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Shopify and Wix are both software platforms that we frequently recommended to small business owners, so it’s worth comparing the two in-depth. But, you might be wondering: is this a true apples-to-apples comparison? Or, more like apples-to-oranges? If you’ve conducted some of your own research on these platforms prior to landing upon this article, you’re […]

Right away, Shopify and Squarespace both score points in my book for their names. Shopify is all about helping you build an online store where customers can shop — “shop-ify-ing” a regular website, as it were. Squarespace, by comparison, is a more traditional website builder, allowing you to create a literal “square space” (or series […]

Knowing your effective rate helps you understand what you actually pay for credit card processing. Here’s how to calculate it, and use that information to find the best rates on merchant services.

Here at Merchant Maverick, we’ve received countless questions over the years from concerned business owners regarding their merchant account statements. In fact, our website owes a large part of its very existence to the complex pricing, convoluted statements, and hidden markups that are hallmarks of the card processing industry. This is the unfortunate state of […]

“It’s 11 o’clock. Do you know where your children are?” This was a popular PSA broadcasted to parents in the ’70s and ’80s, back when “stranger danger” was just about the scariest thing out there. Now, I have an equally important PSA for small business owners: “You have your processing statement. Do you know your […]

Are there days when you wonder if it’s even worth it to accept credit cards at your business? Do those days happen to correspond with the days you receive your monthly card processing statements? Hmm…interesting coincidence. We know that accepting plastic is usually worth the cost in the end, whether or not you occasionally fantasize […]

In this guide, we’re tackling a surprisingly tricky and supremely detail-oriented topic in the world of card payment processing: card brand fees. Navigating these fees on your merchant account statement can feel like you’re on a scavenger hunt you didn’t sign up for — and not the fun kind. There’s no avoiding the fact that […]

First, a confession: I am still pretty new at reviewing merchant service providers. MSPs, that is–I’ve got the lingo down now. But it wasn’t too long ago that I had no idea what that term even meant. No one is born with knowledge of merchant accounts, and the first thing I learned when I began […]

Simple and streamlined to the core, it’s no wonder the ancient art of street food vending has blossomed with the increasingly fast pace of life. The humble food cart fully launched into the modern era with the introduction of mobile payment processing solutions offered by companies like Square. With pricing and equipment tailored for low-volume/low-ticket […]