CrossCheck Blog

Verify and guarantee a check instantly with CrossCheck! CrossCheck has developed a model for cost-effective and fast Check Verification and Check Guarantee that has attracted and made clients of the largest auto-dealer chain in the country, as well as some of the nation's largest veterinary chains, restaurant supply chains and natural gas delivery services. Our Check Verification and Check Guarantee services are an ideal option for all purveyors of goods and services, and especially for any business that operates on tight margins - which these days includes anything from auto dealers to grocery stores - where credit card fees will quickly turn cost prohibitive.

Mobile check verification is the perfect way for a multitude of merchants and entrepreneurs to accept checks using a mobile phone or smart device. Imagine it’s Black Friday and the furniture store has slashed prices by as much as 50 percent in many cases. People have lined up in front of the store waiting for the doors to open. A woman is hoping to be the first to get her hands on the brown leather La-Z-Boy her husband has been eyeing for weeks. She’s not the only one.

Mobile Pay is the perfect way for merchants and entrepreneurs to accept checks using a mobile phone or other smart device. The CrossCheck app will turn any smart device into a powerful POS solution, allowing any business to quickly and securely accept a paper check by simply taking a photo of the check and depositing it remotely. Whether you have a brick-and-mortar location or you are a mobile merchant or service provider, CrossCheck’s Mobile Pay will come along for the ride.

Benjamin Franklin coined the term, “Time is money” in his essay ("Advice to a Young Tradesman"), written in 1748. Saving time to increase sales and revenue was true in the 1700s and is still true today. One of the best ways to save time and money is to deposit your check payments faster.

Among the many queries received by the CrossCheck team, “How do I recover an NSF check?” is one of the most frequent. But, before going any further a definition is in order. An NSF check (aka “non-sufficient funds check”) is a term used when the holder of a checking account is overdrawn and there is not enough money in the account to pay the check written against it. As a merchant, this can pose a problem when accepting checks. Attempting to deposit a check without sufficient funds will result in the bank returning it unpaid. Also, returned checks can come with the additional consequence of added bank fees. Whatever the cause, NSF checks will cost your business money. NSF checks can happen for many different reasons, but whatever the cause, NSF checks will cost your business money.

Accepting checks is a preferred payment type for many merchants — especially those selling big-ticket items — and is a reliable tool for increasing sales and widening customer reach. Accepting checks is one thing, but deciding how to accept check payments safely is another. That is why many merchants choose payment solutions like CrossCheck’s Electronic Check Processing to securely accept, process and deposit checks into their business accounts without leaving the office.

Imagine a world where businesses and consumers could scan checks, upload the images via the web, and quickly determine if the checks are valid. Better yet, imagine if those same stakeholders could continue the process by depositing the checks, all without visiting a bank or leaving their offices. It could be a foolproof system, but on this date, April 1, (aka “April Fool’s Day”), the reality is that free online check verification doesn't exist ― never has and probably never will.

Check machines are a very common and often overlooked piece of technology used by merchants and other businesses today. Checks continue to be a preferred payment method for a sizable portion of consumers for certain purchases. Consequently, vendors should be equipped with check machines to streamline their check transaction process and mitigate the risk of bad checks.

Returned checks have been a domestic problem ever since checks were introduced in the U.S. by Boston businessmen circa 1681. Solutions vary, including pitches for “free online check verification” or “how to verify funds on a check before it bounces.” The bottom line, however, is that free check verification is as much of a myth as the proverbial free lunch or snake-oil elixirs. The cure, of course, is to contract a check verification and guarantee service provider. Acknowledging this fact, there are four general types of merchants who have or need check processing services: Merchants with check verification or guarantee. Merchants who don’t have check processing services. Merchants who want to accept check payments. Merchants with a returned check problem. Each of their stories is compelling, and each category has valid reasons for functioning with or without check processing services. The variables and outcomes are explored here.

Having the tools for check payment processing is critical for certain industries, especially those that specialize in B2B payments. Checks have been a commonly used payment method for many years. Even as credit card transactions grow more popular, checks continue to have prominence in retail markets. The 2017 Diary of Consumer Payment Choices report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta states that consumers tend to use "electronic payments and checks for high-value transactions." Additionally, according to an October 2018 Webinar by PYMNTS.COM, 64 percent of B2B payments are still made by using paper checks.