For the costs involved with this account, including transaction charges, monthly fees etc. please click here. Please note: Our terms, prices and rates are non negotiable so please do not ask us to make an exception as we cannot do so.

FAQ's For a list of our most frequently asked questions please click here

Application timescales & process

When you apply online you will receive an email normally within 1 - 2 business days informing you if you have passed the initial stage or not. If so, you will receive an email with a list of supporting documents to return. Once all forms and supporting documents have been received, your application will be assessed, then you will be contacted with a decision. You will also be contacted if any questions regarding your application arise

During busy periods the application process may take 14 - 28 days (from the time of receiving your documents) due to the amount of applications we receive. However we try and get the whole process done in as little as 10 - 14 working days ... top

ID and accompanying documents

For more information on understanding the accompanying documents and what ID is needed, please click here

Why is the set-up time longer than some other accounts?

The reason it can take a slightly longer time is that as so many banking systems are computerised now and only see applications as black and white, we actually take the time to talk to the customer, listen to their actual needs and if turned down try and help to get the account they want. Unfortunately this can mean that the application process is slightly longer. However with a success rate of over 90%... what would you prefer?

If you have not received your emails please check all spam filters and junk mail folders before contacting us as this is often the reason for missing emails ... top

Potential email problems

With both accounts you will be updated via email. If you have not received your emails please check all spam filters and junk mail folders before contacting us as this can often be the reason for missing emails. AOL is especially well known for deleting or junking email. ... top

Product Descriptions

When filling in the application please make sure that you are as precise as possible with your product descriptions. Some customers have unfortunately been refused an account because they have failed to give an accurate description. For example - someone who is selling herbal products, may simply put 'Health care supplements'. However this can easily be misconstrued to mean pharmaceutical tablets, pills etc. However, if a description of '100% herbal products such as vitamins and protein supplements' had been entered then it would have passed the initial stage

This also works in reverse. For example if you are renting out accommodation that you own and have control of (no third party). However you fail to mention that you will also be supplying flights etc. and do not have the necessary bonding, then your application will be rejected ... top

Turnover Estimates

On the application you will be asked to give an estimated monthly online turnover. These will most likely be guesstimates as 90% of applicants have not yet started to trade online. Because of this please do not exaggerate these estimates as they can hinder your application and final merchant account (if offered). Certain applicants think by exaggerating the amounts we will be more keen to help them. However this is not the case whatsoever. Not only will we help any company big or small, the fact that you have put very large monthly turnovers may mean you are actually deemed a higher risk. Therefore receiving different terms to those advertised (see disclaimer below) or not receiving an account at all ... top

Back-office facility

The Optimal Account back office facility is a central resource that provides information, support and facilities to help you manage your accounts. From here you can make full or partial refunds, change login and passwords and other account information, view statements, and a whole lot more.

The back office facility includes many useful and time-saving features. Some of the tasks you can do with the back office include:

• Processing transactions manually with the Virtual Terminal
  
• Generating reports or searching for information by account number, card number, etc. with the Activity Report
  
• Downloading reports in CSV format
  
• Viewing your account balance and details with the Account Statement tool

A comprehensive user guide is available after you apply. To learn more about the back office facility please click here.

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Technical

We understand that our merchants vary with respect to their needs and requirements. Whether or not you have a Web site, our processing options give you the flexibility to select from one or all of our interfaces.

There are various ways to start processing credit and debit card payments.

a) Application Programming Interface (API)
Ideal for merchants processing large volumes of payments via a web site, integrating our API will allow you to accept credit and debit card payments directly on your Web site.

b) Secure Payment Page
This option is ideal for merchants who want to process secure credit card payments via the Internet, without requiring a secure Web site or programming expertise. With the Secure Payment Page, you only have to add a single HTML link to your Web site. We have a programme that generates this link for you. The link then takes your customer to a secure payment page hosted on our servers, where your customer enters payment information to complete the purchase.

The Secure Payment Page option is available in two versions: Static and Dynamic.

i) With the Static version, you generate a link for each product/price combination in advance. When your customer clicks on the link to purchase the product, the Secure Payment Page is presented to the customer showing the price that you specified in advance. This version is simple to use, and is appropriate when your site does not include shopping cart features like multiple products, quantities, shipping fees, or taxes.

View Static version demo

ii) The Dynamic version allows you to create a customised link on your web site for each order as it is placed by your customer, regardless of the number of different products purchased. This version is ideal if your site includes shopping cart functionality.

View Dynamic version demo

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Batch Processing

The Merchant Batch Process allows you to easily process Purchase and Refund transaction requests through Optimal Payment's transaction processing engine, simply by creating a CSV file and uploading it to us via a secure FTP connection. Our comprehensive back-office tools can be used to run reports on your transactions in realtime from any Internet connection.

The Merchant Batch Process offers the following functionalities:

• Simply create CSV files to upload to our system.
• Combine multiple transaction request types in the same CSV file.
• You are supplied with a secure FTP (sftp) application that is easy to install and use.
• You use a simple drag-and-drop interface to upload your transaction file at any time.

 Virtual Terminal

The Optimal Account Virtual Terminal for credit card processing eliminates the difficulty and additional hardware expenses normally related to manual credit and debit card processing. Our Virtual Terminal provides merchants with the standard features that accompany all of Optimal Payments' payment processing solutions. Access your Virtual Terminal from any Internet connection to process card payments.

Use the Virtual Terminal to process transactions for your accounts. You can implement the following transactions:

• Settlement – complete a sale that was previously authorised
  
• Cancel Settlement – void a settlement before it is completed
  
• Credit – refund a sale that was previously settled
  
• Cancel Credit – void a credit before it is completed
• Purchase – authorises and settles an amount on a card
  
• Authorisation – authorises an amount on a card

Transactions are protected by three security options – AVS (address verification system), a negative database check, and CVD (card verification data).

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Optimal Account Technology

• Over 100,000,000 transactions processed since 1996
  
• Average transaction time < 3 seconds
• Infrastructure based on Java, BEA WebLogic, Oracle, and Sun Solaris
• In-house data centre with automated monitoring
• Automated chargeback management system

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Multi-Currency

When you apply for the Optimal Account, three base currencies (UK Pound, Euro, and US Dollar) are available for FREE, enabling your customer to pay in the currency of their choice. Up to 12 additional currencies are available at a charge of £20 per currency per month. Additional currencies may be activated at any time, upon request.

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Disclaimer

Please note that due to an applicants status and/or business model and following a full risk assessment of an application, we are unfortunately sometimes required to increase two specific elements: the settlement period and the rolling reserve, in order to increase the merchant's chance of obtaining a merchant facility with one of our sponsor banks. Indeed a longer settlement period and a larger rolling reserve are more likely to reassure our processing bank that we have taken sufficient steps to mitigate the risk exposure on an account.

In some circumstances we may even feel that offering a different account (such as the Premier Account) may be better suited for an applicant

As you can imagine we are unable to tell who will have their settlement period and rolling reserve increased until an application has been put in and is being processed. Please be reassured that you are under no obligation to continue with the application if the new terms offered no longer meet your requirements. If this is the case than simply reply to the relevant email and your application will be terminated ... top

For more information on the Optimal Merchant Account please click here