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AI Automation Insights
Practical guides, industry analysis, and expert insights on using AI to grow your business.
What Is a Merchant Account? And Why Most Small Businesses Do Not Need a Dedicated One
A merchant account is the special-purpose bank account that holds card sales between approval and payout. If you use Stripe, Square, PayPal or Shopify Payments you already have one bundled and never applied. Here is when a dedicated account is actually worth the monthly fees, and what underwriters look at.
Credit Card Surcharge Rules in 2026: The Cap Is Your Own Rate, Not 3%
Surcharging credit cards has been legal in the U.S. since January 27, 2013, but Visa's rules are stricter than the internet says. The surcharge cannot exceed your own merchant discount rate, with a hard 4% ceiling. You must notify Visa and your acquirer 30 days ahead, you can never surcharge debit, and ten states restrict it.
What Is a Chargeback? The Rules, the Real Cost, and When Fighting One Loses Money
A chargeback is a card payment reversed by the cardholder's bank. Federal law gives the customer 60 days from the statement to dispute and the bank up to 90 days to resolve. Stripe charges $15 to receive a dispute and $15 more to counter it, which means a won dispute under about $21 costs more than it recovers.
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