Comparing Business Credit Cards For Profit

Comparing Business Credit Cards For Profit

Comparing Business Credit Cards For Profit
Every credit card company wants to get your business. In most cases, though, only one will get it. This means that if you are to get the best deal out there for you and your business, that you are going to have to shop around. Here are some tips on what to look for so that your business can have more than just credit, but also have some savings, too, along with it.
Start With The Type Of Card
You already know what kinds of business expenses require a lot of money each month. This means that in order for you to get the most savings, you need to match a credit card - if possible, with this expense. For instance, if one of your expenses is gas for your vehicles, then this is the type of card to look for. Or, if you or your agents fly a lot, then you would want a business credit card that will give you the highest rewards in air miles and hotel points.
Look At The Rewards Given
A lot of savings can be earned here. Some business credit cards will give you the highest percentage of points on things that your business uses regularly - like office supplies, building supplies, or even hardware supplies. Another card may give you great savings on all of your wireless services. While these features typically come on a more general type of business credit card, points on these types of purchases could mean the greatest savings for you or your business.
Obviously, the choice could be difficult. Still, most business credit cards will give you additional savings on your other purchases, too. You also may be able to take advantage of a card that gives you a lot of points as soon as you make your first purchase with the card, or go with a business credit card that will allow you to use your points to purchase new vehicles.
Consider The Interest Rate And Fees
Just about every business credit card comes with an interest rate. This can range anywhere from 7.99%up to 18.24%. You definitely want to take this into consideration if you normally leave a balance on the card. On the other hand, the interest rate will not matter if you always pay the balance on time every month. For those cards that do not have an interest rate, they will have an annual fee which can range from about $40 to about $125. If you leave a balance on the card, the annual fee may be a better deal for you. Be sure to compare any other fees, too.
Get Balance Transfer
If you already have an existing balance on another credit card, and are paying high interest, then you need balance transfer. Most business credit cards only allow you to have this feature for the life of the introductory offer - some are shorter. Others, though, may allow you to have 0% APR interest for the life of the transfer, giving you great savings. Watch out for charges when you make transfers.
Find out about getting extra business credit cards for your other employees that may need them. This is often free of charge, but not all companies provide this service.

Wooing Small Business with Business Credit Cards

Wooing Small Business with Business Credit Cards
A few weeks ago (April 18, 2007), Discover Financial Services launched a new business credit card that offers frequent flier miles to small business owners. Among the credit card brands, Discover was one of the last to start offering business credit cards to the small business sector. Reportedly, this is only the latest in a virtual avalanche of business credit cards designed for small business.
One cannot but wonder at the sudden interest.
Perhaps a glance at recent research material will offer some clues. Data shows that in 2006, the small business sector spent $4.9 trillion; but only one-twentieth (5%) of that money was paid through business credit cards in any form (credit or debit card). The credit card companies now want in on that huge market, and believe they can induce small business owners to not only make use of their business credit cards but also to spend more on their cards.
To achieve this, the credit card companies will have to convince the small business owners to use business credit cards in less traditional ways. Traditionally, business credit cards have largely been used to cover travel and entertainment expenses. What card companies want is for businesses to use their business credit cards for everyday spend.
This is the reason behind the new cash back rewards business credit cards. These cards offer 5% discounts on purchases of office supplies, gasoline, courier services and other essential business needs. MasterCard even went as far as launching a business credit card targeted at a specific industry: contractors and construction companies. MasterCard was also the first card company to provide zero-liability protection to small business credit card holders.
Discover's recently launched business credit cards offer small business the chance to purchase checkbooks. This enables small business owners to pay for purchases from vendors that don't accept business credit cards. These checkbooks tap into the spending limit on their Discover business credit cards. Visa offers a directly competing program.
American Express sponsors various networking events for small business credit card holders. It also features one of the most extensive business resource databases to help users of its business credit cards to address and resolve their everyday business management problems and concerns.
How big is the potential market for business credit cards, you may ask? If you take the $4.9 trillion small business spending in 2006 and double the current business credit card spend from 5% ($245 billion) to 10%, you have $490 billion. If you charge 15% interest on that, you have a $74 billion potential contribution to profits. In fact, market research companies forecast double-digit growth in small business credit cards between now and 2010, and total charges are projected to reach $740.2 billion by that year. That is a lot of profit.
It has been an uphill climb to get small business owners to subscribe to an expanded use of business credit cards. It takes time, but eventually business owners will respond. One issue that business credit card issuers will have to address is the marked preference of small businesses to pay their full balance for the month as and when it falls due. Card companies do not earn from such transactions. That should be food enough for thought.