The Merchant Bill of Rights.

Heartland Payment Systems has recently launched a major initiative to help the owners of small- and mid-sized businesses manage the cost and complexity of credit and debit card acceptance.

The centerpiece of this initiative is www.merchantbillofrights.com, an interactive website which will serve as an information clearinghouse where business owners can learn about the mechanics of card processing, receive industry tips, share best practices, ask questions and stay abreast of industry news.

In an environment where card usage by consumers is growing, security issues such as identity theft and identity fraud are commonplace, and card processing has become mission-critical. The Merchant Bill of Rights provides owners of small- and mid-sized businesses with the same competitive edge major retailers with sophisticated internal purchasing organizations enjoy.

"For many small and mid-sized business owners, credit and debit card processing costs are one of the most significant expense items on their income statements," notes Robert O. Cart, Chairman and CEO of Heartland Payment Systems. "Yet, most business owners and entrepreneurs do not fully understand the factors that drive card processing costs or how to manage them. With the launch of The Merchant Bill of Rights and www.merchantbillofrights.com, Heartland Payment Systems empowers business owners to learn how card acceptance works and take an active role in controlling these growing costs."

The Merchant Bill of Rights calls for:

1. The right to know the fee for every transaction--and who's charging it.

Today, card processing services can be the third highest expense many small- and mid-sized businesses incur, following right behind labor and product costs. Yet, many merchants are confused by the complexity of interchange rates, markups and other related fees. Likewise, because fee structures are rarely clearly disclosed, most merchants are unaware of the many different entities profiting from each transaction. All businesspeople have the right to know exactly who is getting paid--and the total amount.