Amazon. com Help Pay with SNAP EBT

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Friday, April 3, 2015

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Will some team pay Tennessee 75 cents on the dollar for the first overall pick? Most of the front-office people I talk to are dubious that Tennessee GM Jon Robinson, who is trying to create a market for the top pick in the draft, will be able to get an offer rich enough to tempt him to deal it. . Read News

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50 Best Amazon Hacks: Get Free Stuff & Save money

Let’s admit it: Amazon is creating a generation of shopaholics. I’m one of them. While Amazon loves your shopping too, the online store also provides 50 best Amazon hacks to saves money and get free stuff.

Maybe you know some of these Amazon hacks to get free stuff or maybe you don’t. Just in case you didn’t know all these money-saving hacks, here’s my list.

I have personally tested these hacks and can assure you - they work. They help you save money and get free stuff from Amazon.

Best Amazon Hacks in 2019

Amazon has millions of products and keeps adding newer ones. At the same time, Amazon also increases the number of hacks we can use to save money and get free stuff. Here’s my own selection of 50 best Amazon hacks.

1. Amazon Business American Express Card

Amazon Business American Express Card was earlier available for businesspersons only. Now, anyone can apply for this superb credit card from American Express, if you qualify.

You get three percent cashback or 60 days credit with this card. Upon approval, American Express gives you a $100 Amazon Gift Card free.

You can use Amazon Business American Express card like any other credit card. It gives you two percent cashback at restaurants, fuel stations and wireless telephone services bought in the US and one percent cashback on all other purchases.

2. Amazon Credit Cards

Amazon has two co-branded cards with Visa: Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card and Amazon Prime Visa Signature Card. These are available from Chase Bank. They give you up to five percent discount or cashbacks on special deals on Amazon.

Further, you get three percent on regular Amazon purchases, two percent at restaurants and fuel stations and another one percent for all other spendings.

3. Get Cashback using Paribus

Let’s get this clear. Paribus isn’t a website for getting discounts on Amazon right away. Instead, Paribus will help you find prices that are lower than ones on Amazon for a particular product.

And if Amazon is charging more, Paribus can help you get back the difference in price. This is one of the Amazon Hacks that helps you to save your money by getting Amazon refund on price difference.

4. Amazon Mom Promotions

If you’re a mom or dad looking for inexpensive diapers, check Amazon Mom Promotions. You’ll get superb, low prices on diapers and baby wipes.

But I also advise you to check diaper and baby wipe rates on Amazon Household, which I discuss later, before availing Amazon Mom Promotions.

5. Abandoning Your Trolley

This is a very common thing to do. We wish to buy stuff, add in the trolley, are about to pay but leave without completing the payment process. This is called as ‘abandoning your trolley’ and Amazon will usually send you an email reminder.

And if you continue to leave the trolley without paying for a couple of days, So then Amazon will offer a small discount to tempt you to buy.

It doesn’t work always and depends upon what stuff you’re ordering. You never know using this Amazon hack you can get free stuff on Amazon.

5. Free Amazon Gift Card

There are several ways to get free Amazon gift cards. One is by completing paid online surveys, playing games and performing small tasks for market research companies.

You can find a lot of information about online paid survey websites from this link. These websites pay the best for paid surveys and other tasks.

Using Amazon Gift Card can save you a lot of money on Amazon Online Shopping.

6. Amazon Gift Card Reload Bonus

Talking about Amazon Gift Cards, you can get a bonus of $5 or even more when you recharge one. In fact, you can recharge an existing Amazon Gift Card with another.

This way to get more value from your Amazon Gift Card is ideal for those who participate in paid online surveys or receive them as rewards for other work.

7. Signup for Amazon Prime Student

If you are a student and have proof such as college or university ID card, you’ll get 50 percent off on Amazon Prime Student membership.

Also, 100 percent benefits of full-paying Amazon Prime members such as premium videos and music, priority shipping and more.

You can share your Amazon Prime Student membership with college dorm roommates and make money. Or go for ‘No Rush’ delivery and get a few Dollars off on your orders.

8. Amazon Household

Maybe you already know that it’s possible to extend an Amazon Prime membership to other people in your household or even share with neighbors.

There are no real limits on how many people can use your Amazon Prime membership. Amazon Household allows your family or even roommates to share a single Amazon Prime account and get all benefits.

