Taking cards at your new Virginia Beach business, sorted out before opening day

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

Talk to TouchSuite Book a call

What to get right

Match the setup to how your business actually runs

A restaurant needs tip adjustment, split checks, and a system that keeps up when tables turn quickly. A retail shop needs inventory tracking, barcode scanning, and a clean way to handle returns and exchanges. A salon or spa needs appointment booking, deposits for no-shows, and tips assigned to the right stylist. A service business such as a contractor, cleaner, or repair shop usually needs invoicing, card-on-file, and a way to take payment on site. Decide what you need before you choose equipment, not after.

Plan for busy and slow stretches

Many Virginia Beach businesses see their volume shift with visitor traffic and the seasons. Ask how your POS handles a rush: how many terminals or handhelds you can add, whether staff can take payment at the table, the counter, or the curb, and how quickly you can get help if something goes down on your busiest weekend. Pricing should make sense in your slow months too, not only your peak ones.

Have your paperwork ready before you apply

A merchant account application goes faster when you already have your business entity formed, an EIN from the IRS, a business bank account in the business's name, and a government-issued ID for each owner. Local business licensing and permits depend on the city and your type of business, so check with the City of Virginia Beach and, where relevant, the state about what you need before opening.

Understand exactly what you will pay

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 your processor. If you would rather eliminate processing cost, a cash discount program is available; check the current card network and state rules for how it must be posted and disclosed at your location.

How it works

  1. Set up the business basics. Form your business entity, get your EIN, and open a business bank account. Check with the city about the business license and any permits your type of business needs in Virginia Beach. These steps can take anywhere from days to weeks depending on the office and your business type, so start early.
  2. Talk through your setup with us. Tell us how you will take payments: at the counter, at the table, by appointment, online, or out in the field. We will recommend terminals and POS hardware that fit, and walk through how your ERP, CRM, or e-commerce tools connect. Those integrations are included at no monthly fee with a TouchSuite merchant account.
  3. Submit your application. You provide your business details, EIN, bank account information, and owner ID. If you have processed cards before, send your most recent statement and we will show you, line by line, what you are paying and beat it, or tell you honestly that we cannot.
  4. Get set up and start taking payments. Once you are approved, we get your equipment configured and your team ready. Most merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours of approval. Run a few test transactions before opening day so you are not troubleshooting with customers in line.

Questions to ask a processor

How is your pricing structured, and can I see it in writing?

Ask every processor this. Ours is interchange-plus: you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed margin, and you can see both on your statement. If a processor cannot explain its pricing plainly before you sign, take that as a warning sign.

Am I locked into a contract?

Some processors require long terms with cancellation fees. TouchSuite is month-to-month, and you can cancel anytime with no fees. Whoever you talk to, read the agreement for term length and anything charged on cancellation.

What equipment will I need, and who provides it?

It depends on your business. A restaurant may want handhelds for tableside payment, a retail shop may need a scanner and receipt printer, and a mobile service business may only need a card reader and a phone or tablet. Qualifying TouchSuite merchants receive free terminals and POS hardware, with no upfront cost.

Will the POS work with the other software I use?

Ask specifically about your accounting, customer management, and online store tools. With a TouchSuite merchant account, our ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee.

How soon can I start taking cards?

The application itself is the main variable, and having your entity, EIN, bank account, and ID ready helps it move. After approval, most TouchSuite merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours. Leave yourself some margin before your opening date.

Can I avoid paying processing costs altogether?

A cash discount program is available if you want to eliminate processing cost. It is not right for every business, so think about your customers and check the rules that apply to how it is disclosed before deciding.

Get your Virginia Beach business ready to take payments

Tell us what kind of business you are opening and how you plan to take payments, and we will help you put together a setup that fits. If you already process cards, send your most recent statement and we will show you, line by line, what you are paying and beat it, or tell you honestly that we cannot.

An email or a phone number is enough.

Book a call

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