What Are B2B Merchant Services?
B2B merchant services are payment processing solutions designed for businesses that sell to other businesses. B2B transactions have different characteristics than consumer transactions — larger average tickets, purchasing cards and corporate cards, invoice-based billing, and longer payment cycles. These differences require specialized processing that standard consumer-focused merchant services don't provide.
Unison Payment Solutions provides B2B merchant services including Level 2/3 processing, ACH payment processing, virtual terminals, and invoicing tools optimized for business-to-business payment flows.
Level 2 and Level 3 Processing: The Biggest B2B Savings Opportunity
B2B transactions processed with Level 2 and Level 3 data qualify for significantly lower interchange rates from Visa and Mastercard. The savings are substantial — typically 0.5-1.5% per transaction compared to standard processing.
Level 2 data includes:
- Customer code / PO number
- Tax amount
- Merchant postal code
Level 3 data adds:
- Line-item detail (product codes, descriptions, quantities, unit costs)
- Ship-to information
- Discount amounts
When your payment system submits this enhanced data, corporate and purchasing card transactions qualify for lower interchange categories. For B2B companies processing significant volume on corporate cards, the savings are often $10,000-$50,000+ annually.
Our PayTrace gateway automatically captures and submits Level 2/3 data, ensuring you qualify for the lowest available interchange rates without manual data entry.
ACH for B2B Payments
ACH payment processing is ideal for B2B transactions for several reasons:
- Lower fees: $0.25-$1.50 per transaction vs 2-3% for credit cards. On a $10,000 invoice, that is $1.50 vs $300.
- Higher acceptance: Most businesses have bank accounts; not all have corporate credit cards with sufficient limits.
- Recurring payments: Automatic monthly billing for retainer clients, subscriptions, and recurring orders.
- Same-day ACH: Available for time-sensitive payments when standard 2-3 day settlement is too slow.
For B2B companies with high average transaction values, ACH processing can reduce payment processing costs by 90%+ compared to credit card processing.
Virtual Terminal for B2B
B2B transactions often happen via phone, email, or manual invoice — not through a website checkout. Our virtual terminal lets you process payments from any browser:
- Key in card numbers for phone orders
- Send payment links via email for invoice payments
- Process ACH debits with bank account information
- Store customer payment methods for recurring billing
- Capture Level 2/3 data for interchange optimization
No hardware required. Process B2B payments from your desk.
B2B Invoicing and Payment Links
For B2B companies that invoice clients, our invoicing tools streamline collections:
- Create professional invoices with payment links
- Clients pay online via card or ACH by clicking the link
- Automatic payment reminders reduce late payments
- Track invoice status, partial payments, and payment history
- Level 2/3 data captured automatically on invoice payments
Choosing the Right B2B Payment Processing Company
When evaluating B2B payment processing companies, look for:
1. Level 2/3 processing — essential for reducing interchange costs on corporate cards 2. ACH capability — critical for large B2B transactions where card fees are expensive 3. Virtual terminal — for phone and manual order processing 4. Interchange-plus pricing — transparent pricing that passes through the Level 2/3 savings to you 5. Invoicing tools — for billing clients and collecting payments electronically 6. No monthly fees or contracts — flexibility as your B2B processing needs evolve
Unison Payment Solutions provides all six. Contact us for a B2B payment processing consultation.
Related resources:
- ACH Payment Processing — bank transfer processing details
- PayTrace Payment Gateway — Level 2/3 processing gateway
- Invoicing & Payment Links — B2B invoicing tools
- Interchange-Plus Pricing Guide — understanding your rate structure