9. Use Alexa to Know Best Deals

Put your Alexa to work. Ask for deals of the day and Alexa will read a list of goods that are available at discount rates. You’ll have to build this skill on Alexa. It works wonders, especially if you’re looking for everyday stuff like groceries and household requirements.

10. Amazon Family Library

Amazon Family Library is for reading books on Amazon Kindle. It’s an ideal way to promote reading habits within your family and get free online educational books for kids.

You’ll need an Amazon Prime Household membership to subscribe for Amazon Family Library. It’s possible to restrict the content that children or other family members can access.

11. Amazon Associates

If you own a blog or website, you can make money by joining Amazon Associates, an affiliate marketing program.

This means you’ll create affiliate marketing links and sell stuff from Amazon through your blog. Or you can buy stuff using links on Amazon provided by a relative or friend on their blog and help them make some money. Maybe they’ll give you some discount - who knows?

12. Amazon Warehouse

Amazon Warehouse is an amazing place to buy high-quality pre-owned stuff. You can get some of the most expensive stuff like electronics and computers, furniture and home décor items as well as mobile phones and lots more on Amazon Warehouse.

They’ll cost almost half of what you’ll pay for new. And they are in good-as-new condition too. This is another best Amazon hack to save money on Amazon shopping.

13. Amazon Coupons

Yes, Amazon also has coupons and you can easily find them on the website itself. There’s no need to hunt elsewhere.

Amazon posts coupons almost daily and usually, for the most popular stuff. You can apply them directly while shopping on Amazon.

14. Amazon Lightning Deals

Amazon Lightning Deals works somewhat like the abandoned trolley I mention earlier. If you’ve been looking at a specific item several times, Amazon will most likely offer a ‘Lightning Deal,’ by quoting lower price.

This is to tempt you to buy. A Lightning Deal can be valid for a few minutes or hours. And a lightning deal can pop up even while you’re on Facebook or email. So keep your eyes open. It pays - literally.

15. Shopping on Amazon through eBates

EBates is very popular and most likely you’re using it too. Using eBates for shopping on Amazon does get you slightly lower prices.

However, these lower prices are usually on select items only and don’t cover the entire range of products on Amazon.

16. Buying Stuff of Unpopular Colors

Let’s consider you’re buying an expensive mobile phone but would like to save some money. Go for colors that are least popular.

They will cost at least $10 lower than popular shades. It might not be your favorite color but the lower price will compensate for that.

17. Amazon Products

Another major hack most people are unaware of is Amazon Products. As the world’s largest online store, Amazon also has its own brand of products.

These are made for Amazon by other manufacturers but sell under Amazon brand name. Amazon products cost at least 20 percent lower than competitor brands.

18. Refund for Late Delivery on Amazon Prime

Amazon takes late delivery for its Prime members very seriously. If your Prime delivery is late for any reason, chat with Amazon customer care.

They’ll slice off a few dollars off your bill. The money goes to your Amazon Pay balance for future purchases and you save money from this.

19. Amazon Coin

Buying apps and software from Amazon for your mobile helps you earn Amazon Coins. You can redeem them for online games on smartphone and more apps. Earning Amazon Coins is possible through in-app purchases with Amazon partners as well.

20. Amazon Subscribe & Save

Free shipping and up to 15 percent lower prices are available from Amazon for stuff you buy every month.

Join Amazon Subscribe & Save program and create a list of things you require every month. And you will get a free product from Amazon on the chosen date and discounts too.

21. Publish on Amazon

Are you an expert in any subject or love to write stories and poems? Publish them on Amazon as e-book. You can sell the e-book through Amazon and earn money.

Amazon does charge a small fee for the service if you want to sell the e-book. Else, it’s free to use and you can make reputation as a writer or poet. You can go through an excellent guide to write your own e-book and sell it to make money.

22. Camelcamelcamel. com

Create a free account on camelcamelcamel. com and get alerts of prices on Amazon by the hour.

Make a list of stuff you want to get from Amazon and create price alerts. Camelcamelcamel. com will alert you when prices drop to the level you want.

23. Amazon Outlet

Amazon sells off overstock items at very bargain prices from its own website, Amazon Outlet.

You’ll easily find tens of thousands of products at very low rates on Amazon Outlet. And these aren’t pre-owned or used products.

