Authorize.net is a payment gateway that facilitates the submission and routing of credit card and electronic check payment transactions on behalf of its client merchants to the processing networks in real-time–24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Authorize.net Payment Gateway supports transactions from all types of merchant business models: from websites, at retail (where the customer physically presents payment directly to the merchant at the time of purchase at a retail location), mail order/telephone order (MOTO) call and fulfillment centers, and from wireless devices.

Primarily, Authorize.net provides payment gateway payment processing services to small business merchants. Valuable services included in every payment gateway account include a Virtual Terminal, batch upload capabilities, fraud prevention services, downloadable reports and statements, QuickBooks compatibility, and multiple user accounts. Authorize.net also provides additional services that help merchants enhance transaction processing, streamline their business processes, and save time and money. Some of Authorize.net’s value-adding products are: Automated Recurring Billing™, Advanced Fraud Detection Suite™, Customer Information Manager and eCheck.Net®.

Authorize.net is uncompromising when it comes to providing merchants with secure, trustworthy payment processing services. For receiving and transmitting customer payment information, Authorize.net implements the most advanced security protocols. In addition, Authorize.net consistently employs an extensive number of best practices, procedures and industry-leading technologies to maintain tight security for the entire payment gateway platform. We also maintain compliance with the highest standard security programs for the protection of cardholder information developed by the card associations, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), and continually invest time and money to maximize the security surrounding the payment gateway.

Authorize.net recognizes that fraud may well be the biggest challenge facing our merchants, which is why helping merchants protect themselves from fraud is one of our highest priorities. There are several ways Authorize.net protects merchants from fraud: Unlike other payment gateways, Address Verification Service (AVS) and Card Code Verification (CCV) tools come with our standard payment gateway accounts–helping merchants build their fraud protection program from the ground up. Based on extensive research and criteria developed by our dedicated Fraud Management Team, the Authorize.net Advanced Fraud Detection Suite (AFDS) provides an unrivaled set of transaction filters and tools that empower merchants to identify, prevent and manage potentially fraudulent transactions. For more information about AFDS, see http://www.authorize.net/fds/. Authorize.net has an established and dedicated Fraud Management Team that is dedicated to the daily monitoring of merchant accounts and development of merchant protection practices and program. Authorize.net is continually investing money and resources into providing merchants with the tools and information they need to protect their businesses from fraud.

Authorize.net offers an online knowledge base at www.authorize.net/help. Our free Customer Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by phone (closed major holidays), toll free at 1.877.447.3938, eTicket and live chat within the Merchant Interface (click “Live Help”).

You can view and manage your transactions in the Merchant Interface at https://account.authorize.net/. The Merchant Interface is a Web-based, password protected management tool for your payment gateway account. Here you can submit transactions including voids and credits, search your transaction history, view reports and statements, and more.

Connecting your website to the Authorize.net Payment Gateway requires some additional code and development for your website. To do this, you can either have a Web developer implement your payment gateway integration or use a shopping cart. If you prefer to use a developer, we highly recommend you choose an Authorize.net Certified Developer. Our Certified Developers must meet rigorous integration standards and provide samples of successful integrations. A directory of our Certified Developers can be found at http://www.authorize.net/cdd. Choosing a pre-integrated product such as a shopping cart is often the easiest and most practical integration method. Authorize.net Certified Shopping Carts automatically connect your website to the payment gateway, allowing you to accept payments immediately. For a list of Certified Shopping Carts, please visit: http://www.authorize.net/cscdir. Your Web developer may be able to help you choose the connection method that is right for your business.

To accept payment from a website, merchants first need an Authorize.net Payment Gateway account and a merchant bank account. Your Authorize.net reseller will be able to provide you with these accounts.

A merchant bank account is a type of bank account that allows merchants to collect proceeds from consumer bank account or credit card payment transactions.