Taking cards in your new Detroit business, sorted out in order

Whether you are opening a restaurant, shop, salon, or service business in Detroit, here is what to plan for payments and point of sale, what to have ready before you apply, and what to ask any processor before you sign.

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What to get right

Match the setup to how you actually sell

A restaurant needs tip adjustment, split checks, and fast table turns. A retail shop needs inventory tracking, barcode scanning, and a clean way to handle returns and exchanges. A salon or barbershop needs appointment booking, deposits for no-shows, and tips assigned to the right stylist. A service business that works on site needs mobile or invoice-based payments and card-on-file for repeat clients. Decide which of these matter to you before you look at hardware, then choose terminals and software that fit.

Know exactly what you are paying

Ask for pricing you can read. With interchange-plus pricing, you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed margin, so each line on your statement can be checked. If you already process cards somewhere, send us your most recent processing statement and we will show you, line by line, what you are paying and beat it, or tell you honestly that we cannot. If you would rather eliminate processing cost, a cash discount program is available.

Keep your options open

A new business changes quickly in its first year. A month-to-month agreement, with cancel anytime and no fees, means you are not locked in while you learn what you need. Qualifying merchants receive free terminals and POS hardware with no upfront cost, which can help when opening budgets are tight.

Connect payments to the rest of your business

If you sell online as well as in person, or use accounting or customer management software, your POS should talk to those systems so you are not re-entering sales by hand. Our ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee with a TouchSuite merchant account.

How it works

  1. Get your business basics in place. Before applying for a merchant account, form your business entity, get an EIN from the IRS, and open a business bank account in the business name. Have a government-issued ID ready for each owner. Licensing, permits, and inspections depend on your business type and location, so check with the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan for what applies to you. Restaurants and salons in particular usually have additional requirements.
  2. Talk through how you will take payments. Tell us what you sell, how customers pay, whether you take tips, appointments, deposits, or online orders, and roughly what volume you expect. If you have a current statement, send it. We will recommend equipment and software that fits, and explain pricing options, including interchange-plus and the cash discount program.
  3. Apply and get approved. You complete the merchant account application with your entity details, EIN, bank account, and owner ID. Approval time varies with the business and how complete the application is, so applying a few weeks before your opening date gives you room to handle any follow-up questions.
  4. Set up and start processing. Most merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours of approval. Use that window to load your menu or inventory, set up staff logins and tip settings, run test transactions, and make sure deposits land in your business bank account before opening day.

Questions to ask a processor

What will I actually pay, and how can I check it?

Ask any processor to explain every line on a sample statement. With interchange-plus pricing you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed margin, so you can see what goes to the networks and what goes to the processor. If you already have a statement, we will review it line by line and either beat it or tell you honestly that we cannot.

Am I locked into a contract?

Ask this directly, and get the answer in writing. TouchSuite agreements are month-to-month, cancel anytime, with no fees to leave.

Will the system handle the way my type of business works?

Be specific. Restaurants should ask about tip adjustment, split checks, and table management. Retailers should ask about inventory, barcode scanning, and returns. Salons should ask about booking, deposits, and per-stylist tips. Service businesses should ask about mobile payments, invoicing, and card-on-file. Ask to see the feature, not just hear that it exists.

Does a cash discount program make sense for me?

It can, if you want to eliminate processing cost and are comfortable with how it is presented to customers. Card network rules and state requirements affect how these programs must be set up and disclosed, so ask the processor to walk you through signage and receipts, and check with a local advisor if you are unsure what applies in Michigan.

How long until I can take cards?

It depends on how quickly you get your entity, EIN, bank account, and ID together, and how long approval takes for your application. Once approved, most TouchSuite merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours. Start the process well before your opening date.

Will it connect to my online store and other software?

Ask which systems integrate and whether there is a separate charge. With a TouchSuite merchant account, our ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee.

Opening in Detroit soon? Get your payments sorted early.

Tell us about your business and how you plan to sell. If you already process cards, send your most recent statement and we will show you what you are paying, line by line. Qualifying merchants receive free terminals and POS hardware, and agreements are month-to-month.

An email or a phone number is enough.

Book a call

TouchSuite · 800-793-3250 · Month-to-month, cancel anytime, no fees.