I just read "Getting a handle on interchange - Part 2." I really appreciated the definitions of interchange plus and interchange plus plus and how they affect the merchant. I totally agree that doing statement analyses and using them as a marketing tool is a vital part of the sales process.
And I am also in agreement with keeping the explanation of the interchange short and informative. I've actually seen a merchant's eyes glaze over when I get too detailed or long winded! Really, all the merchant wants to know is how much they are going to save by going with me.
Pat Luke, PAL Merchant Services
Sadly, with the floatation[*] of Mastercard and Visa, interchange has strayed from its original purpose, as stated in your article, to become a tool for meeting or exceeding Wall Street's expectations. Case in point: Mastercard location fee. What value did it provide merchants paying the cost? How much new revenue did it generate for Mastercard?
In my humble opinion, "card brand" is now synonymous with "oligopoly," harkening back to the days of the infamous oil, railroad, steel, tobacco and chemical trusts, which were judged to be corrupt and anti-competitive. Where is Teddy Roosevelt when you need him?
Tom Engle, Tops Business Advisory
[*Flotation is the process of offering a company's shares for sale on the stock market for the first time.]
Thank you!
We wish to thank Pat Luke and Tom Engle for expressing their views on our "Getting a handle on interchange" series, which appeared in The Green Sheet, July 10 and July 24, issues 17:07:01 and 17:07:02. What do you think about interchange and other important aspects of payments? We will welcome your feedback on our features, profiles and news, as well as on articles presented in our Education and Views sections. Please send your thoughts to greensheet@greensheet.com. And remember, we will continue to welcome your press releases to press@greensheet.com. Share your good news with us so we can help spread the word. 
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