ho said there's no such thing as a free lunch? The Green Sheet, Inc. has made improvements to the RetailBusiness.com section of GS Online.

It's now easier for you and merchants to find the directory on our Web site; there are more site designs available from which to choose; and the service is still absolutely free.

If you're an ISO or merchant level salesperson just getting started, don't have the skills or budget for a Web site, and you want to get the word out to merchants about your business, this service is for you.

The Green Sheet's RetailBusiness.com provides a listing of businesses that offer payment processing products and services such as bankcard relationships for Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express; loyalty programs; point-of-sale equipment and supplies; payment processing services and e-commerce solutions. RetailBusiness.com not only provides you with a listing in an online directory targeted specifically to merchants, it also helps you build and host your very own, customized Web page. And the best part is, it's free!

"We've gotten quite a few leads off the list," said Peter Stefanos, Director of Business Development for TransAKT Corp. "If you type in our company name on MSN or Yahoo, our name comes up at the top in the search results for that directory. For us, it has a lot of value, and it's been more than I expected."

You can include the URL to your very own Web page on your business cards, or refer merchants directly to the RetailBusiness.com directory.

To use this service, all you need is access to the Internet and an e-mail address. By entering information on the Retailbusiness.com Request Form such as company name, description, mission statement, products and services, bankcard processors and contact info, you're communicating the right stuff about your business to potential customers.

Some words of wisdom: Enter information slowly and watch those typos, because as soon as you select a theme (14 are available) and click Submit Your Request, your Web site is live and open for business. No fluff, no gimmicks, no delays. You'll receive an e-mail notifying you that the site is live.

(Don't worry, if you made an error, you can always send an e-mail to webmaster@greensheet.com to have it fixed. Or, if you already have a Web site in the directory and you're feeling left out because you want a new one, submit a request to the Webmaster, too.)

The Green Sheet frequently monitors the RetailBusiness.com directory for fraudulent entries. The service previously was located under Industry Resources on GS Online.

Now you can get there by selecting the RetailBusiness.com circle on www.greensheet.com or visiting www.retailbusiness.com.