Chargebacks are inevitable for merchants. Even if you follow all the necessary protection policies, there’s always a slight chance you'll have to face chargeback claims from customers.

These reimbursements of funds occur when a customer disputes a credit card purchase. In many cases, the charge is due to fraudulent activity, but there are also instances in which consumers challenge a purchase they knowingly made, or question one they can't remember—chargeback fraud and friendly fraud, respectively.

With multiple avenues of funding available for businesses in need of capital, selecting the most beneficial method can sometimes prove difficult. Although business loans are a commonly discussed option, not all merchants qualify for such funding, and some would rather look into alternative choices, anyway.

When it comes to hiring any company to work with your business—a vendor or supplier, for example—there are certain questions you should always ask. Well, your credit card processor shouldn’t be any different. Peppering potential companies with the right questions will not only inform you about the operations and other critical aspects of their business, but their demeanor during these inquiries—and any details they do not openly volunteer—can be just as insightful.

While some businesses have still not adopted chip technology, the movement toward EMV—which stands for Europay, Mastercard, Visa—is slowly but steadily underway. Since the associated liability shift in October 2015—whereby non-chip-equipped merchants can be held liable for fraudulent so-called "card present" transactions—U.S. consumers are increasingly utilizing their chip cards as a way to make in-store purchases.

Not too long ago, business owners wishing to accept card payments from customers could only do so if they applied for a merchant account and were approved by the payment processing company—the acquiring bank handling the transaction process.

While still common, new ways of obtaining this capability have also emerged—in the form of third-parties, such as San Francisco, Calif.-based mobile payment company Square, for example. These enable business owners to process consumer credit cards without actually having a merchant account.

Such options are intriguing, yes—but are they really the best options for merchants? Not always.

Every merchant is wary of chargebacks and how these can affect their business. While it’s nearly impossible to avert them all, merchants are always thinking about what they can do to avoid as many such claims as possible.

To run your business like a well-oiled machine, you need several key components: capable employees, an efficient process, and quality equipment. For merchants, this means obtaining the right point of sale (POS) systems. With so many solutions available, however, narrowing down your options can be tricky. With that said, there are certain features every POS system should have, and if not, you should probably move on.

For some small businesses, a loan from a bank can mean the difference between struggling to keep up with the competition, and surpassing them. For others, it could potentially equate to getting behind the eight ball in the future.

Luckily, there are several ways a small business can receive funding, so if one doesn’t seem like the greatest option, there are likely others to consider. As a result, merchants must take the time to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each financing method available to make an informed decision, rather than simply choosing the first option encountered.