ADVANTAGES: simply link your products to the validation service who then accepts credit card payment on your behalf. They check the card, process it and send you a monthly payment for the amount you are owed. Your instant eCommerce solution!

DISADVANTAGES: none ... you will pay for the service, of course. Costs vary. The credit card processor has to make a profit and so charges you a few percentage points on the transaction in comparison to having your own online merchant account. A Merchant Account is an account set up between a retail company and a merchant bank which allows the retailer to accept a credit card order from a customer, and in turn receive the monies through the bank.

If you wish to accept credit cards online in your own name or company name you will need your own internet merchant account. Obtaining a merchant account to accept credit cards on the Internet is more difficult than obtaining a 'regular' merchant account because the card is not presented nor is a signature obtained. It is expensive - and unnecessary when you have the services of third party processors available to you!