The right internet merchant accounts can be a valuable asset to any company who does a significant portion of their business online. This becomes even more important when considering the fact that, according to some estimates, the number of online shoppers in the U.S. is expected to grow nearly 40 million, to 175 million, from 2010 to 2016. On top of that, great internet merchant accounts will take into account statistics that say that 12 percent of shoppers visited an online retailer using a mobile device, in 2011, and 6.7 percent of them, or double the rate from 2010, made a purchase. As a result, internet merchant accounts must be able to not only offer flexible and efficient online payment systems, but also make mobile accessibility simple.

There are three distinct levels to the credit card processing system, where level 3 processing offers the most details about a transaction, including information like item description, quantity, discount indentifier, and more. Strong internet merchant accounts will be able to function well at all three levels to provide the best service to a business. They should also be able to cater to the needs of a wide range of industries, including flight and travel, which was responsible for a third of e commerce transactions in 2011.

Payment processing companies and internet merchant accounts function in more ways than simply processing credit cards. Internet merchant accounts serve as an important intermediary between businesses and their customers. Their services allow both parties involved in the transaction to efficiently make and receive payments and keep track of all of the details of a transaction. In an environment where every dollar counts, that can be invaluable. Links like this.