They are sparkling new and often, newer launches in the market.

24. Amazon Treasure Truck

Buy online and get the stuff from Amazon Treasure Truck that comes near your locality. This way you save a lot of time as well as money on shipping.

Amazon discounts the rate as an appreciation of your efforts to meet the Amazon Treasure Truck.

25. Amazon Force

Want to make big money in spare time? Apply at Amazon Force or what is also known as Amazon High Volume Hiring.

Amazon needs people to work at its warehouses and merchandising facilities for packing, checking orders, fixing labels, etc. Apply on Amazon Force and you can get an easy part-time job that pays at least $12 per hour.

26. Amazon Corporate Credit Line

Amazon Corporate Credit Line is available only for businesses, educational institutes, and other organizations.

It provides excellent credit facilities and discounts. Some employers avail Amazon Corporate Credit Line to assist workers to buy stuff on discounts or credit.

27. Amazon No Rush

Amazon Prime members can get a few bucks off their purchases by opting for ‘Amazon no rush shipping’. As Amazon Prime member, you get priority and faster delivery.

If you don’t avail this option and opt for ‘Amazon no rush shipping’, Amazon usually gives a small discount. It allows Amazon to save on premium shipping. They pass part of these savings to you.

28. Shop with Points

Your credit card or debit card could be earning loyalty points. It’s quite possible you’ve been automatically enrolled for a loyalty program on your credit or debit card and aren’t aware.

Lots of these loyalty programs give points for your spending. These points are redeemable for Amazon Gift Cards or shopping on Amazon directly.

Check with your bank, credit union and card issuer if such programs are available.

30. AmazonSmile

AmazonSmile isn’t something where you can make money. Instead, AmazonSmile allows you to donate points, money from Amazon Pay balance and other benefits you get by shopping to various charities.

If you’re an Amazon shopper and would like to help those less fortunate, donate through Amazon Smile.

31. Amazon Review Sites

Writing reviews about products and services from Amazon can actually get you a free Amazon Gift Card or coupon.

There are more than 50 websites where you can submit reviews about products you buy on Amazon and overall services. You can use this one of the Amazon hacks to get free stuff from Amazon.

32. Amazon Trade-In

Amazon Trade-In allows you to exchange old stuff and get discounts on replacement. The system works very well for electronics and mobile phones.

Before buying electronics, home appliances, and smartphones, check how much discount you can get for trade-in.

It’s a superb way to dispose old stuff and helping to prevent environmental pollution.

33. Amazon Discount Codes

There are dozens of websites that will give you a discount code to apply while shopping on Amazon.

These discount codes will be available for selected products only and on specific dates. Hence, you have to remain alert to grab the right one for your purchase.

34. Amazon Prime Day Sale

Amazon Prime Day Sale is a very important event for everyone that shops on Amazon. On that day, Amazon Prime members get very special, low rates for almost everything sold by Amazon and third-party vendors.

Just search online and you’ll find dates for upcoming Amazon Prime Day Sale.

35. Amazon 4 th of July Sale

Amazon celebrates 4 th of July and offers every resident of America to be part of Independence Day celebrations.

You’ll find amazing Amazon discounts on lots of stuff and especially on goods that we use for 4 th of July festivities.

36. Transfer Amazon Gift Card Balance

If you have more than one Amazon Gift Card, transfer the balance to another. This way, you build up considerable balance on a single Amazon Gift Card.

This is particularly useful if you have a few cents remaining on various Amazon Gift Cards. However, the only glitch is - Amazon allows the minimum transfer of 50 cents.

So if your gift card has less than 50 cents, this hack will be unavailable. I recommend you to transfer balance to a main gift card before it dips below 50 cents.

37. Use Price Trackers

Amazon revises its prices on some products every hour. And it’s impossible for any human to keep track of price drops and swings.

You can create a price drop alert using Amazon price trackers. These trackers also show other options to buy something at lower prices.

38. Daily Deals on Savings. com

If you delete history on your browser and open Amazon. com, it will display deals of the day.

These daily deals are very attractive and often come with discounts as high as 75 percent. Only, these daily deals might not be exactly for the stuff you want to buy.

39. Amazon Pantry Box

Whenever you order groceries and daily requirements from Amazon, you might be paying delivery charges.

