Commerce Payment Systems Review

Commerce Payment Systems claims if you are looking for a quick, easy, affordable payment processor, they are the company for you. But claims and actions are two different things. In this Commerce Payment Systems review and profile, we’ll give you the facts on the services the company offers as well as information on rates and fees, customer reviews, and more.

• News
• What services are provided by Commerce Payment Systems?
  • Retail Processing
  • Restaurant Processing
  • Hotel and Hospitality Processing
  • Gas Station Processing
  • Internet and Phone Processing
  • Wireless Processing
• What are the equipment options?
• Commerce Payment Systems Rates and Contract Terms
• Commerce Payment Systems Reviews

News

In 2017, the United States Justice Department announced that two executives at Commerce Payment Systems were arrested and charged with fraud. The Commerce Payment Systems website has been removed, and it’s unclear if the company is still operating.

What services are provided by Commerce Payment Systems?

Commerce Payment Systems divides its services into common industry categories but says it can cater to any kind of company. The categories and features of them are as follows:

Retail Processing

Accept all major credit cards with traditional countertop terminals. Commerce Payment Systems offers a choice of 4 different terminals at no charge. Each terminal has different features, allowing you to choose the equipment to suit your needs. Some models include built-in thermal printers, integrated PIN pads, manufacturer’s warranties, and easy mounting options.

Restaurant Processing

Commerce Payment Systems offers restaurant-specific processing solutions that allow the option to add tips, combine tabs from a bar to a dinner tab, and create a variety of reports. Commerce Payment Systems offers 4 different terminal options at no charge for your processing needs.

Hotel and Hospitality Processing

Greater ease with check-in and check-out procedure is one of the features that Commerce Payment Systems boasts in this bundle. Commerce Payment Systems can help you coordinate front desk operations and back office needs and stay compliant with MasterCard, American Express, and Visa’s lodging requirements. 4 terminal choices are available at no cost with your Commerce Payment Systems account, allowing you to choose the model to best suit your needs.

Gas Station Processing

Commerce Payment Systems has a range of payment methods available for gas stations. You can accept all major credit and debit cards, plus fuel cards like Voyager, Fleet One, and others. Additionally, Commerce Payment Systems offers pay at the pump options and can customize equipment to suit your needs.

Internet and Phone Processing

With this option you can accept and process card payments in real time, including from orders you receive offline. You can also issue credits, void transactions, and view a list of your transactions. Commerce Payment Systems offers several choices for internet payment gateways, as follows:

Authorize.Net

With Authorize.Net, you can accept transactions in many currencies. One account can support multiple users, making it an option for businesses with more than one sales representative who may be processing transactions.

PC-Based Software

PC Charge PC-based software is Visa and MasterCard compliant and accepts major credit and debit cards, EBT cards, and processes check conversions. Recurring billing allows you to schedule repeat payments, such as memberships. Software works with card readers, PIN pads, and check readers.

Retail PC @ Advantage

Retail PC @Advantage can process retail, mail order, and phone order transactions while offering assistance reducing fraud.

Wireless Processing

Wireless processing means you can accept all card payments whether in the store, or on the road. Even if you’re not in an area with good network coverage, you can store swiped transactions until later. Commerce Payment Systems offers a few different wireless terminals free for qualified clients.

What are the equipment options?

Commerce Payment Systems claims that you will receive a free standard or wireless terminal from Nurit or Hypercom, or free set up with any virtual terminal or gateway depending on your specific need when you become a client. Other standard and wireless terminals are available from brands like Verifone, Omni and VIVOpay. However, none of the equipment currently offered is EMV capable.  Additionally, as we’ve written about in the past, free credit card machines may be an expensive proposition.

Commerce Payment Systems Rates and Contract Terms

Commerce Payment Systems has different rates for different types of transactions, but has the same recurring fees, as follows:

• Setup Fee: $0
• Statement Fee: $4.95
• Per Transaction Fee: $0.15
• Cancellation Fee: $0
• Debit and check rate: 0.35%
• Retail swiped transaction rate: 1.59%
• Internet and keyed transaction rate: 1.99%

These rates might sound appealing, but are most likely what’s known as tiered pricing. This is the most manipulative and ultimately the most costly form of pricing. In fact, tiered pricing is prohibited for certified quotes in the CardFellow marketplace for this reason.

As far as contracts go, Commerce Payment Systems claims to have month to month service with no early termination fee. For your own safety, be sure to carefully read any contracts or set up documents to confirm.

Commerce Payment Systems Reviews

Commerce Payment Systems has been around long enough to gather some customer reviews. Unfortunately, many of the ones currently available are negative.

Commerce Payment Systems at the Better Business Bureau

Commerce Payment Systems profile with the Better Business Bureau is less than stellar. A lot less. It is not currently accredited with the Better Business Bureau but has a profile with an F rating. Commerce Payment Systems has 262 complaints closed with the BBB in the last 3 years. The majority (163 complaints) are in the "Billing/Collection Issues" category. 62 complaints are in the "Problems with Product/Service" category, 30 complaints are in the "Advertising/Sales Issues" category, and the last 7 complaints are in the “Delivery Issues” category. 16 complaints remain unresolved and the company also has 3 negative reviews.

Complaints allege a variety of problems, including unexpected and unstated charges, higher rates than quoted, changing rates, unauthorized drafts, and fraudulent practices. Another aspect that should be mentioned is that when these issues arise, several people have reported being bombarded with needing to document the issue, making it extremely difficult to get any resolution.

Reviews on Yelp

The 18 complaints on Yelp are further indication of clients being bitten by tiered pricing tactics, as mentioned in the section on rates.  Commerce Payment Systems has a 1 star rating, the lowest it can go. Many people state feeling taken advantage of by aggressive sales people who give them a low rate song and dance, but leave them feeling swindled when they see their statement. As for the promise of no cancellation fees, many people say that the actual cancellation process is difficult, convoluted, and ultimately expensive.

Reviews with Ripoff Report

Ripoff Report echoes the negative reviews for Commerce Payment Systems, with 37 complaints. Some of the reviews are buried under company statements that claim a commitment to customer satisfaction, but they allege high transaction fees, undisclosed fees, and deceptive practices. Also, a lonely Google review states that they took money out of the client’s account 10 months after they had cancelled with them.

It might seem shocking that a company with this kind of reputation is still in business, but many of these practices are all too common in the payment processing industry. To protect yourself, request quotes through CardFellow.