Ecommerce merchant

Sara Heegaard March 3, 20222 minute read

Sara is a copywriter focused on lifting up Recharge's merchants, partners, and their customers. Before Recharge, her past lives included writing and editing at four different subscription... Full bio

What is an ecommerce merchant?

An ecommerce merchant is a business that sells products or services online. Ecommerce merchants conduct their business through online transactions made via the internet. By selling online, as opposed to (or in addition to) via a brick-and-mortar location, an ecommerce store has the potential to reach a more geographically diverse customer base and save time for customers in the shopping experience. However, online sellers also have unique needs, particularly surrounding ecommerce payments and security.

What is an ecommerce merchant account? 

An ecommerce merchant account is a type of commercial bank account that allows ecommerce businesses to accept and process online payments. To create a convenient and flexible payment experience for customers, an online business must be able to accept a wide range of payment methods, including multiple providers for credit and debit cards. Ecommerce merchant accounts provide a convenient user experience through seamless and secure payment processing. 

A merchant account provider can either take the form of a traditional merchant account or a payment service provider (PSP). When selecting ecommerce merchant services, it’s important to find a provider with strong integrations, security capabilities, and customer support options, as well as low fees and the ability to accept a variety of payment methods.