your site. As they say...

Out of site, out of mind! ;-)

The foundation of any Internet Success is accepting credit card payment online. It's simply the best way to ensure the immediate closure of a sale. It's also the most accepted form of electronic commerce, and most people purchasing online expect to pay this way! So unless you can accept credit cards on your web site, you are in big trouble indeed!

While this may sound depressing, take heart -- just about anyone who wishes to do business online now has access to credit card merchant account services.

Online credit card processing has come a long, long way in the last few years. As recently as in 1999, your options were such that you almost always needed your own merchant account (obtained from your local bank, and often requiring a "hefty" security deposit of at least $5,000), to do business on the Internet.

Now, there are plenty of options for everyone -- from the stay-at-home Mom selling arts and crafts, the do-it-yourself netrepreneur selling his/her first ebook, to the high-powered, high volume Internet merchant.

Now you can accept credit cards without a merchant account for free, without the hassles of large security deposits.

This web site will intoduce you to the fundamentals of accepting credit cards on your web site (for free and without a merchant account), as well as some of best credit card merchants in the business. For those of you starting your "ebiz" on a shoestring budget, we'll include a section on cheap merchant accounts as well!