The Power to Process

A merchant account is an invaluable asset to a professional services provider or other small businesses because, with a knowledgeable payments provider, you are able to offer your clients payment processing options that are reliable, easy, and safe, no matter what the processing environment is.

Yes — we do offer the Tip Adjust function for customers using credit, debit, and digital forms of payment.

There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing a POS system. You need to take into account the merchandise or services you offer, the physical location of your operation (if there is one), and how much sales volume you project. For these decisions, we recommend talking with a Sales Representative, who can explain all of the use cases and work with you to get you the tools best suited for your business model.

There are four main reasons why peer-to-peer third-party applications aren’t the best idea for business transactions. First, it is technically illegal to use free, personal platforms for business use. While some of these apps such as Venmo do have business accounts available, they stick you with fees and charges that you were likely hoping to avoid by going to them in the first place. Second, if the client has an issue with a service, it’s nearly impossible to issue a proper refund through those applications. Third, there are no reporting tools that come with these basic payment functions. Without these insights, it is significantly more difficult to actually grow your business. Lastly, you could face big penalties from the IRS, and it is easy to underreport taxable income through these channels. The last thing a budding business wants is an audit.

A dependable processor should equip you with a full suite of tools to help you accept payments smoothly and manage your business more efficiently. Here are the essentials you should expect once you’re set up:

Merchant account
This functions as a secure holding space where funds sit briefly before being transferred to your bank. You’re assigned a unique identifier that keeps deposits organized and ensures fast, accurate settlement.

Payment terminals
These devices connect through the internet to read credit, debit, and contactless payments. Today’s models typically support NFC, EMV chips, and modern wallet-based transactions for fast, secure checkout.

Point-of-sale system
A true POS goes beyond card acceptance. It can include inventory tools, reporting features, staff controls, product management, and integrations that help you run operations with more clarity and precision.

Virtual terminal
Ideal for remote billing or phone orders, this software allows you to key in transactions from any computer. When paired with a simple USB reader, it can also handle in-person card swipes or dips.

Mobile payment setup
Using a smartphone or tablet with a compact reader, you can accept payments anywhere your business takes you — events, job sites, pop-ups, or on-the-go service calls.

Payment gateway
This secure online connection routes card data from your website to the processor, enabling safe ecommerce transactions and shielding sensitive information during every step of the payment.

Online shopping cart
A modern cart does more than hold products — it shapes the customer experience. It allows for branding, product display, upsells, and a streamlined checkout flow that supports strong online sales.

Cardi offers fast deposit options so you can keep cash flow moving. With our Next Day Funding program, any transactions finalized Monday through Friday before 10 p.m. ET are sent to your bank and typically arrive by 10 a.m. the following business morning. If you need access even sooner, our Same Day Funding option deposits payments processed before 10:30 a.m. ET into your account by roughly 5 p.m. that same day, giving you rapid access to working capital.

Understanding the right account type for your processing volume is something we review carefully, since our goal is to match your business with tools that fit your actual needs — not oversell you. If you're unsure whether your transaction totals require a high-volume setup, our team can walk you through the options and evaluate your averages. A brief consultation will determine the most suitable merchant account structure for your business.

Credit-card processing varies slightly between in-person and online transactions, but the underlying sequence is consistent. The customer provides their card information to the merchant—either by swiping, dipping, or tapping a physical card at a terminal, or by securely entering their card details during an ecommerce checkout.

The payment device or gateway transmits the transaction data to a payment processor, merchant services provider, or acquiring bank
. From there, the authorization request is sent to the appropriate card network (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) and then to the issuing bank. The issuing bank approves or declines the transaction and returns that decision through the card network back to the processor.

After authorization, the process moves to settlement. When the business batches out its daily transactions, the funds are routed for deposit. In most cases, the merchant receives the proceeds in their merchant account within one business day.