Base Commerce Merchant Services 2023: Reviews & Complaints
(800) 848-5826 Company Overview
Base Commerce is a Tempe, Arizona-based merchant account provider that specializes in providing an integrated payment processing platform for developers, ISOs, and merchants. The company was founded in 2008 following the purchase of First American Payment Processing and acts as the backend processor for Transparent Merchant Services, another Arizona-based company.
In 2020, Base Commerce was acquired by Nuvei. It appears that the company is still being operated under its own name; however, the Base Commerce website mentions that they will be moving soon.
Article Summary
Before we dive in, here’s a short summary of what we’ll cover:
- Base Commerce’s various payment processing services.
- The company’s contract is very competitive, offering interchange-plus and custom contracts.
- The company has received very few complaints online.
- It’s currently unclear how much of Base Commerce’s services remain the same under Nuvei.
Related Articles
Base Commerce Payment Processing
Base Commerce processes all major debit and credit cards for most business types. Their services include EMV card readers and swipers, POS solutions, ACH payments, mobile solutions, access to virtual terminals, and e-commerce services through its BaseLink platform.
Location & Ownership
Base Commerce is a registered ISO/MSP of Commercial Bank of California, Los Angeles, California; Fresno First Bank, Fresno, California; and Esquire Bank, Jericho, New York. The company maintains its headquarters at 1375 N Scottsdale Rd #400, Scottsdale, AZ 85257. Brian Bonfiglio is the president and CEO of Base Commerce, while John Kirchhefer serves as the company’s CAO.
Table of Contents
- Costs & Contract: Offers a one-year contract with…
- Complaints & Service: Has received fewer than…
- BBB Rating: Has an “A+” rating as Nuvei with the BBB and has received…
- Sales & Marketing: Does not appear to hire independent sales agents and has not…
Base Commerce Customer Reviews
Here's What Their Clients Say
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Total Online Complaints | <10 |
| Live Customer Support | Yes |
| Most Common Complaint | Sales Representatives |
| Recent Lawsuits | Yes |
Low Complaint Total
We are able to locate very few negative reviews about Base Commerce, which makes it unlikely that the company is a ripoff or a scam. One complaint we found describes an issue with the company’s customer service, citing difficulties with a member of the Base Commerce risk department who was allegedly rude to the client. Another complaint mentions issues with sales representatives. It is unclear how much of the company’s current customer base consists of clients and how much consists of ISOs or developers, but it appears that both groups are able to resolve their issues successfully through Base Commerce’s customer service channels. It is possible that some complaints intended for Base Commerce are mistakenly filed against the company’s ISOs or its acquiring bank, but we have found no evidence that this is actually occurring.
Base Commerce Lawsuits and Fines
In 2015, the company was one of several defendants in a class-action case regarding an illegal telemarketing scheme that scammed companies and individuals and companies out over $1 billion dollars. Lead plaintiff Rita Dos Santos alone lost $350,000 dollars as part of the scam and filed suit against TelexFree and TelexElectric, defendants whose technical infrastructure supported the scheme. Other companies, including Base Commerce, were co-defendants who were professional and financial service providers who the suit alleges were complicit in the telemarketing Ponzi scheme. Base Commerce alone is alleged to have intervened on behalf of TelexFree to perpetuate the scam, as court documents reflect:
In addition, Base Commerce and Hughes intervened in a dispute between TelexFree and GPG, another Defendant
and payment processor, in order to insure a continued cash flow to TelexFree. Base Commerce was compensated for these services in excess of two and half million dollars.
The case was settled in 2017 as the SEC fined the defendant $1.8 million dollars and ordered the payment of restitution to victims of the scam.
Base Commerce Customer Support Options
Base Commerce offers phone and email support to clients, and these channels appear to have a resolution rate that rivals the best payment processors for great customer service. Though Base Commerce has a low complaint total, we have assigned it a “C” rating in this category due to its legal history.
Base Commerce Customer Service Number
- (800) 848-5826 – Toll-Free Customer Support
Other Support Options
- Customer service email addresses:
- [email protected] – Sales
- [email protected] – Merchant Support
- [email protected] – Partner Support
Base Commerce Online Ratings
Here's How They Rate Online
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| BBB Reports | 40 |
Under 10 Complaints
Base Commerce formerly had its own profile with the BBB, but it has now been combined with Nuvei’s. Nuvei currently has an “A+” rating with the Better Business Bureau and is not accredited with the BBB. The company has received 24 complaints in the past 36 months. 7 complaints were resolved to the satisfaction of the merchant. The other 17 complaints were resolved to the dissatisfaction of the merchant or did not receive a final response.
