Before the predominance of eCommerce, many small brands relied on brick-and-mortar stores to get their product out there. With software and communication making it easy for just about anybody to sell anything, small brands have a lot more options on the table. In a sense, the landscape for small businesses with products to sell is worthy of optimism. While retailers fret about Amazon cutting into their businesses, small businesses with products to sell are learning to leverage Amazon in conjunction with other sales channels, and benefit from these options. It’s now possible for anyone to find the best credit card processing company, customer relationship management, and more.
Meanwhile, a lot of retailers—thanks in large part to the pressures they face from competing with Amazon—are unfortunately offering less and worse options for retailers. It makes perfect sense that we’re seeing a lot of smaller businesses offering their products online themselves, whether that’s on their own eCommerce website, Amazon, eBay, or likely, all these channels simultaneously, and more.
There is a wide range of tools at the disposal of the business who is looking to be independent in the way they sell:
Everything comes down to getting paid. You’ll want to find a processor whose rates and fees are a good fit for you, but you’ll also want to ensure that the service meets your expectations and needs. Variables such as how frequently money is deposited into your account can make a big difference in what the is for your business.
Once a tough barrier of entry for businesses who wanted to ship their products, fulfillment services like ShipStation are making it easier than ever to fulfill shipments, and just as importantly, to keep track of the whole process and understand just what is going on.
The flexibility and openness of your solutions is a crucial practicality for businesses that are relying on software as a service (SaaS) to sell. The reason that it’s so easy for small businesses to sell across so many channels is for the obvious reason that there are so many software solutions out there for businesses to choose from. You could have a platform for customer relationship management, accounting, inventory, shipping, and even more. The most important thing is to ensure that the interaction between the solutions you use is making your life easier, not harder.
Moolah, in our effort to be the best credit card processing company for sellers of all types, runs by these principles. We work to be open, simple to work with, and attentive to the needs of busy business people. If you feel you can get by without selling in retail stores, you’re probably right.
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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.