Next week, representatives and lobbyists with the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) will be heading to Congress for their annual “Day on the Hill”.

Lawmakers and staff will likely hear arguments from NACS that credit card interchange fees are bad for convenience store owners.

One thing that NACS doesn’t want lawmakers to know: a prominent convenience store trade publication, CStore Decisions, has done the math and concluded that accepting credit cards provides major value to convenience store owners and boosts their bottom line. Copied below are the top 5 reasons from CStore Decisions why accepting credit cards result in serious growth for retailers.

Accepting Credit Cards: The Bottom Line Shows It’s Worth It

The proven benefits of accepting credit cards far outweigh the challenges:

1.) By accepting credit cards and displaying credit card logos near your POS at the checkout counter, your business has increased legitimacy in reminding customers that they can pay with credit. Customers trust their credit card brands, and that trust inherently transfers to you – the merchant – who accepts this payment form. A reputable credit card processing company helps protect you and your customers from data breach and identity theft. Accepting credit cards can boost your sales and keep your business on an even playing field with competitors. When you open up payment methods beyond traditional cash, to include credit and debit cards, your potential customer base and their purchasing power broadens. Your competitors are likely accepting credit cards for customers’ convenience, and to stay profitable and competitive, you need to offer the same.

2.) Credit cards encourage impulse buying and improve your cash flow. Shoppers like being able to check out quickly and easily without having to write a check or do an extra trip to the ATM (which limits their purchasing to only their available funds). Studies have indicated that customers tend to spend more when they’re paying with credit cards** – up to 83% more! This includes a high rate of impulse purchases. Credit card transactions are processed and verified electronically and settled quickly. Proceeds are typically deposited next business day – or sometimes even same day – into your bank account. You won’t have to handle as much cash, reducing theft and security concerns in your store. You won’t have to worry about bounced checks or be waiting for checks to clear. This also means no more sending out invoices and waiting for customers to pay.

3.) Convenience and safety are top priorities. Most banks offer debit and/or credit cards to account holders, with fraud protection guaranteed. Cardholders can enjoy access to credit for spending without fear of theft. Storing and toting around cash carries increased risk of theft. Shoppers are often in a rush. Paying with a credit card is convenient and quick, with not having to pull cash out and start counting it for payment. Many credit cards offer points, mileage, cash-back and other rewards as incentives for the cardholder to use credit cards.

4.) Compared with the tangible benefits to your bottom line, acceptance of credit cards is a relatively inexpensive business expense. Credit card processing is a highly competitive industry with many different offerings. Most merchant services providers assess retailers an affordable percentage-based processing fee, plus a flat rate amount per transaction. Some offer a surcharge or cash discount program with one low monthly flat fee (and no separate transaction fees) to help store owners recoup these fees. Acceptance of credit cards offers an excellent return on investment, and the fees charged by credit card processing companies are worth the net gains.

5.) It is easy to start accepting credit cards. Filling out an application costs nothing and can take literally just a few minutes, with approval within a day or two. At NRS PAY, for example, the application process can take less than 24 hours, plus they’ll ship you free equipment with no long-term commitment or early termination fee. Fast approval and quick setup can have your business running more smoothly within just a few business days. Most companies offer no-obligation quotes, with rate plans that are profitable for your business, and flexible, based upon sales volume.