Blue Sombrero partners have the option of managing their own merchant account or utilizing Blue Sombrero's fully managed service. Managing your own Merchant Account means that all the registration funds collected on the club’s site will go directly to the club’s bank account.  But be aware, there are Pro's and Con's to this:

Benefits:

• Receive all your registration funds daily
• Negotiate your own credit card rate (be aware of the multiple levels of fees and rates that can be assessed)
• Refund a charge directly to a parent’s credit card

Considerations:

• Managing your own merchant account means reconciling your account on a daily basis.
• Does your Treasurer have the time to check the deposits every day, in addition to their other responsibilities?
• Do they have time to respond to credit card disputes/refunds?
• Do you have a high turnover on your board?

We highly recommend that the Treasurer/Bookkeeper be involved in the decision making process. If they are a volunteer, or consistently pressed for time, then it may be best to use Blue Sombrero's fully managed service.  Using your own Merchant Account is a big decision for the club, and while you definitely add some convenience, you also add more to your workload.