Reviewed October 17, 2026. This practical guide replaces an earlier general overview; the original publication date and URL are retained.
Two merchants with the same monthly sales can have different processing economics when one sells many small orders and the other sells fewer large orders. A useful quote comparison holds the sales assumptions constant. This worksheet approach helps an owner identify which changes come from ticket size, which come from channel mix, and which come from the provider’s proposed charges.
Build three comparable baskets
Start with one representative month and record card sales, transaction count, refunds and the channels used. Calculate average ticket from those source totals. Then model a smaller-ticket and larger-ticket basket with the same overall sales. Mark any fictional assumptions clearly so the worksheet cannot be mistaken for actual performance.
Keep percentage and transaction charges separate
Apply each written proposal to the same baskets. A percentage charge moves with sales value; a per-transaction charge moves with the number of payments. Add recurring software and equipment charges as their own rows. Ask the provider which quoted costs are estimates and which contract provisions permit future changes.
Use a worked example without inventing a quote
Suppose an illustrative business collects $20,000 across 1,000 transactions in one basket and 400 in another. The ticket sizes are $20 and $50. At an assumed ten cents per transaction, that component alone would be $100 versus $40. This is arithmetic, not a provider offer or an estimate of total card costs.
Record the decision and the missing facts
Save the proposals, assumptions and completed comparison together. Highlight unpriced refunds, chargebacks, monthly minimums and termination provisions rather than treating a blank as zero. Re-run the worksheet after the first complete statement and investigate differences before accepting the original savings estimate.
Source and next steps
Visa explains that a merchant’s negotiated discount and interchange are different concepts. Use the source to frame questions, then rely on your own written pricing agreement. Read Visa merchant processing fees.
Continue with Interchange and Merchant Processing Costs: A Statement Review Guide and How to Read a Merchant Processing Statement Without Losing the Detail.
For the regional operating checklist and further reading, use the AMS New York merchant guide. Explore related topics in Eric Kuvykin’s reading paths.
