First Data, Yahoo! Partner for SME Business Payments

First Data distributes its merchant products and services through a variety of channels, including global and national sales forces that serve as its feet-on-the-street, agents and independent sales organizations, and through its alliances with numerous bank partners. The company enables more than 5.3 million merchant locations to accept electronic payments in stores, over the phone or on the Internet. Together, First Data and Yahoo! Small Business will provide easy-to-implement eCommerce solutions for small and mid-size merchants eager to extend their businesses to the Internet.

"Joining forces with one of the leading eCommerce companies in the world will drive additional growth for eCommerce," said Souheil Badran, senior vice president and division manager for eCommerce at First Data. "The Yahoo! solution eliminates the complexities and makes it easy for smaller merchants to create professional online stores with easy-to-use tools and step-by-step guidance, while First Data brings unique and proven experience offering a 'brick and click' solution in the market. Together, we can offer our joint customers a completely integrated cross-channel payment system and a portfolio of eCommerce products certified on a broad range of gateways and POS systems."

A well integrated cross-channel payment system helps merchants by improving the flow of funds, reducing fraud and chargeback expenses, decreasing transaction costs and providing insights crucial for customer loyalty programs. Customers enjoy a wide selection of payment options as well as tested safeguards against fraud and identity theft.