Thursday, June 01, 2006

Online Merchant Accounts

There is a direct correlation between merchant accounts and processing gateways. Both are Internet services that enable online processing of credit cards. Online merchant accounts can also be termed as variations of the traditional credit card processing used by retail stores.

To be eligible for a merchant account, a business must satisfy certain requirements as proposed by the provider. Each provider has a different set of requirements based on the policy and strategy of the company. Business risks also play a pivotal role in this regard. It refers to the variability of earnings before interest and taxes. Other things being equal, the higher the variability of demand for the products manufactured by the firm, the higher its business risk. A firm, which is exposed to a higher degree of volatility for the prices of its products, is in general characterized by a higher degree of business risk in comparison with similar firms, which are exposed to a lesser degree of volatility for the prices of their products.

When talking about online merchant accounts, it is worth mentioning that most of the time processing gateways are packaged with merchant accounts. Processing gateways are an intermediary to get card information from your shopping cart to the merchant account. In a broader term, gateway can be defined in a number of ways. On the one hand it acts as a network that serves as an entrance to another network. On the other hand, in business firms, the gateway is the computer that routes the traffic from a workstation to the outside network. In homes, the gateway acts as an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that connects the user to the Internet.

It can be a tedious and somewhat expensive task for some business enterprises to get merchant accounts directly from banks. Beware of brokers; they can lead you into trouble. Always seek out providers that have experience in your industry. Also, protect yourself through disclaimers, because with any merchant account you are responsible for costly fraudulent activities and charge backs from your customers.

Motorcycle Towing

There is a common misconception that towing a trailer by motorcycle is a self-defeating and pointless pursuit. After all, a motorcycle is not a “beast of burden,” and how much can one really pull behind a two-wheeler? That may have been true in the past – in these days of aerodynamically and space-optimized trailers, motorcycle camping has become a popular diversion.

When properly chosen and attached, motorcycle trailers can be towed with the greatest of ease and few complications. Many people even tow small canoes all across the country with their motorcycles. The secret lies in lightweight, highly maneuverable, yet sturdy trailers. An open cargo trailer can be used to transport almost anything under the sun. And, while customized motorcycle camping trailers are available, most enthusiasts prefer the open cargo kind for its versatility.

It takes approximately forty-five minutes to install a hitch under the rear fender of a motorcycle. The hitch and trailer should be so designed as not to interfere with a pillion rider’s comfort or the driver’s ability to handle the bike. In most cases (and especially when one is just beginning to learn the ropes of motorcycle towing), it is advisable to go camping with a buddy. This not only provides an extra pair of hands in case of mechanical trouble but also extra stability on the road.

A diametrically opposite variant of motorcycle towing is where motorcycles themselves have to be transported over large distances, such as from the manufacturing plant to retail outlets. This is usually done with flatbed transporters and is a rather specialized operation, since the motorcycles in question are usually brand new. Motorcycle towing companies are usually heavily insured against transport mishaps. Individual motorcycles also tend to get stranded on highways, in which case towing units are usually available just as they are for other vehicles.

About the Orange County Choppers

Orange county choppers are actually from New York. Often this New York based company gets confused with the famous Orange County, California. It is the most popular custom bike shop in the United States and has been marked famous by the discovery channel. Yes, in deed, the discovery channel was the reason why Orange County Choppers have been inked on everything from someone’s arm to their t-shirt. Orange County Choppers or the OCC is a custom motorcycle shop that was founded by Paul Teutul Sr. and his son.

However, they didn’t spend years in the business before making it big. In fact, they owned their own steel company first known as the Orange County Ironworks for over twenty years before establishing the motorcycle shop. That would makes sense, since everyone who has watched the show has seen just how great the OCC is with their custom bike designs. In fact, in 2005 they make a motorcycle for the United States Air Force and had the mirrors and the exhaust system look like jets.

The show that is about the Orange County Choppers or the OCC is called American Choppers. The basics of the show are to take an idea and make it into reality. It shows the details that go into make an awesome looking bike and how creative bikes can be. The show is produced by Pilgrim Films and Television Inc. and the OCC video game was published by Activision. However, the show is based on how the founders of OCC (father and son) run the business and creates custom bikes in their workshop. The Orange County Choppers is based in Montgomery, New York. The most famous bike that the OCC has contributed to the leather-wearing motorcycle world is the Black Widow Spider Bike.

The reason the show has become so popular is because of the different ways the two approach a project. They often show some humor in their communication and they are pressed for time because they have very short deadlines to building the most fire-breathing custom chopper. Usually, Paul Jr will work with Vinnie Di Martino, Rick Petko, and Cody Connelly along with Christian Helter to make one awesome bike. Course, Paulie’s dad has built some bikes himself and will usually supervise the operations.

Mickael Teutul or Mickey does some of the metal work and offers comic relief to the show. The show has become one of the most successful shows on the discovery channel because of the verbal battles between father and son, but also is about average guys just trying to build a dream. The appeal seems to be hitting everyone with fascination.