I was wondering why not use a traditional merchant account (unless its adult or gambling). I have had trouble with Paypal and would rather maintain control over the funds I receive.
Since FastSpring gave you so many benefits I thought I'd give you some disadvantages just for some perspective. These do not apply to every merchant account provider, so shop around and be sure you read your merchant agreement before you sign. -Lengthy contracts and ETFs if you close the account early. -Monthly Fees (statement fee, gateway fee, minimum processing fees) -Annual Fees (service fee, PCI compliance fee) -Funds may still be held, you may still need to provide information on your business -May be more difficult to sell multiple types of products without being audited by their risk department -Credit checks are typically required Again, be sure you read the contract carefully before you sign it. Also, fees can change frequently so be sure to watch your statement so you aren't blind-sighted by a large fee.
Dan, I apologize if it sounded like I was directing that towards you. I'm not familiar with FastSpring E-Commerce, I was just speaking in general about merchant accounts. Thanks for addressing those issues though, I'm sure it will help cpj when making a decision. My best advice is to approach the selection of a merchant account like you would the selection of a new car. Do a lot of research up front, and when you talk to the sales team expect to do some haggling. Don't be shy about calling multiple companies and getting various rate quotes, just make sure you don't sign anything until you're confident you made the right choice. Good luck, there are many good processors out there (and a few not so good ones too). I'm sure with a little research you'll find the best one for you.