Michael Lanning

Interchange Pricing May 30, 2026 23 min read

How to Audit Your Merchant Statements

Merchant statements can look routine at first glance: a few pages of sales totals, deposits, transaction counts, processing charges, and account fees. But behind those numbers may be pricing changes, avoidable charges,...

Credit card preauthorization hold illustration

May 30, 2026 26 min read

What Are Preauthorization Charges on Credit Cards?

Preauthorization charges on credit cards are one of the most common reasons customers see a pending amount that does not immediately match the final bill. They often appear after checking into a...

Interchange-plus pricing payment processing fees illustration

Interchange Pricing May 30, 2026 23 min read

What Is Interchange-Plus Pricing?

Choosing a payment processor can feel overwhelming because every quote seems to use different terms. One provider may advertise a low rate, another may promote no hidden fees, and another may promise...

Small business payment processing challenges illustration

Payment Processing May 30, 2026 24 min read

Payment Processing Challenges for Small Businesses

Reliable payment processing is no longer just a back-office function. It affects how quickly a business gets paid, how smoothly customers complete purchases, how accurately revenue is tracked, and how confidently owners...

Merchant Account May 30, 2026 24 min read

Merchant Account Setup Checklist

A merchant account setup checklist gives businesses a practical way to prepare before accepting credit cards, debit cards, online payments, invoices, mobile payments, and recurring billing. Without a clear checklist, the setup...

Merchant ID payment processing illustration

Merchant Services May 30, 2026 24 min read

What Is a Merchant ID (MID) and Why Does It Matter?

Accepting card payments involves more than a terminal, checkout page, or payment app. Behind every approved sale is a structured payment system that needs to know which business should receive the funds,...

March 25, 2026 11 min read

Can Level 2 and Level 3 Data Lower B2B Processing Costs? What Merchants Need to Know

For many businesses, credit card processing fees feel like a fixed cost of doing business. Companies often focus on approval rates, funding speed, and customer payment experience, but rarely examine whether they...

Step-by-step credit card dispute resolution process with icons for claim filing, investigation, documentation, and refund approval

Tokenization March 19, 2026 26 min read

How to Handle a Credit Card Dispute: A Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

A credit card dispute can feel like a routine admin issue at first. Then the notice arrives, funds are pulled, a response deadline appears, and suddenly your team is juggling evidence, customer...

comparing cash discounting and credit card surcharging for merchants, showing cash payments with savings versus card payments with added fees, balanced by legal and financial considerations.

Cost Reduction March 19, 2026 28 min read

Cash Discounting vs Surcharging: A Legal and Financial Comparison for Merchants

Every business that accepts cards eventually asks the same question: should we absorb payment processing fees, raise prices across the board, or use a pricing strategy that helps recover some of those...

Illustration of hidden fees in a merchant statement revealed by a magnifying glass, with icons showing payment processing, unexpected charges, and cost-cutting elements like scissors and coins

Cost Reduction March 19, 2026 33 min read

Hidden Fees in Your Merchant Statement: How to Spot and Remove Them

Most business owners know they pay credit card processing fees. What many do not realize is that a meaningful part of those costs may come from charges that are hard to recognize,...

Michael Lanning

Recent posts by Michael Lanning