i3 Verticals Review

With all this acquisition and fragmentation, does i3 Verticals have what it takes to provide a cohesive payment processing service? What are people saying about working with the company? In this i3 Verticals review and profile we will discuss these issues and more to help with you decide on the right processor for your business.

• What services does i3 Verticals offer?
  • Card Payment Processing
  • Gateway and Virtual Terminal Processing
  • Check Processing
  • Gift Cards and Loyalty Program
  • Merchant Cash Advance
• What about equipment options?
• How can i3 Verticals help with security?
• i3 Verticals Rates, Fees, and Contract Terms
• i3 Verticals Reviews

What services does i3 Verticals offer?

If you are interested accepting cards in person or online, i3 Verticals can do the processing. The company also offers check acceptance and gift cards and loyalty programs, as well as merchant cash advances for those who need working capital.

Card Payment Processing

i3 Verticals can process all major brands of credit and debit cards as well as EBT. With its i3 Pay service, the company claims fast funding and one easy-to-read statement that is made visible with its online reporting tools. With proper equipment you can accept magstripe, PIN entry, EMV, and contactless payments.

With i3 POS, you have the ability to accept payments in your store, at a kiosk, or on-the-go with the mobile payment option. The company claims that most equipment is reprogrammable, but i3 Verticals also offers equipment if needed. The mobile payment option boasts that it can accept EMV, contactless, and on-screen PIN entry payments as well.

Gateway and Virtual Terminal Processing

Whether you are interested in ecommerce or mail/phone order transactions, the i3 Gateway and virtual terminal is an all-encompassing solution.

For ecommerce, the i3 Gateway can integrate with your businesses website and allow you to accept payments. It can also integrate with major shopping carts. The virtual terminal allows for keyed-in transactions on your own internet-connected computer, making it a great option for call centers and those who accept mail/phone orders.

Both options benefit from fraud prevention tools, ability to accept subscription payments, and tokenization of data, a process where sensitive payment information is protected by being transformed into a code.

Check Processing

Accepting checks can be as simple as accepting a credit card. With i3 Verticals you can convert checks into an electronic transaction; the authorization process reduces fraud and funds are directly deposited into your business account.

Another available option is ACH payments. Much like an electronic check, ACH payments allows you to withdraw funds directly from a customer’s bank account after obtaining the necessary transfer information.

Gift Card and Loyalty Programs

Interested in a means of expanding the influence of your business or encouraging repeat customers? Gift cards and loyalty programs might be a good start.

With i3 Verticals you can offer electronic gift cards as well as physical gift cards that are customized to fit your brand. The loyalty program allows you to reward purchases, stay connected, and offer perks to repeat customers through the use of an app. It can be customized to fit businesses of any size.

Merchant Cash Advance

If you find yourself in a pinch and need working capital fast, i3 Verticals offers merchant cash advances. This option requires less paperwork and faster funding than a traditional loan and is paid through a deducted portion of your credit card sales. While this may sound tempting, it should be noted that they are generally much more expensive that traditional loans and it may be worth exploring other options.

What about equipment options?

Exact details of what i3 Verticals offers for equipment are unavailable, but the company claims to have options to fit any business’ needs. It also states that you can rent, lease, or purchase equipment. Leases are often very expensive means of getting equipment; for more information and why we advise against them, read this article on Leasing a Credit Card Machine.

The company also states that most equipment is reprogrammable, but it is worth checking to make sure.

How can i3 Verticals help with security?

To help ensure you stay PCI compliant and are protected against fraud, i3 Verticals offers online reporting, data security, and authorization services. If you accept checks, check verification and check guarantee are also available.

i3 Verticals Rates, Fees and Contract Terms

There is no information regarding pricing on i3Verticals’ website, but on Performance Merchant Alliance’s website there is a merchant agreement with the i3 Verticals’ logo. In the agreement, the contract term is listed as 3 years (fairly standard for the industry) and while there is an early termination fee, the details are not disclosed.

Another point worth noting is the use of the terms “qualified, “mid-qualified,” and “nonqualified” when discussing transactions. This indicates that i3 Verticals uses a tiered pricing model. While this model is common amongst processors, it is also the most easily manipulated and opaque pricing model. Numbers can be easily maneuvered to appear like you will be paying less on paper than when actually applied.

If you want fully disclosed pricing information for your business, request an i3 Verticals quote through CardFellow. Our free service helps you obtain and compare processor pricing, without the hassle of pushy sales representatives. Sign up here!

i3 Verticals Reviews

After scouring the internet, there is absolutely no news in terms of i3 Verticals reviews, positive or negative. You know what they say; this might actually be good news. Not many people will take to the internet with complimentary or neutral things on their mind, but if the company was causing frustration or ripping people off it’s likely there would be some commotion.

The company, while large and gaining ground, is relatively young for a processor. The i3 Verticals profile with the Better Business Bureau just recently opened in April of 2015 and is not yet accredited. The company itself was founded in 2012, which makes it just a little odd that there is still nothing in the way of reviews. i3 Verticals has yet to post testimonials on its website.

If you have experience working with this company, we would appreciate your perspective. Leave a review!