BluePay Blog

There are three essential components you need to bring together to accept credit cards:  A merchant account. This is essentially a bank account that allows you to accept incoming credit card payments.  A payment processor. This is the entity that authorizes credit card transactions by connecting your bank with the customer’s card-issuing bank.  A payment gateway. This is the tool that captures credit card data before sending it to your processor. Think of it as an “online” credit card terminal. 

Topics: E-Commerce and Online Payments, Payment Technology, Small Business Tips, Enterprise Business Tips, Getting Started with Payments, Merchant Accounts

Still months away, this is the time of year that many retailers are already deep into their holiday marketing plans. This includes having a content calendar ready to go, as well as a detailed strategy for how each channel will be addressed. And, while that structure provides a great framework for covering all marketing bases, it may not provide a way to truly stand out if you are implementing the same tactics and approach as the competition. 

Topics: Due.com Partner Posts, Fun Posts, Small Business Tips

Labor Day is officially celebrated on the first Monday of September. For most Americans, this annual event is just another bank holiday. There’s not a whole lot of fanfare involved.  For students, Labor Day means that school is around the corner — or a day off. For most everyone else, it simply marks the “unofficial” end of the summer — complete with barbecues, picnics and pool parties. 

Topics: Fun Posts, Small Business Tips

Since the year is nearly two-thirds in the books, you might think it’s too late to make changes that will positively impact 2018 results. However, it's never too late to adopt a best practice, tweak a process, or add a new strategy that delivers some type of result. Here are seven changes for your small business that can help achieve improvements in customer engagement, payment security, and profitability:

Topics: Due.com Partner Posts, Small Business Tips

As a business owner, you already know how hard it is to stay abreast of constant changes such as:  New tax laws. Evolving payment technology. Industry trends.  Plus, your company likely releases its own products, services and features on a regular basis. Against this backdrop, who has time to blog?  There are very compelling reasons why you should launch and maintain a blog with regularly updated content.  We’ll start with an obvious one. 

Topics: Small Business Tips, Enterprise Business Tips

Credit card processing can be complex. Even more so when you’re presented with an industry-related acronym that has you reaching for your smartphone or tablet to Google search the meaning.   In short (no pun intended), an acronym is an abbreviation formed by the initial letters of multiple words, ex. ISV stands for Integrated Software Vendor.

Topics: Small Business Tips, Getting Started with Payments, Awareness

Financial independence is one of the main reasons entrepreneurs go into business for themselves, but running a profitable company isn’t easy.   There are a lot of unknowns (i.e., risks). You have to manage many moving parts. Competitors are always at your heels.  Worst of all, expenses never seem to end.  But in honor of National Financial Awareness Day (August 14), we wanted to outline some simple tips that can move you closer to financial responsibility. 

Topics: Recurring Billing and Electronic Invoicing, PCI Compliance and Fraud Prevention, Small Business Tips, Getting Started with Payments

Planning for daily operations and long-term success can be challenging enough for a business owner. That might be the reason why many put off creating a business continuity plan. They are so overwhelmed by all the other demands business creates. However, ignoring this planning can cost you more than you realize in terms of revenue, brand reputation, and finances, should a disaster occur. 

Topics: Due.com Partner Posts, Small Business Tips

Running a small business means everything is on a smaller scale. However, that doesn't mean it's any easier. This is especially true if you are a one-man band or have a few remote employees. In managing your work and life, you are most likely always on the go and tuned into your mobile device. It's the migration to the mobile world and remote resources that led to the emergence of cloud services. 

Topics: Due.com Partner Posts, E-Commerce and Online Payments, Small Business Tips, ISV/VAR

The stretch between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is the busiest retail season of the year, generating nearly $600 billion in sales. Second on this list, however, is the back-to-school shopping season, with consumers spending an estimated $30 billion for the upcoming academic year.  Although back-to-school shopping is incredibly lucrative for the retail industry, many parents dread this annual ritual. As a merchant, you can boost sales if you implement strategies that make the shopping experience as hassle-free as possible for your customers.

Topics: Mobile Payments, E-Commerce and Online Payments, Small Business Tips