If you order from Amazon Pantry, it’s possible to save money on shipping. Amazon Pantry has boxes of various sizes.

Therefore, you can shop for as many Amazon Pantry items you want that would fit in the box.

It helps you save a lot of money on Amazon shipping. Also, Amazon Pantry offers excellent discounts when you buy stuff that’s on special offer.

40. Amazon Combo Deals

Amazon usually comes up with combo deals that offer superb discounts on various stuff.

For example, if you are buying a single watch, it’s possible to get it along with another by paying a little more.

It’s quite easy to find these deals. Simply type ‘combo’ alongside the stuff you wish to buy.

41. Discount on EBT Card

Anyone who’s on state welfare and has an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card can order stuff, especially groceries and essential items.

You’ll have to register on Amazon EBT to get these benefits.

42. Amazon SNAP EBT

This program is run by Amazon for employees of the US Department of Agriculture in some states.

Employees holding an EBT card can get groceries and food products at lower prices. You’ll have to register to avail discounts under Amazon SNAP EBT program.

43. Amazon Wish List Search

You can actually find what a relative or friend wants to buy but hasn’t yet placed an order with Amazon.

Simply search for your friend’s Wish List by entering their email ID. Your friend or relative will get an invitation from Amazon to share their Wish List with you.

And if you’re gifting something on that Wish List, usually Amazon lowers the price tag.

44. Refunds on Late Delivery

Regardless whether you are member of Amazon Prime or not, it’s possible to get a few Dollars off on your order for late deliveries.

It isn’t all that easy: you’ll have to chat with Amazon Customer Care and complain about late delivery.

Amazon will credit some money you’ve paid to your Amazon Pay balance. However, this facility works only if Amazon misses the delivery schedule due to their fault.

45. Amazon Wedding Registry

Getting married? Amazon will give you a 20 percent off on all stuff you would require to start a life together.

Use the Amazon Wedding Registry and create a list of things you’ll need to start off your married life.

You can also share the Amazon Wedding Registry with relatives and friends, so they can pay for some of the stuff as your wedding gift.

Amazon Wedding Registry also allows them to get up to 20 percent off on items they gift you. And they have a resource to send Thank You cards to those who gave you gifts from Amazon.

46. Amazon Baby Registry

Expecting a baby? Amazon gives your child a free gift - a box containing baby requirements worth $35.

You can create a Baby Registry online and list all products you’ll require for the to-be-born or new-born such as prams, strollers, baby food, diapers and so on.

Share the Amazon Baby Registry with relatives and friends, so they might gift something for the child.

47. Bulk Buy from Amazon

Bulk Buy from Amazon helps you to order large quantities of stuff at wholesale rates. However, you can’t apply for any other promotions on Bulk Buy since rates are already lower than market prices.

This is ideal for large families or if you are shopping for a community or several households in your neighborhood.

48. Amazon New Launches

Lots of companies use Amazon as their launch pad and sell their products with discounts for a day or two before they hit brick-and-mortar stores.

Usually, Amazon sends emails about upcoming product launches to Prime members. You can get amazing discounts during a new product launch.

49. Amazon Pay Cashbacks

Amazon Pay Cashbacks are fairly common. However, we miss them because we don’t know where to find.

If you have adequate balance on your Amazon Pay account, look for cashback offers before checkout. It can save you a couple of Dollars.

Since Amazon doesn’t pay interest on your Amazon Pay balance, they compensate by offering cashbacks on select stuff.

50. Discount Products Filter

This is a very simple hack you can use to save money on Amazon. Simply type “&pct-off=“ (without the exclamation marks of course) after the URL of your search on Amazon.

The website will immediately display how much percent of the price you are getting as off from Amazon.

Before concluding, I can confidently say that Amazon is fully aware about every hack that people use in the world to save money and get free stuff.

In fact, Amazon indirectly supports these hacks since it attracts more people to buy. Amazon doesn’t lose any money when you use these hacks. But you can save considerable amount of money with these Amazon hacks.

And finally, watch out for scams that might offer Amazon products for cheap. Unfortunately, scammers haven’t left Amazon alone.

These fraudsters come up with attractive websites and offer unbelievable discounts for shopping with Amazon. They ask for your name, address and other details. I’ve never come across any legit website that demands such details. Nor does Amazon ask for such information without reason. Use these hacks I mention above: they’ll add to your shopping pleasure.

