It may be possible that you have a knack for discounts and promotions. For most, however, it doesn’t come naturally. What’s more, initiating promotions is just the beginning; tracking the lift that those promotions provide, in order to make informed decisions about recreating those promotions, is just overwhelming to think about.
Luckily, apps are taking this burden off the already-overworked shoulders of small businesses with online stores. At Moolah, we aim to be the best credit card processing company, which often means we step outside of the payment world. Our continual efforts to team up with services that can benefit our customers has, this time, led us to an integration with discount giant BigCommerce, a service that opens up the complex world of promotions to the average small business owner.
When it comes to discounts, a common thought is, “hey, I’m already doing everything I can to compete with Amazon and the other big fish. Why would I lower my prices only to enter a price war I won’t win anyway?” Such thinking, in turn, leads many small businesses to move, strategically, towards differentiating themselves as much as possible, building brand equity and validation to target customers who are loyal and/or willing to pay full price on the brand’s own site. This is a valid and useful strategy; still, it doesn’t do justice to the fact that discount promotion is an insanely effective way to drive your customers to action, and even get inside their head.
BigCommerce makes it easy for small operations to benefit from easy-to-use discounting strategies. With BigCommerce, you can make a ton of discounts and easily measure the impact of each. You can also quickly and easily turn discounts off and on, giving you ultimate control over your shopping environment.
One such super-cool promotion that works right out of the box is the abandoned cart discount. This is an effective one because it’s hyper-personalized: the potential customer has already expressed interest in the products by adding them to their cart. With just the tiniest motivation, say, 5% off the cart, you’ll be likely to get them back, and complete what they’ve already started. BigCommerce boasts of 72 such discounts and coupons available right out of the box.
Other incredibly useful features that BigCommerce puts into your hands include a discount calendar to make sure you aren’t overlapping discounts or over-promoting anything. All-in-all, BigCommerce is a one-stop shop for implementing a discount strategy that will actually move customers, and won’t cut too deeply into your profit margins. If anything, BigCommerce is full of growth driving success stories from businesses of all sizes.
Looking for solutions? Moolah aims to be the best credit card processing company, not solely for our great rates, but by getting businesses in touch with a range of helpful products and services. We’re into success for small businesses, and that’s what Moolah and BigCommerce can help you achieve.
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A credit card surcharge is an additional fee added to a transaction when a patient chooses to pay with a credit card. The surcharge is intended to help offset the cost of credit card processing and applies only to eligible credit card transactions.
No. Debit card transactions may not be surcharged under any circumstances, even if the debit card is processed as a credit transaction or entered manually.
Yes. Credit card surcharges may not exceed the merchant’s actual cost of accepting credit cards and are capped at a maximum of 3% of the total transaction amount, in accordance with card-network rules and applicable law.
Yes. Card networks require clear and transparent disclosure of any credit card surcharge. Practices must notify patients through appropriate signage at the practice entrance, point of sale, and anywhere payments are accepted. If payments are accepted online, the surcharge must also be clearly disclosed on the practice’s website.
Yes. Some U.S. states and territories prohibit or restrict credit card surcharging. Practices are responsible for understanding and complying with their state’s specific requirements before implementing a surcharge.
No. While Moolah provides tools and general guidance to support credit card surcharging, compliance with all applicable laws and card-network rules is the responsibility of the merchant. Moolah does not provide legal advice and assumes no liability for a merchant’s compliance.
Most major credit card networks permit surcharging when done in accordance with their rules, but additional requirements or restrictions may apply. Practices should ensure they have completed all required network notifications and disclosures prior to enabling surcharging.
Failure to comply with surcharging rules may result in card-network fines, required refunds, or other enforcement actions. Practices should ensure they fully understand all applicable requirements before applying a surcharge.
Flex does not currently offer built-in support for credit card surcharging. If a practice chooses to enroll in a surcharge plan, payments would need to be processed through Moolah’s payment platform, which is designed to support surcharging and integrates directly with Open Dental.
If you are considering introducing a credit card surcharge for your patients, it is important to understand that there are specific rules and regulations that must be followed when enrolling in and operating under a surcharge plan.
This article provides a general overview of common surcharging requirements. This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is the responsibility of each merchant to review, understand, and comply with all applicable laws, card-network rules, and regulatory requirements, including notification timeframes, signage requirements, surcharge percentage limits, and jurisdictions where surcharging is prohibited.
If you are unsure about the laws or regulations applicable to your practice, you should consult with qualified legal counsel. Moolah assumes no liability for a merchant’s compliance or non-compliance with credit card surcharging rules or regulations.
Transparent Communication
Card networks, including Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express, require merchants to clearly and transparently disclose when a credit card surcharge is applied.
Practices must clearly notify patients of a credit card surcharge through appropriate signage placed at the practice entrance, at the point of sale or terminal, and anywhere payments are accepted. If payments are accepted online, surcharge disclosures must also be clearly visible on the practice’s website. All disclosures must inform patients that the surcharge applies only to credit card transactions.
Surcharge Limits
Credit card surcharges must comply with both card-network rules and applicable law. The surcharge amount may not exceed the merchant’s actual cost of accepting credit cards and may not exceed 3% of the total transaction amount.
Card-network rules cap credit card surcharges at 3%, meaning that if a merchant’s processing costs exceed this amount, the excess portion cannot be passed on to the patient.
Network and State Restrictions
The major credit card networks, such as Visa and Mastercard, impose specific requirements related to surcharge limits, advance notification, and disclosure.
In addition, several U.S. states and territories regulate or prohibit credit card surcharging. At the time of writing, credit card surcharging is prohibited in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and Puerto Rico. Other states, including Colorado, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, and New York, impose restrictions on surcharge amounts or require specific disclosures.
If your practice operates in a state that restricts or prohibits credit card surcharging, you must fully understand and comply with those requirements before implementing a surcharge.
Debit card transactions may never be surcharged, even if the debit card is processed as a credit transaction.
Applicability
Credit card surcharges may be applied only to credit card transactions. Other payment types, including debit cards and alternative payment methods, are not eligible for surcharging.
Regulatory Compliance
Merchants are responsible for maintaining ongoing compliance with all applicable card-network and legal requirements. This includes meeting advance notification obligations, using compliant signage and disclosures, adhering to surcharge percentage limits, and respecting jurisdiction-specific restrictions.
By following these guidelines, dental practices can implement credit card surcharging in a way that aligns with card-network rules and promotes transparency with patients. Clear and upfront communication helps maintain patient trust and supports a positive payment experience.