If I start selling a different type of product online, can I continue to use my existing merchant account?
Here’s a question we sometimes get: If I start selling a different type of product on my website, can I continue to use my existing merchant account?
The straight answer is, no. This is a good way to get your merchant account shut down on the spot.
We sometimes come across merchants who begin selling products on their websites that were not approved under the terms of their merchant account with Instabill. Some merchants do so under ignorance, without notifying their Instabill representatives or their acquiring bank. Other merchants claim they do it unknowingly.
No Easy Solution
There is no real easy answer, even if a merchant wants to sell related products. The only solution is to register as a completely new business, or at least as a DBA (Do Business As). It is a three-fold process:
- Merchant must come up with a DBA name (company name) and use a separate bank account from the original merchant account.
- Merchant must construct a new website around the new/different product.
- Merchant must go through a new merchant account approval process.
“We get this question all the time,” said Instabill Sales Manager Wendy Jacques. “We have merchants that have opened two and three merchant accounts with us. Most merchants know the parameters of their contracts, that they cannot add new or different products. There are very few who don’t.”
Ongoing Underwriting Process
During the boarding phase, there is a period in which Instabill underwriters make all the necessary background checks, one of which is ascertaining what each e-commerce merchant is selling. Even after Instabill gives merchant account approvals, our underwriters will conduct random spot checks on our merchant websites. We understand many of our competitors do that same.
Instabill Will Walk You Through It
Instabill representatives are reachable during the work week at 1-800-318-2713 or by live chat. Our staff continues to serve as consultants to our merchant partners for the life of the merchant account.
We not only walk you through the process, we’re your consultant for the life of the account.