multiple sites/businesses one merchant account with multiple dba name?

need ability for one merchant account for several sites

[thinkbig]

So as my internet portfolio expands i find myself launching sites/businesses and not wanting each to have its own merchant account. Is there one merchant account you can get that will allow several names to show the customer depending on which site they checked out from. Right now i have 3 sites that take cards but each has its own innovative merchant account which is costly plus a pain.

Lets say i have site x which sells supplements and site y which offers a service, both need ability to take payments but dont want to get merchant account for both. Any company offer 1 main account but with the option to allow for mutliple sites? If not im sure many other people are doing the same thing, if so what are you doing to handle that situation.

Much Thanks for your input.

[bwnbwn]

Put them all under one company and have each site under that company so u in effect have one parent company doing business unders several names.

[D_Blackwell]

I am set up as an LLC (parent company in effect). This company has a business checking account of course. I happen to be using a merchant account option offered by the same bank; not required, just worked out that way in this case.

Each of my websites is 'run as an independent company', i.e., I'm using QuickBooks Pro 2008 to operate each one independently for company information, costs, inventory items, receipts, etc., but each is simply 'a part of the whole' so far as the LLC and my accountant is concerned. You'll want a good accountant to make sure that your books are set up for 'best practices'. (I really like mine, but believe that we are going to be parting company - but that is a sub-topic and off topic.)

I can run 15 'websites/companies' through one merchant account with this particular bank. Each one has its own specs as well. Website A has a ticket average of $75.00 and pays a transaction fee based on that ticket average. Website B does more orders, but the average ticket is only about $30.00 and pays a slightly higher transaction fee. And so forth. Each website/company has its own terms. In my case, average ticket is everything.

Every day's charges for each company go into the LLC account, but they are deposited as one deposit for each company. Transaction fees are withdrawn monthly for each website/company. (You don't want them taken out 'on the fly' or reconciling is impossible. You want them withdrawn monthly.) If I get to fifteen websites/companies then I have to make some changes - but I will also have a lot of cash flow and clout, so that is problem that I don't mind working towards.

[thinkbig]

Thanks you D_Blackwell that is just the information i was looking for, I would like to send you a message to see who you deal with, that sounds like exactly what i need. Thanks again