Canada Internet Merchant Account

If you knew that a Canada Internet merchant account could dramatically improve profits and reduce overhead costs, would you get one? Well, the good news is that it can and you should! A merchant account conveys a host of benefits that can help your business expand to meet the demands of today’s time-conscious consumers. To apply for your merchant services account, simply follow the following easy steps.

1. Apply for a Canada Internet merchant account through a reputable b...

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canada business merchant account

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If you knew that a Canada Internet merchant account could dramatically improve profits and reduce overhead costs, would you get one? Well, the good news is that it can and you should! A merchant account conveys a host of benefits that can help your business expand to meet the demands of today’s time-conscious consumers. To apply for your merchant services account, simply follow the following easy steps.

1. Apply for a Canada Internet merchant account through a reputable banker, loan agent, or financial underwriter. You may be able to work with a banker with whom you have already established a business relationship. Or you can shop around for a better deal if you feel your bank is asking too much money for too few benefits. These accounts can be quite competitive, so it pays to browse a host of providers in your town or on the Internet, where financial offers are waiting for your perusal. Just do a search for merchant accounts or merchant services, and you will soon find that a number of potential lenders will pop up on your screen. You also may want to get the names of other financial institutions from colleagues, friends, and family members who already have successful merchant accounts.

2. Check out possible Canada Internet merchant account providers by running their names through a business checking service, like the Better Business Bureau. While this is not a comprehensive background check or a certification of the lender’s ability to meet your needs or keep its promises, it does provide a starting place for ensuring that the provider is not a total fraud and may be somewhat likely to live up to its promises. You also can check out online testimonials or ask for references. If the company has a longstanding history of providing merchant services, there is a fairly good chance that it will work out well for you, too.

3. Browse available services offered by Canada Internet merchant account providers. Perhaps the most sought-after benefit is the ability to offer credit card payment processing services to clients who shop at your Internet site. Find out how much this service will cost through your choice of Canada provider, and determine whether the benefits are worth the asking price. You may end up paying some of the expenses yourself, such as a domain registration and site-hosting fee, but this is to be expected from just about any provider. It is important to compare fees among various lenders to get the most affordable package. Some underwriters will ask for an application fee or an annual membership fee, as well as several other types. Look for the lowest available costs before deciding on the provider you want to work with.

4. Find out which services will by covered by your choice of Canada Internet merchant account underwriter. Some companies may provide free monthly statement printouts while others charge for this service. You also need to check service rates, which typically are billed by a few cents per transaction or via a low monthly interest rate. Set up your company budget and evaluate your customers’ buying patterns to figure out which billing method will work most in your favor.

Finding the right underwriter will help you to maximize your Canada Internet merchant account.

Canada Plays China Card

Trade friction and energy leverage has led to an unprecedented Canadian policy of “speak loudly and carry a big piece of lumber” policy towards the United States.

The long running dispute over American tariffs on Canadian lumber escalated to the point last week that Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin indirectly linked settlement with continued U.S. access to Canadian energy supplies. Meanwhile, Canadian Natural Resources Minister John McCallum was off to China to meet wi...

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Trade friction and energy leverage has led to an unprecedented Canadian policy of “speak loudly and carry a big piece of lumber” policy towards the United States.

The long running dispute over American tariffs on Canadian lumber escalated to the point last week that Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin indirectly linked settlement with continued U.S. access to Canadian energy supplies. Meanwhile, Canadian Natural Resources Minister John McCallum was off to China to meet with Chinese oil, mining and forestry officials.

This is serious business. Part of the 1994 NAFTA Free Trade Agreement guaranteed that Canada would remain the favored supplier to the U.S. It might surprise you to learn that Canada supplies 17% of U.S. oil imports, 16% of our natural gas and nearly all of our hydroelectric power. The Canadian government owns the vast majority of the country’s energy resources and Canada exports more than 1.5 million barrels a day to America representing 8% of U.S. consumption.

China’s Lengthening Reach

Meanwhile, China’s aggressive moves in Canada’s energy sector are raising eyebrows in Washington. Chinese government has earmarked $100 billion for overseas acquisitions of oil and gas. The Chinese are going on a buying spree investing in Canadian energy companies and recently plunked down $2 billion to build a thousand mile pipeline from Alberta tar sands to port on the west coast and onward to Beijing and Shanghai. While the oil reserve numbers for Saudi Arabia are under scrutiny, Canada has recoverable reserves of roughly 175 million barrels. Much of it is in oil sand that is processed profitably at oil prices of $20 or higher and T. Boone Pickens thinks that Canada’s oil sand production could reach 6 million barrels a day

There are now about 1 million ethnic Chinese residing in Canada and China is now Canada’s second largest trading partner. Last month, Chinese President Hu Jintao visited Canada and declared that the two countries had upgraded their relations to a “strategic partnership”.

The US’s Waning Grasp

This Chinese-Canadian power play puts America in real jam. You could write a book about the long simmering lumber dispute but a Nafta panel recently ordered the U.S. to return $5 billion of collected tariffs to Canadian lumber companies. Relations with Canada were also weakened earlier this year when Canada announced that it would not contribute to the American-led missile defense program even though 90% of Canadian citizens live within 100 mile of the border between the two countries and Americans purchase 85% of total Canadian exports.

