Citi Merchant Services Review

Citi Merchant Services is a product of Citigroup, and is headquartered in New York. Read this Citi Merchant Services review and profile to get all the details on Citi’s rates and fees, processing services, and more.

• Payment Processing Services
  • In store Processing
  • Online Processing
  • Mobile Device Processing
  • Loyalty Program
• What about equipment?
• Reporting
• Security
• Citi Merchant Services Rates and Fees
• Citi Merchant Services Reviews

Payment Processing Services

Citi Merchant Services provides payment processing in-store, online, or with a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet. With any option, Citi Merchant Services allows you to accept major credit and debit cards, checks, and gift cards.

For cards, you can take Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners’ Club, JCB, and fleet cards, as well as PIN-based and signature-based debit cards. Citi’s gift card program through First Data includes real-time processing to ensure accurate account balances at time of payment. Citi Merchant Services offers TeleCheck for processing checks, providing the ability to convert paper checks into electronic transactions for security and convenience for customers and businesses. Citi also offers a loyalty program that you can customize to help encourage repeat business.

In store Processing

Citi Merchant Services offers in-store processing for accepting payment in a traditional brick-and-mortar setting, such as retail stores and restaurants. Citi boasts transaction approvals in under 2 seconds, ensuring short wait times for your customers. Transactions batched early enough in the day may be eligible for next-day funding.

Online Processing

With more businesses needing to accept payments online through a business website, Citi Merchant Services offers the Global Gateway. With the Global Gateway, you can take advantage of customizable hosted payment pages. Hosted payments pages are PCI compliant and provide easy payment acceptance for your customers.

If you prefer to use APIs, the Global Gateway lets you create a seamless checkout experience by programming in your preferred programming language. The Global Gateway offers a real-time payment manager, a secure online interface to manage business functions, including batch processing, report creation, and more.

Mobile Device Processing

Citi Merchant Services offers mobile processing for when you need to accept payments on the go. Perfect for many business types, including landscapers, delivery businesses, merchants at tradeshows, and more. Three mobile processing options are available: Pogo, First Data Mobile Pay, and VeriFone PAYware Mobile.

Pogo
Processing mobile payments with Pogo is convenient and safe with encryption technology at the time of swipe. The Pogo card reader is durable, perfect for tough work environments. Pogo also features online account management to easily analyze transactions.

First Data Mobile Pay
The First Data Mobile Pay option is a web-based solution or downloadable app that can be used anywhere with wireless coverage. You can swipe cards with the Mobile Pay card reader or entered manually. Both options include real-time processing and include instant e-receipts. First Data Mobile Pay is compatible with a variety of devices, including BlackBerry, Android devices, and Apple devices. First Data Mobile Pay includes a secure login, and industry-standard Secure Socket Layer encryption.

VeriFone PAYware Mobile
Smartphones or tablets can be used as payment processing devices with VeriFone PAYware Mobile. You can accept almost all payment types, including traditional credit and debit cards, and contactless cards. An encrypted card reader and PIN pad provide security and convenience.

Loyalty Program

The Citi Merchant Services loyalty program, called Perka, works with mobile phones, allowing customers to receive rewards for their purchases. Even better, you can tailor the rewards program, choosing the loyalty levels, rewards type, and more. Choose between a punch-based or points-based system to help encourage repeat sales and regular customer visits.

What about equipment?

Citi Merchant Services offers a range of equipment and devices, including PIN pads, combination PIN pads and card readers, and more. All available options are First Data models.

Citi Merchant Services also offers point-of-sale solutions, including the Clover Station, First Data Retail Solution, and the First Data Restaurant Solution.

Retail Solution

The retail solution system is designed for the needs of a variety of retail stores, allowing you to process payments, track sales, and manage inventory. The solution includes a touchscreen monitor, retail hardware, and a cash drawer.

Restaurant Solution

The restaurant solution system is designed to address the specific needs of restaurants to keep business running smoothly. The solution includes a touchscreen LCD with magnetic stripe card reader, software, a kitchen printer and a receipt printer, locking cash drawer, and a router.

Reporting

Citi Merchant Services offers a reporting solution called Insightics. Insightics software helps identify sales trends using payment data to discover new marketing and selling opportunities, examine customers’ spending habits, and compare sales data with similar businesses. Insightics integrates seamlessly with many existing point-of-sale systems, eliminating the need to manually enter information.

Security

As a First Data partner, Citi Merchant Services offers the TransArmor security solution with every Citi Merchant Services account. TransArmor protects cardholder data and helps reduce business liability in the event of a security breach. TransArmor’s security questionnaire helps businesses achieve PCI compliance.

Citi Merchant Services Rates and Fees

Citi Merchant Services doesn’t publish rates on their website. Citi also does not publish contract terms.

Rates may vary by industry, volume, and other factors. Merchants will need to obtain a quote for their specific business by contacting Citi Merchant Services or requesting a quote using CardFellow’s free tool.

Citi Merchant Services Reviews

There aren’t a lot of online reviews for the Merchant Service aspect of Citigroup. Citi Merchant Services isn’t currently accredited with the Better Business Bureau and doesn’t have a profile with the company, nor do they have reviews with Yelp.

However, there are 5 reviews with Ripoff Report. Complaints allege unauthorized debits, debits after account cancellation, hidden fees, poor customer service, account freezes, and overbilling.

Citi Merchant Services does not currently list testimonials/reviews or awards on their website.

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