In today's competitive business landscape, optimizing costs and streamlining operations are key priorities for companies of all sizes. When it comes to payment processing,...
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Industry News
In an ever-changing landscape, keep ahead of the curve with insights and industry news from Optimized Payments.
Latest News from Card Fees
A Decade of Payment Industry Changes
Over the last decade, the card payments industry has undergone significant changes, fueled by technological advancements, changing consumer behavior, and increased competition. From the rise of mobile payments to the adoption of contactless cards, here are some of the...
Card Network Nuisance Fees
The card networks have been increasing the number and value of assessments and dues, or commonly known as nuisance fees, over the years. As the outline below shows, Visa has 12 different fees and MasterCard has 14 fees that can apply to merchants accepting their...
Credit Card Surcharging Overview & Updates
As part of the settlement between the card networks (Visa and MasterCard) and merchants, the card networks are allowing merchants in the U.S. to impose a "surcharge" for using a credit card. This rule went into effect on January 27, 2013. Most large retailers have...
Strategies for Reducing Payment Processing Costs
In the current economic climate, businesses are seeking ways to reduce their operating costs and bolster their bottom lines. Credit card processing is one of the most confusing and complex services that companies buy today. Here are 7 strategies to help lower your...
Understanding International Processing Fees
Interchange rates for international cards (cards issued outside the U.S. and processed by a U.S. based merchant) can be very confusing. Beyond the interchange rates and other processing fees charged for international cards, every network adds two fees to every...
Healthcare Self-Payment Collections – Reducing Cost of Card Payments
We prepared the following analysis before the Durbin amendment became effective on October 1, 2011. We will be updating this analysis in the near future but the general guidelines presented are still very valid. Reducing your healthcare organization's cost of...