I started PaymentProcessingTips back in 2019 after spending nearly a decade working with small business owners who were constantly getting burned by confusing contracts and hidden fees from payment processors.
My background is actually in retail management. I ran a small chain of gift shops in the Pacific Northwest, and like most business owners, I thought payment processing was just something you had to deal with – a necessary evil where you signed whatever the sales rep put in front of you. That changed when I discovered we'd been overpaying by almost $800 a month for three years straight. The contract was filled with jargon I didn't understand, and our processor was charging us for services we never used.
That frustrating experience sent me down a rabbit hole. I started researching everything I could about merchant services, interchange rates, and payment gateway options. I became that person at business networking events who wouldn't shut up about payment processing (I know, thrilling dinner conversation). But here's the thing – every single business owner I talked to had similar horror stories. They were all confused, overpaying, or locked into terrible contracts.
After selling my retail business in 2018, I wasn't sure what to do next. A friend suggested I share what I'd learned, since I'd basically become an accidental expert on the topic. So I started this blog to help other business owners avoid the mistakes I made.
I'm not a payments industry insider trying to sell you something. I'm just someone who learned this stuff the hard way and wants to make it easier for others. I break down the confusing terminology, compare different processors honestly, and call out the sneaky fees that companies hope you won't notice.
My goal is simple: help you keep more of your hard-earned money by understanding what you're actually paying for when you accept credit cards. Because trust me, once you know what to look for, you'll wonder how you ever signed those contracts in the first place.