Author: Maria Sparagis

Maria Sparagis is President of DirectPayNet, where she's spent over 20 years helping businesses scale to six-, seven-, and eight-figure revenue through optimized payment processing. She works hands-on with business owners to solve merchant account challenges, reduce processing costs, and implement payment strategies that support real growth. Maria is a regular speaker at fintech conferences and writes about practical approaches that help businesses break through revenue plateaus.

Everything you need to know about MIDs (Merchant IDs)

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Yes, this is yet another number you should be familiar with. But merchant IDs are one of the most important identifiers for your business and shouldn’t go overlooked. GET YOUR MERCHANT ID TODAY What is a Merchant ID (MID)? A payment processor or acquiring bank assigns a unique 15-digit number, known as a Merchant ID […]

PayPal Pros and Cons for Merchants

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Are you considering using PayPal to process payments for your business? Before diving in headfirst, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons carefully before committing to any payment provider. Let’s cover the pros and cons of PayPal specifically for merchants. PROCESS PAYMENTS SECURELY TODAY PayPal Pros for Merchants 1. Quick and Easy Account Setup […]

Credit Card Decline Code 85 (and what to do about it)

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Have you ever had a customer’s credit card decline, even though they insist there’s no issue with their account? Chances are, you’ve encountered a credit card decline code. These codes are the payment processor’s way of telling you why a transaction didn’t go through. While some codes are straightforward, others can leave you scratching your […]

ShopifyClosedMyStore (and How to Reopen It FAST)

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If you’ve landed on this page, chances are Shopify has unexpectedly closed your store. Panic may be setting in as you wonder what happened and how to get your business back up and running. Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. In this post, we’ll uncover the most common reasons why Shopify closed your store […]

How to Respond to Negative Reviews on Your Shopify Store

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No matter how good or how unique your product is, your entire business can be ruined by negative reviews. Luckily, negative reviews can be flipped around and become a powerful marketing tool. Here’s how you should respond to negative Shopify reviews (even the worst of the worst). SECURE YOUR SHOPIFY STORE WITH A BACKUP PAYMENT […]