Any credit card merchant is bound by the Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance regulations. As long as your business involves processing card payments, you are required to obey PCI compliance rules. The PCI SSC carries the requirements that help establish the standards and norms binding everyone involved in storing, processing, or transmitting cardholder data.
PCI SSC compliance requirements therefore typically apply to all merchants, members and service providers that store, process, and/or transmit cardholder information.
These requirements are admittedly a major headache for players within the industry. They have to learn them to operate within accepted precincts.
But that you can lower your PCI scope simply by integrating payments into your existing software if you are a partner is something less known to many.
A partner here is a merchant who has a product that’s already set in place and is only missing a payments component. If the partner uses all or some of a payment processor’s solution(s) alongside their own existing software products then the partner is referred to as an integrate partner.
As a partner, the fact that you have a product such as a software set in place sets you apart from an ordinary merchant typically only need to process payments. This is why as a partner you are required to comply with PCI requirements: as soon as you add the payments component to your already existing software then you will be handling cardholder data.
Easier alternative
Adding payments can be time-consuming and extensive. So, many partners appreciate an easier alternative.
You can outsource the data management service by integrating with a PCI compliant payment provider like EMB, which allows you create a high risk merchant account and get started. By so doing, the payment provider becomes responsible for the PCI compliance on your behalf and you remain free to focus on what you have to do: build your product.
No other way could be any better. Such integration does not just take from you the headache of having to start handling sensitive data from scratch. It also lets you leverage the power of an existing product while you enjoy an established revenue stream.