What’s going on? Part of the answer is that the vast majority of Canadians oppose the policies of the Bush Administration. The issue is sensitive in many areas across Canada that are highly dependent on the lumber industry and Mr. Martin and his party are preparing for national elections expected early next year. It is always a vote getter to poke a stick in the eye of the elephant to the south.

How to Play

While Canadian-American relations have seen better days, the energy boom has certainly been beneficial to investors in Canadian markets. The Canada iShare (EWC) tracks the MSCI Canada Index that has 40% exposure to Canada’s energy and materials sector. While the S&P index is up only 3%, the Canada iShare is up 16.6% year to date and 28.8% over the past twelve months.

Speaking of timber, it is smart to have some timber exposure in your portfolio and I have had timber REIT Plum Creek Timber (PCL) in our core portfolio for over two years. Here is why I like it. First, timber is a great inflation hedge and over the past 100 years has risen 3% above the average annual inflation rate. Secondly, timber is not correlated to stocks or bonds and thus is a great “shock absorber” to cushion your portfolio when shares are declining. During the 1970s bear market, timber rose in value while stocks went down. Thirdly, from 1973-2000 timber yielded an average annual return of 15%. Last but not least, timber valuations are attractive after some declines during 2000-2002 especially relative to real estate prices. During 2004 Plum Creek was up 23% and this year it has traded between $34 and $39 finishing last week just over $35 with an attractive dividend yield of 4.3%.

It behooves the U.S. to negotiate a settlement to the lumber dispute as soon as possible and lock up Canadian energy sources before the Chinese get the jump on us. Investors can’t do much about improving Canadian-American relations but they can improve their portfolios by adding exposure to timber as well as to Canada as both an energy and China play.

Factoring and Purchase Order Financing in Canada

Do you own a business in Canada? Then you know how hard it can be to find business financing. Read this article to learn about factoring and po financing - two easy to obtain business financing tools.

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There was a time when obtaining business financing in Canada was very hard. But this is changing as small business financing companies are moving into an area previously dominated by large banking institutions.

As most business owners know, qualifying for a business loan or a line of credit is very hard. Bank lending criteria is so strict that few companies ever manage to get any financing. But that is changing.

If you own a company that sells goods or services to other businesses (or the government), then there are two financing options that are available to you. They are invoice factoring and purchase order financing.

Are your clients taking up to 60 days to pay their invoices? Consider invoice factoring.

Selling to mid size and large companies is great, as they can provide you with reliable and steady business. However, their payment terms are always challenging. They usually demand the right to pay in up to 60 days. In the meantime, you must cover paying rent, salaries and suppliers. This can easily be fixed by factoring financing. Factoring can eliminate the 60-day wait and get your invoice paid in 2 days. The process is simple, you sell your invoices to a factoring company, who pays you up front for them (less a small fee). You get your money up front, while the factoring company waits to get paid.

Need money to pay your suppliers? Consider purchase order financing.

If you sell products as a reseller or wholesaler, then your biggest challenge is getting the financing to pay your suppliers. In this case, purchase order financing may be the right solution for you. Purchase order funding provides you with the necessary funds to cover your supplier expenses, allowing you to fulfill the order and deliver to your clients. The transaction is then settled when your client pays their invoice and the collateral is the purchase order from your client.

Conclusion

Both factoring and purchase order funding are easy to obtain and can be set up in days. The biggest requirement is that you own a profitable company and that you do business with reputable clients.

Factoring Canada - How To Finance Your Canadian Business

Do you live in Canada and own a business? Learn how to obtain business financing for your Canadian business.

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factoring canada, canadian factoring, factoring , invoice factoring, factoring financing

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Financing a business in Canada has its unique set of challenges. If you are like most business owners you have probably relied on the banking industry to obtain financing. However, obtaining business loans is difficult. Your business must have years of profitable operation experience in order to qualify. But what if your business is new (but growing)? Or, what if you don’t qualify for a business loan but still have a great business?

You have two options, and they are not available from your bank. They are available from a factoring company. Do you have one of these two problems?

Problem: Your clients take up to 60 days to pay. You need payment faster!
Waiting up to 60 days (or sometimes more) to get paid can be very challenging for a business owner. Especially if you have regular expenses, such as salaries, rent and suppliers that must be paid. The solution to this challenge is to factor your slow paying invoices. Factoring (also known as invoice discounting) allows you accelerate client payments, reducing the 60 day wait to 2 days. It’s very easy to obtain and the main requirement is that you do business with good commercial or government clients.

Problem: Your client just placed a large order. You need money to pay suppliers.
If you are a distributor, wholesaler or reseller, then you have a unique set of challenges. You have suppliers that need to be paid quickly and clients that want to pay slowly, leaving you trapped in the middle. The solution for this challenge is purchase order financing. Purchase order financing covers up to 100% of your supplier payments, enabling you to deliver the goods and close the sale. With purchase order financing you can accept big orders with confidence, knowing that you’ll be able to deliver.

Is factoring or purchase order financing for you?
These financing products work great if you meet two very important criteria. First, your profit margins must be above 10%, and ideally closer to 20% (or more) Second, you must do business with reputable commercial clients or the government. If you meet these two criteria, then these products should help you grow your company and take it to the next level.