Merchant Services might just be one of the oldest payment processor providers. It has been around since early 1990. It offers a wide array of services aside from payment processing technology. In 2009 and 2010, it was recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest-growing privately-held companies in the United States.
Among its many products and services are:
Accredited by the Better Business Bureau, Merchant Services takes pride in being one of the pioneers in the industry. Its mission is to help merchants achieve success through various payment methods.
Merchant Services can provide both physical and virtual terminals to process credit card payments. Businesses should be able to process debit and credit cards in brick-and-mortar stores and online shops.
Point-of-sales terminals simplify the inventory management of businesses. Merchant Services provides computer-based POS solutions for restaurants and retail stores. POS machines have long surpassed the functionalities of cash registers. These machines can help manage sales and inventory and also improve customer service.
If your business takes you to outdoor events, exhibits, and remote locations, you will need wireless terminals. Merchant Services will empower your business to accept payments anywhere you are. These are the industries and professions that use wireless terminals:
Some customers are not comfortable paying for online purchases with their credit cards. They can issue a check so businesses with a check management system can process it. This also streamlines business processes because you won’t need to go to the bank to deposit checks. It guarantees that you are always paid on time.
Businesses can start growing their reach by having a gift card program. This is a great marketing strategy that immediately grows sales and audiences. Merchant Services can provide well-designed gift cards, as well as a system to reload these cards once they’re empty. Studies showed that gift cards increase upfront revenue and bring customers.
Merchant Services has not published its rates and transaction fees.
There is no information about Merchant Services’ additional fees.
There is also no information on whether or not Merchant Services has hidden charges.
There are complaints that say Merchant Services charged service fees even with these fees not being in the contract.
There are no formal reports about Merchant Services being a rip-off. However, there are at least two customers who talked about their accounts losing money because the company wasn’t honest about what’s in the contract. Apparently, Merchant Services started charging the merchants a service fee despite this not being in the contract.
Most of the complaints about Merchant Services have something to do with its marketing strategy. Many think it is a bit too much.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is an association that accredits businesses. It also gives ratings based on customer reviews. Merchant Services has been a BBB-accredited business since 2001. It has a rating of A+ although it is not based on customer reviews.
Merchant Services got a one-star rating out of seven customer reviews on the website. It also has had six complaints closed in the last three years.
Merchant Services seems to be a legitimate payment processing service provider. It has a legitimate website with information about what the company can offer. According to a review site, it has between 11 and 50 employees. It was founded in 1990 and it is still operating to this day. The company’s three decades in the industry will prove its legitimacy.
There is no formal complaint about Merchant Services being a scam although there are bad reviews about it duping clients into signing a contract with them. This is possible because of the company’s generic name.
The company faced a class-action lawsuit in 2010. It settled in 2013. The lawsuit is based on Merchant Services misrepresenting and omitting certain terms on the contracts of their clients. These terms include cost, early termination fees, and other provisions. It also supposedly forged signatures, modified forms, and violated the rules of Mastercard. Merchant Services also made improper credit inquiries into the credit reports of personal guarantors.
The condition of the settlement includes changing the way Merchant Services writes its contracts. From thereon, the company must include in its rate comparison sheets all information involving the bankcard processing services and transactions. The rate comparison sheet must also say that leasing equipment is optional and that there is an early termination fee.
Many of the complaints involving Merchant Services have something to do with its aggressive marketing techniques. Customers are complaining about the company calling them repeatedly to offer their services. Allegedly, there were also representatives of the company who pretended to be from the merchant’s current service provider so they could dupe it into signing a contract.
This underhanded marketing strategy seems to be the bulk of negative customer reviews about Merchant Services.
Although Merchant Services has been in business for almost three decades, many of its alleged past customers started to post on online forums, boards, and review sites about their bad experiences. Some said they never knew the company was still working. Although the company is legitimate, it’s hard to say when it will take care of its customers or not.
There were also other complaints that Merchant Services does not take care of its employees. If you truly want to get to know Merchant Services, the best thing to do is reach out to them.