The Small Business Gu > No comments Updated on: Mar 29, 2019 Posted by: Frank Kehl

EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) is a payment system designed to allow recipients of assistance under SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families), or other aid programs sponsored by the Federal and state governments to make needed purchases of food and goods. EBT replaces the old “food stamps” program, allowing recipients to use a convenient and secure magstripe card that’s very similar to a PIN debit card to make their purchases.

For merchants, being able to accept EBT payments allows you to expand your customer base, and processing costs for EBT transactions are significantly lower than they are for traditional debit and credit cards. However, there’s some paperwork involved, and you’ll need to have your equipment programmed to accept these types of payments. Note that while the SNAP program applies primarily to grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and some restaurants, the EBT system also supports authorized retail purchases by TANF recipients. In other words, if you’re a traditional retail merchant, you might still want to add EBT payments to your merchant account to support customers using this payment method.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of applying to become an authorized EBT retailer and discuss the hardware requirements you’ll have to meet before you can accept EBT payments. We’ll also discuss the processing costs associated with EBT payments and how they differ from regular PIN debit and credit card transactions. Finally, we’ll recommend some top-rated merchant service providers who offer support for EBT payments at a fair and reasonable cost.

Table of Contents

Regulatory Requirements For Accepting EBT Payments

Like any government-sponsored program, you’ll have to wade through a fair amount of bureaucracy before you’ll be able to accept EBT payments in your business. However, the registration process is pretty straightforward and doesn’t require an undue amount of effort on your part. In fact, you can complete all requirements online in most cases.

The SNAP program is administered by the US Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), so the first thing you need to do is to obtain a Permit (usually called either a SNAP permit or an FNS permit) from them. These permits are available to any qualified business that meets the appropriate statutory criteria and submits an application (with supporting documentation). To be qualified for a SNAP permit, your business must meet at least one of the following criteria:

Your business sells staple foods in the following four categories: (1) dairy, (2) breads, grains, and cereals, (3) fruits and vegetables, and (4) meat, fish, and poultry. At least two of these categories must include perishable foods; or One or more staple foods account for over 50% of your gross retail sales.

Are you qualified? Good! Simply point your browser to the FNS website, and you can get started. Before you can submit an application for a SNAP permit, you’ll need to establish an EAuthentication Account with the FNS to verify your identity. This step can be completed online in just a few minutes.

Once you have an eAuthentication Account, you’ll need to fill out and submit both an application and supporting documentation. After your eAuthentication Account is approved, you’ll have 30 days to complete and submit the application and all supporting documents. The application itself can be completed online in as little as 15 minutes, but it asks for a lot of information about your business that might require you to do a deep dive into your records for specific answers. Supporting documentation is also required, including the following items:

A copy of your current business license Copies of your driver’s license, passport, or other photo identification Copies of your Social Security cards (this includes all owners, partners, officers, shareholders, and their spouses) Your bank’s name and address; and Your merchant account provider’s information (including name, phone number, address, and website)

This information can be uploaded online, or you can print it out and mail it to the FNS. In either case, the approval process can take as long as 45 days to complete. During this time, you won’t be able to accept SNAP payments.

When you’ve completed the registration process and been approved for a SNAP permit, you’ll be issued a seven-digit FNS Account Number that identifies you as an FNS-approved business. While that’s pretty much it for the paperwork requirements, you’ll still need to reconfigure your processing equipment to accept SNAP payments. See below for details.

Here are some additional considerations regarding SNAP permits:

In addition to traditional grocery stores, SNAP permits are also issued to qualified farm stands and farmers’ markets. If you’re a Multiple Store Owner (MSO), you cannot use the online application process. Instead, an FNS representative will work with you directly to get your permit approved. The FNS defines a Multiple Store Owner as any business entity that owns 10 or more eligible retail food stores. Only approved food items may be purchased with SNAP funds. Hot food, restaurant food, alcoholic beverages, pet food, and other non-food items are not allowed. (Note that some of these items may be purchased with TANF funds.)

There are also numerous special rules that apply to SNAP payments that you’ll want to be familiar with. Here are the most important considerations:

Payments must be for SNAP-approved food items only No cash back may be issued No cash refunds may be issued The customer must present their EBT card and enter their PIN at the time of payment.

