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Key Differences Between B2B And Consumer-Facing Merchant Services

23 May 2016

Danielle Lopez

Does your business need B2B merchant services? Many business owners assume that B2B credit card transactions will operate similarly to consumer-facing transactions, but there are some areas in which B2B credit card sales differ. Organizations that intend to specialize in B2B sales should usually find a merchant processor specifically designed to support them. Otherwise, they may experience higher than average fees and transaction delays. 

B2B Card Processing Requires Better Security

When it comes to B2C credit card processing, security is already exceptionally important. But while a consumer's identity could be stolen, a B2B security issue could mean the compromise of a government agency. Not only do other businesses look into the security of their vendors more seriously, but they could also lead to greater levels of liability in the event that their information is breached. B2B card processors generally have higher levels of security for this reason.

B2B Cards Are Processed Differently

Business and government credit cards often have higher processing fees per transaction, because they usually aren't charged interest. More importantly, some cards -- especially government cards -- can't be traditionally swiped to begin a transaction.Instead, they have to be processed manually through the B2B merchant service. This means that attempting a B2B credit card transfer can be cumbersome through an interface made purely for consumer swipe transactions. A B2B merchant will be designed to facilitate these types of sales, and will also be able to troubleshoot B2B transactions in the event something unexpected is encountered.

B2B Transactions Are Generally Larger

Business-to-business sales tend to be far larger than the average customer transaction. Businesses with a traditional B2C merchant service may find their transactions delayed as fraud detection is initiated. They may also find themselves paying higher fees for processing these exceptionally large transactions. A B2B merchant service will already expect these large transactions and will be able to both fulfill them faster and charge fewer fees. Likewise, a B2C merchant service may not be prepared for very large volumes of sales, depending on the type of merchant account. 

Though some credit card companies handle both business-to-consumer and business-to-business sales, many of them specialize in one over the other. While business-to-consumer merchant services will usually still be able to complete some B2B transactions, they usually won't be able to do it with the efficiency or security needed. Some merchants also offer different types of accounts, depending on the type of transaction your business specializes in.

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