Getting ready to take payments at your new Seattle business

You may be opening a cafe, a shop, a salon, or a service business in Seattle. Either way, this page covers the payment and point-of-sale decisions to make before opening day, the paperwork to have ready, and the questions to ask any processor before you sign.

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What to get right

Match the setup to how your business actually runs

Restaurants and cafes usually need tip handling, split checks, and a way to take payment at the table or counter so tables turn without a wait. Retail needs inventory tracking, barcode scanning, and a clean way to handle returns and exchanges. Salons and personal-care businesses benefit from appointment booking, deposits or card-on-file for no-shows, and tips for individual staff. Service businesses that work on site often need mobile card readers, invoicing, and the ability to take a payment over the phone or by link. Decide what you need first, then choose equipment and software around it.

Plan for more than one way to get paid

Customers will expect to tap a card or phone, insert a chip, or pay online. If you sell online, take preorders, or ship products, make sure your POS and your e-commerce store share the same payment account and inventory, so your sales and stock numbers agree. With a TouchSuite merchant account, our ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee.

Understand how you will be charged

Processing pricing can be hard to read. 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 would rather eliminate processing cost, a cash discount program is available. Before you choose, check whether a cash discount approach fits your customers and any state or local rules that apply to your business.

Keep your options open

When you are new, you are still learning what your business needs. A month-to-month agreement lets you adjust without being locked in. TouchSuite accounts are month-to-month, cancel anytime, no fees. Qualifying merchants also receive free terminals and POS hardware with no upfront cost.

How it works

  1. Get your business basics in place. Before applying 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. Registration, licensing, and sales tax requirements depend on your city, county, and state, so check with the City of Seattle and the Washington state offices that handle business licensing and taxes for what applies to you.
  2. Talk through your setup with us. Tell us what you sell, how customers pay, whether you take tips, appointments, or online orders, and how many registers or devices you need. If you already have a business and are switching, 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.
  3. Apply and get approved. You will submit your business and owner information along with your bank details for deposits. Approval time varies with the business type and how complete the application is, so it helps to start a few weeks before opening rather than a few days.
  4. Set up equipment and start processing. Once you are approved, your terminals and POS are configured with your menu, products, services, staff, and tax settings. Most merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours of approval. Run a few test transactions and a practice refund before your first real customer.

Questions to ask a processor

How exactly will I be charged, and can I see the breakdown?

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, which makes the statement easier to check. If a processor cannot explain a charge plainly, treat that as a warning sign.

Am I locked into a contract, and what happens if I want to leave?

Read the term length and the cancellation section before you sign. TouchSuite accounts are month-to-month, and you can cancel anytime with no fees.

Will the POS work with the other tools I use?

Ask whether your accounting, customer management, booking, and online store connect to the POS, and whether those connections cost extra each month. With a TouchSuite merchant account, our ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee.

What do I need to apply, and how long until I can take cards?

Plan on having your business entity, EIN, business bank account, and owner ID ready. Approval time varies, so apply well before your opening date. Once approved, most TouchSuite merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours.

Does the system handle the specifics of my type of business?

Be specific when you ask. Restaurants should ask about tips, split checks, and table service. Retailers should ask about inventory, returns, and exchanges. Salons should ask about appointments, deposits, and per-stylist tips. Service businesses should ask about mobile payments, invoices, and card-not-present payments.

Can I reduce or eliminate processing cost?

Some processors offer a cash discount program. TouchSuite offers one if you want to eliminate processing cost. Rules on how these programs are presented to customers can vary, so confirm what applies to your business in Washington before you start.

Talk through your Seattle setup before opening day

Tell us what kind of business you are opening and how your customers will pay. We will help you plan the equipment, software, and account you need. If you already process cards, send your most recent statement and we will give you an honest comparison.

An email or a phone number is enough.

Book a call

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