Merchant Services

What are my fees? There are costs associated with payment card acceptance that include monthly terminal fees, if applicable, and a monthly discount fee. Contact us at 1-800-279-4195 to determine your specific fees.

What kind of cards can I accept? The most common types of cards that can be accepted are: Visa®, MasterCard®, American Express®, Discover®, JCB®, Diners Club®, Union Pay®, AliPay QR Code, and Paypal/Venmo QR code.

Why do I have to fill out an application and why do you need to check my credit? A merchant account is in essence an open-ended line of credit. An application is needed so that we can review and verify the information you provide on your business. 

How can I get more information about PCI registration and compliance? Visit the Clover Security Learning Center for helpful information regarding your PCI registration and compliance at https://cloversecurity.com/using-cloversecurity.html.

What is eCommerce? eCommerce, or electronic commerce, is a sales transaction that is conducted over the Internet or other telecommunications network.

Why do you ask an internet only merchant to have a business phone number listed in the local directory assistance? It is recommended that all our merchant accounts have a business phone number listed in local directory assistance as we want to ensure your customers can reach you by phone in case they cannot reach you by email. Having easily accessible contact information can help to minimize disputes, since a customer may be able to more quickly and effectively resolve any billing concerns.

Why do I have to post a refund/service/return policy? The payment card companies mandate that you must post your refund/service/return policy. We also want to make sure your customers understand your return policy in the event that they are unhappy with your product or service. 

What is an electronic check? An electronic check is another Internet purchase type. It works just like a paper check, except it is processed electronically and it clears faster than a paper check. 

Why should I offer electronic check processing as a payment option? Allowing electronic checks enables another payment method for customers. Customers may not wish to use payment cards, or may not have one, so allowing electronic checks provides a safe, cost effective alternative payment option.

Can I manually process transactions? Yes, you can manually process transactions with the use of a virtual terminal.

What is a virtual terminal? A virtual terminal is a browser-based application to process payments over the internet. A virtual terminal allows you to accept cards from customers over the phone, fax, or mail by manually entering card transaction data. It provides a simple way for you to do eCommerce without website integration with a payment gateway.

Does a virtual terminal have an auto-settle function? Yes

Does a virtual terminal check AVS on the authorization? Yes

Can you import or export transaction data with a virtual terminal? Yes

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)

PCI DSS Compliance is managed and maintained by the PCI Security Standards Council. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a security standard established to help organizations protect customer payment card data. PCI DSS is applicable to all merchants who accept payment cards bearing the logos of Visa®, MasterCard®, American Express®, Discover®, or JCB®.

By demonstrating compliance with PCI DSS, your organization can attain safe harbor and be exempt from fines and penalties should a cardholder data compromise event occur involving your organization or your organization’s service provider. Your organization’s ability to process credit card transactions may be affected if you are not in compliance with PCI DSS.

Where can I find additional information on PCI Standards?
For more information about the PCI Data Security Standard, please contact 1-800-279-4195. The following resources are also available:

PCI Security Standards Council: https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/faqs

Visa: https://usa.visa.com/support/small-business/security-compliance.html

Mastercard: https://www.mastercard.us/en-us/business/overview/safety-and-security/security-recommendations/site-data-protection-PCI.html

What is fraud? Fraud is an occurrence where the cardholder certifies he or she did not authorize or participate in a sales transaction or someone unknown to the cardholder misrepresented the cardholder’s identity or financial status to obtain the payment card used.

Who is liable? Will I suffer a loss when fraud occurs? The merchant must perform certain activities to protect against fraudulent use of a payment card at their organization. Bank of Hawaii Merchant Services can assist you in setting up the optimal preventive measures at the time of terminal installation. Please note, a card-not-present sale is more risky and losses are more likely to occur in comparison to a face-to-face card transaction.

What are some fraud prevention tools? Our knowledgeable service representatives can assist you in better understanding what fraud prevention tools are available to your industry. These tools include systems such as the Address Verification System (AVS), which helps card-not-present merchants match an order address with a card’s billing address, to verify CVV/CVC codes (the security codes printed on the card), as well as procedures for accepting cards and what to do if you suspect a fraudulent transaction occurred or is occurring.

How does dispute resolution work? When an issuer needs to request additional information about a transaction and/or return a transaction, payment card companies have dispute resolution processes which provide their members the means to correct errors and resolve disputed transactions.

What is a chargeback? A chargeback is a dispute of a purchase that has already been charged to a customer’s account that can result in a return of funds. As a merchant, in order to respond to chargebacks in a timely manner, we recommend using our dispute management tool located in your businesstrack.com portal.