Hardware Requirements For Accepting EBT Payments

In addition to registering with the FNS and obtaining a SNAP permit, you’ll need to acquire and set up the appropriate processing hardware. While most popular terminals are compatible with EBT payments, you need to be aware of several specific requirements. First of all, your terminal needs to be able to accept PIN debit transactions. This means that you’ll need a dedicated PIN pad for your customers to input their PINs. Your PIN pad can be either a separate, stand-alone unit, or it can be integrated directly into your terminal.

Once you’ve obtained a suitable terminal and PIN pad, it must be programmed with your merchant account provider’s encryption keys. If you purchase your equipment directly from your merchant account provider, this should already have been done, and your terminal should work right out of the box. However, if you’re switching providers or adding EBT capability to pre-existing equipment, you’ll need to have your terminal(s) re-programmed before you can start accepting payments. Depending on your provider, re-programming usually requires a one-week turnaround time. Note that your merchant account provider will need your seven-digit FNS Account Number to set up your merchant account for EBT payment acceptance. EBT cards issued by the FNS are currently magstripe-only, so you won’t need an EMV-compatible terminal.

Most grocery stores and restaurants participating in the SNAP program must buy their own processing equipment or obtain it from their merchant account provider. However, some entities are eligible for free processing equipment that’s provided through the FNS. These entities include:

Eligible farmers’ markets Direct-marketing farmers Military commissaries Non-profit food buying cooperatives Group living arrangements Treatment centers Prepared meal services (other than for-profit restaurants participating in State-option restaurant programs)

If you think your business qualifies for free equipment, be sure to contact the FNS directly for more details.

Processing Costs For EBT Payments

Because the EBT program is sponsored by the US government, and not a private bank or credit card association, the costs for processing EBT transactions are much lower than they are for traditional debit or credit card transactions. In fact, There are no Interchange fees Or PIN debit fees For EBT transactions. However, your merchant account provider has the right to charge you a reasonable amount for processing these transactions. While a few rare providers might allow you to process EBT transactions for free, most will charge a small per-transaction fee. Dharma Merchant Services (see our review), for example, charges a flat $0.10 for each EBT transaction.

Not all providers are so enlightened, however. You’ll want to know ahead of signing up how your chosen provider treats EBT transactions. Unfortunately, most providers on the market do not disclose their pricing for EBT transactions on their websites, so you’ll have to look in your contract documents or discuss it with your sales representative to get a straight answer. Be especially vigilant if your merchant account uses flat-rate or tiered pricing, as you might be paying the same rates for EBT transactions as you do for regular credit or debit card purchases. Obviously, this would result in a huge windfall for your provider, as there’s no interchange fee that needs to be passed on with EBT transactions.

You should also be aware that PCI-DSS compliance requirements do not apply to EBT transactions. This won’t make a difference for most merchants who accept both EBT and traditional debit/credit card transactions. However, if you have a merchant account that is set up Only to accept EBT payments, you should not be charged any PCI compliance fees.

Finally, it’s important to realize that not all providers offer support for EBT payments. If you’re looking to open a new merchant account or switch providers, this is obviously something you’ll want to clarify before signing up. For example, Square (see our review) does Not currently support EBT payments. While they disclose this fact on their website, it’s easy to miss.

Top-Rated EBT Providers

It should come as no surprise that the best EBT providers are also among the highest-rated merchant services providers in general. If you’re looking for information on the FNS website, you’ll find the SNAP EBT Third Party Processor (TPP) List and Guidance to Retailers, which offers a list of FNS-approved providers who support EBT payments. This list is Not inclusive by any means (for example, it doesn’t include Dharma Merchant Services (see our review)). This document also includes some useful tips to help in selecting a merchant account provider who supports EBT payments. Pay close attention, however, to their disclaimer regarding third-party processors (TPPs):

FNS has not researched the performance, business practices, reputation or ethics of the companies included on this list, and cannot be held responsible for any unauthorized charges, errors, disputes, misleading information or other problems that result from selection of one of these TPPs. SNAP-authorized retailers need to conduct their own research and due diligence when selecting a TPP and should review the cost of leasing or purchasing equipment and services to make the best choice for their business. The attachment to this document provides some recommendations and guidance to retailers on what issues to consider when selecting a TPP.

