Which of the following can be classified as a merchant?

The answer is based on the definition of a merchant within the context of payment processing and the merchant services industry. A merchant is typically a business or individual that sells goods or services to customers who pay using various payment methods, such as credit or debit cards.

Target is a prime example of a merchant, as it is a retail operation that offers products directly to consumers. They accept payments from customers using different payment methods, thus qualifying them as a merchant under these criteria.

In contrast, Chase Bank and First Data serve other roles within the payments ecosystem. Chase Bank operates as a financial institution that provides banking services and may facilitate transactions but does not sell goods or services directly to consumers. First Data, now part of Fiserv, offers payment processing solutions and services to merchants but is not a merchant itself since it does not engage directly in selling products to end users. A cardholder is simply an individual who possesses a credit or debit card and uses it for transactions; they do not sell goods or services and thus do not fit the merchant classification.

Overall, the clear distinction is that a merchant is involved in the selling aspect of transactions, which is precisely what Target does.