What Customers Say
Nuvei has also received 16 informal reviews through the BBB, most of which were negative in tone. It should be noted that most of the reviews do not refer to Base Commerce. However, the most recent complaint does mention issues with a company that also sold to Nuvei:
I originally signed up with Pivotal Payments they sold to Nuvei without my knowledge or consent to get out before hand. They have been gouging me with fees to which I never agreed too. AND their PCI compliance is outrageous! I’ve been nothing but compliant answering all of their stupid questions and yet they still ***** you ***** per month for that, not including the monthly fees and their anniversary fees etc…. I never signed up for that! RUN AWAY from this fraud company as soon as you can!
Businesses would be better served with one of the processors from our list of best merchant account providers for customer service.
An “A” Performance
In light of Base Commerce’s complaint record, we agree with the BBB’s rating at this time. Readers should note, however, that there are good reasons to be skeptical of the BBB’s rating system.
Base Commerce Fees, Rates & Costs
A Closer Look at The Contract
| Item | Result | >
|---|---|
| Cancellation Penalties | No |
| Monthly & Annual Fees | Unclear |
| Processing Rates | 1.00% - 4.99% |
| Equipment Leasing | Unclear |
One-Year Contract
There isn’t a lot of specific information about Base Commerce’s pricing at this time, but the company’s standard agreement is a one-year contract that can be canceled by the client with 30 days’ notice. In addition, the Base Commerce website advertises interchange-plus pricing with no long-term contracts, monthly fees, surcharges, or cancellation fees. Base Commerce appears to customize its pricing for each individual business or development team that it serves, meaning that there are a number of potential pricing structures available through the company.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing
In addition to its storefront payment processing services, Base Commerce also dedicates a portion of its website to advertising its virtual terminal service support through its proprietary payment gateway, the Base Commerce Payment Gateway. However, pricing is not disclosed on either of those services. Additional rates and fees, including gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and additional transaction rates typically apply to these e-commerce services.
No Contract Complaints
There are no public complaints about Base Commerce’s pricing at this time, which suggests that the vast majority of the company’s clients are satisfied with their fees and contract terms. If you have any specific knowledge of the standard Base Commerce contract (including any PCI compliance fees or monthly minimum fees), please share that information in the comment section below this review. For now, we expect Base Commerce’s standard contract terms to compete with even the cheapest merchant accounts.
We also encourage readers to check out our list of the providers of the best merchant accounts.
Base Commerce Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs
Should You Work For Them?
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Uses Independent Resellers | Yes |
| Telemarketing | Possible |
| Misleading Marketing | No |
| Discloses All Important Terms | No |
Inside/Outside Sales Team
Base Commerce appears to primarily market its services via a combination of traditional advertising, independent resellers, and strategic partnerships. It is unclear at this time whether the company uses independently contracted sales agents to directly sign new clients, but it does allow ISOs to resell its products and merchant accounts. This practice can sometimes lead to increased complaints for a company, but in this case, we are unable to locate any Base Commerce complaints that mention the company’s sales team.
This compares favorably to our list of best credit card processors.
No Deceptive Quotes
As an additional point in its favor, Base Commerce advertises that it provides interchange-plus pricing to its clients. Overall, the company does not appear to engage in any sales tactics that we would consider to be deceptive. If you suspect, however, that Base Commerce is overcharging you, then you can double-check your monthly bill with a third-party statement audit.
Our Base Commerce Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts
Base Commerce rates as a reliable credit card processing provider according to all available information. The company has received very few public complaints since its creation, and its advertised contract terms are generally very competitive. Our rating for Base Commerce may be subject to change once more information becomes available about its contract terms. Readers are advised to compare the company’s products and services to those offered by top-rated merchant account providers in order to obtain the best deal.
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Tristan Lucy
Base Commerce has truly revolutionized the way we do business! Their cutting-edge payment solutions have significantly streamlined our transactions and boosted our revenue. It’s been an absolute pleasure working with their team, as they were incredibly responsive and tailored their services to meet our unique needs.
Since partnering with Base Commerce, our customers have been enjoying a seamless checkout experience, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. The platform’s user-friendly interface makes it easy for our staff to manage payments efficiently, saving us valuable time and effort.
With Base Commerce, we feel confident in the security and reliability of our payment processes, allowing us to focus on growing our business without any payment-related worries. We couldn’t be happier with the results and highly recommend Base Commerce to any business looking to take their payment systems to the next level.