Opening a business in Scottsdale? Get your payments sorted before opening day.
Whether you are opening a restaurant, a shop, a salon, or a service business in Scottsdale, you need a merchant account, a point-of-sale setup that fits how you sell, and a clear picture of what you will pay. This page walks you through what to plan for, what to have ready, and what to ask any processor before you sign.
Talk to TouchSuite Book a callWhat to get right
Restaurants: plan around tips, table turns, and online orders
If you are opening a restaurant or cafe in Scottsdale, your POS has to handle tip adjustments, split checks, and fast turnover during busy service without slowing your staff down. Decide early whether you want servers taking payment at the table, whether you will take online or phone orders, and how tips get reported and paid out. Ask how the system handles closing out the day so your tip totals and your deposits match.
Retail: inventory, returns, and selling online
For a retail shop, the POS is also your inventory system. Look for item-level tracking, low-stock alerts, and a clean way to process returns and exchanges back to the original card. If you plan to sell online as well as in your Scottsdale storefront, keep your in-store and online inventory in one place. TouchSuite's ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee with a TouchSuite merchant account.
Salons and spas: appointments, deposits, and card on file
Salons, barbershops, and spas live on the appointment book. Plan for online booking, taking deposits or keeping a card on file for no-shows, and splitting tips between stylists or technicians. Make sure your cancellation policy is written down and shown to clients before you charge it, and confirm your processor supports the way you want to collect deposits.
Services and pricing you can actually read
If you run a service business in Scottsdale, such as cleaning, repair, fitness, or consulting, you may need invoicing, recurring billing, or a way to take cards in the field. Whatever you sell, ask for interchange-plus pricing, where you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed margin, so you can see what each part of your bill is for. If you want to eliminate processing cost, a cash discount program is also available; check the card network rules and any state or local requirements on signage and disclosure before you use one.
How it works
- Get your business basics in place. Before you apply for a merchant account, have your business entity formed, your EIN from the IRS, a business bank account in the business's name, and a government-issued ID for each owner. Check with the City of Scottsdale and the Arizona Department of Revenue for the business and sales tax licenses that apply to you, since requirements depend on what you sell and where.
- Talk through how you will sell. Have a short conversation about your business: counter service or table service, appointments or walk-ins, in-store only or online too, and roughly what you expect to process. This is what determines your equipment and software, not the other way around. If you already process cards elsewhere, 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.
- Apply and set up your equipment. Submit your merchant application with your entity documents, EIN, bank account details, and ID. Review times vary by business type and how complete your paperwork is, so apply a few weeks before you plan to open if you can. Qualifying merchants receive free terminals and POS hardware, no upfront cost. Use the waiting time to load your menu, products, or services and set up staff logins.
- Start taking payments. Most merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours of approval. Run a few test transactions before opening day, including a refund and a tip adjustment if they apply to you, and confirm the deposits land in your business bank account the way you expect.
Questions to ask a processor
What pricing model will I be on, and can I see a sample statement?
Ask every processor this. With interchange-plus pricing, you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed margin, which makes your statement easier to check. Ask to see what a monthly statement will look like before you sign so nothing on it is a surprise.
Am I locked into a contract?
Ask about contract length, renewal terms, and what happens if you want to leave. TouchSuite accounts are month-to-month, and you can cancel anytime with no fees.
How long until I can take payments?
It depends on how quickly your application is reviewed, which is faster when your entity documents, EIN, bank account, and ID are ready. Once approved, most TouchSuite merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours. Leave yourself some buffer before your Scottsdale opening date.
Will the POS work with the other software I use?
Ask specifically about your accounting, customer, booking, and online store tools, and whether connecting them adds a monthly charge. TouchSuite's ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee with a TouchSuite merchant account.
Can I offer a cash discount instead of paying processing costs?
A cash discount program is available through TouchSuite if you want to eliminate processing cost. Before you start one, make sure you understand the card network rules and any Arizona or local requirements for posting and disclosing it, and think about how your customers will react.
What happens if I already have a processor?
Send your most recent processing statement. We will walk through it line by line, show you what you are paying, and either beat it or tell you honestly that we cannot.
Planning to open in Scottsdale? Start with a straight answer.
Tell us what kind of business you are opening and how you plan to sell, and we will help you sort out the merchant account, equipment, and software you need. If you already process cards, send your latest statement and we will show you exactly what you are paying.
Book a callTouchSuite · 800-793-3250 · Month-to-month, cancel anytime, no fees.