In examining the list of vendors provided by the FNS, we note that most of the processors included on the list that we’ve reviewed have received mediocre to below-average overall ratings. Because of this, we highly recommend that you disregard the processors listed with FNS and select one that we’ve reviewed favorably. Here are some of our top picks for merchant services providers who support EBT payments:

Dharma Merchant Services(seeOur review): As noted above, Dharma charges a flat $0.10 per EBT transaction with no additional fees. They can also sell you a terminal that’s preprogrammed to accept EBT payments if you have a SNAP account. Fattmerchant (see our review): Fattmerchant doesn’t disclose specific EBT pricing, but at only $0.08 per transaction and no percentage markup for their standard pricing plan, you can expect cons >Final Thoughts

If you’re in a business that can accept EBT payments under either the SNAP or TANF programs, there’s really no reason not to sign up for an account. Processing costs are minimal, and most businesses can use the equipment they already have to accept this type of payment. Registering as a SNAP merchant does require some paperwork and the willingness to wait a few weeks for approval, but once you’re registered you should see increased sales from customers who otherwise might not have a viable payment option other than cash. It’s a win-win situation for both you as a merchant and your local community.

If you don’t already have a merchant account, or your provider doesn’t support EBT payments, you might want to consider an EBT-only option. Most merchant services providers who support EBT payments can set you up with a bare-bones merchant account that’s designed to only accept EBT payments. This option can save you a considerable amount of money in processing costs and account fees, as you won’t have to pay interchange fees, PIN debit fees, or PCI compliance fees. Some providers will even offer you a “free” terminal to use for as long as you keep your account open.

If you’re using a provider like Square (see our review) that doesn’t support EBT payments, an EBT-only merchant account can expand your customers’ payment options. Simply use Square for your traditional debit and credit card purchases, and your EBT-only account for authorized EBT transactions. Since Square doesn’t charge monthly or annual account fees, this is a great low-cost option to cover all your bases when it comes to payment method acceptance.

As we’ve noted above, there aren’t all that many providers who advertise the availability of EBT support or disclose their prices for EBT transactions. However, the providers we’ve listed above are good all-around choices for both EBT payments and traditional credit/debit cards. For even more great choices, see our Merchant Account Comparison Chart.

Our Top-Rated Merchant Services Providers

Check Out Our Preferred Credit Card Processors 🏆

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

SNAP is a federally funded, government assistance program that helps low-income households pay for nutritious food using an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. SNAP can assist households with children, legal immigrants, seniors and disabled members. Each month benefits are directly deposited onto the household’s EBT account, the amount of benefit depends on the household size, income, and expenses. These benefits can then be used to pay for food at supermarkets and convenience stores, as well as some farmer’s markets and food co-ops. SNAP brings federal dollars into communities, every $5.00 in new SNAP benefits generates $9.00 in community spending. Someone using their SNAP EBT card to buy food isn’t just helping themselves, they are also supporting the local economy.

The URI SNAP Outreach Project helps low-income individuals and families access the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP. Outreach workers can answer questions about SNAP, help determine potential eligibility for SNAP benefits, and provide support with the application process. The SNAP Outreach Project seeks to increase participation with trainings, application assistance, and providing informational material. Thousands of Rhode Islanders do not receive nutrition assistance because they are unaware of their eligibility or need additional assistance with applying. Outreach and education are tools in overcoming barriers to SNAP participation. If you or someone you know is struggling to pay for food, let them know Help is available through the URI SNAP Outreach Project Hotline 1-866-306-0270 or find one of our SNAP Outreach Workers at one of the locations below (click on the event for more details).

On September 13, 2016, the RI Department of Human Services (DHS) launched a new computer system to administer all human services programs, including SNAP. As a result, many DHS procedures have changed. We will post updates here as the occur. Check out or new and updated materials here.

The DHS automated line and call center can now only be reached by calling 1-855-697-4347 (1-855-MYRIDHS). The previously used phone number, 401-462-5300, is no longer in service. In addition, DHS is now asking for all mailed applications and documents to be sent to the following address:

RI Department of Human Services

P. O. Box 8709

Cranston, RI 02920

Applications and documents can still be delivered in person to any of the DHS office locations. Clients should request a date stamped receipt for applications and documents delivered in person.