Guide
Taking a card number by phone or sending a payment link is routine for many businesses. It carries different risks and different costs than a card in hand.
✓ Installed by our team and supported by phone. Rates and equipment are quoted to your business.
Merchant Fund Express explains payments in plain English so owners can make better decisions about equipment and processing.
Taking a card number by phone or sending a payment link is routine for many businesses. It carries different risks and different costs than a card in hand.
Card-not-present payments (phone, email, a payment link) are processed through a virtual terminal or an invoice. They are convenient and they are riskier, which is why they often cost more to accept.
Good practice is simple: use a secure channel, confirm the name and billing details, send a receipt and never write a card number on paper.
A browser-based screen to key in a card for phone orders.
Send an invoice and let the customer pay on their own phone.
Never store card numbers on paper or in a spreadsheet.
Send a receipt immediately so the customer recognizes the charge.
| Method | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual terminal | Phone orders | Typing errors |
| Payment link | Invoices and deposits | Customer follow-through |
| Card on file | Recurring service | Written authorization |
| In person later | Pickup orders | No-shows |
A florist takes a Mother's Day order by phone. She keys the card into the virtual terminal, emails the receipt immediately and notes the delivery details in the order, which makes a later dispute easy to answer.
A device or pricing decision looks bigger on paper than it is in practice. Most owners are well served by choosing for their busiest ten minutes, keeping the first setup simple and adding pieces as volume proves the need.
Talk to a person at (305) 384-8391. Describe your counter, your busiest hour and how customers pay, and we will recommend the lightest setup that does the job, with installation and training on site.
Create a short call script for phone orders: greet, confirm the order, confirm the total, collect the card details, repeat back the last four digits and the zip, send the receipt and say thanks. A script feels stiff for the first week and then becomes a habit that protects you. Record the time and the staff name on the order so the story is complete.
As explained by Merchant Fund Express. Updated 2026.
They carry more fraud risk, so processors price them separately.
Use the virtual terminal and never write the number down.
With the customer's authorization you can keep a card on file for recurring service.
Keep order details and communications so you can respond.
Yes. A free statement review shows what you pay today and where a Clover setup would differ, with no obligation to change anything.
No. Our installer sets up the network, devices and menu with you in the room and trains your staff on the real screens, so nobody has to read a manual or call an IT person.
Call Merchant Fund Express. We install it, train your staff and stay on the line after launch. Ask for a free rate review while you are at it.
