Base Commerce Reviews & Complaints
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.
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.
Base Commerce Customer Reviews
Here's What Their Clients Say
Total Online Complaints | <10 |
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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
BBB Reports | 40 |
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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
Cancellation Penalties | No |
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Monthly & Annual Fees | Unclear |
Processing Rates | 1.00% - 4.99% |
Equipment Leasing | Unclear |
One-Year Contract
While detailed information on Base Commerce’s pricing is scarce, the company typically operates under a one-year contract that clients can terminate with a 30-day notice. Base Commerce’s website promotes interchange-plus pricing and emphasizes the absence of long-term contracts, monthly fees, surcharges, or cancellation fees. They seem to offer customized pricing solutions, tailoring their rates to suit the unique needs of each business or development team, which implies a range of potential pricing structures.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing
Base Commerce also highlights its virtual terminal service and proprietary payment gateway, the Base Commerce Payment Gateway, as part of its offerings. Specific pricing details for these services are not provided on the website. Generally, additional charges such as gateway fees, technical support, batch fees, and other transaction rates are expected for e-commerce services.
No Contract Complaints
The lack of public complaints concerning Base Commerce’s pricing suggests that most clients are content with the fees and contract terms they receive. For individuals with insight into Base Commerce’s standard contract terms, including any PCI compliance fees or monthly minimum fees, sharing in the comment section below this review would be helpful. Based on the available information, Base Commerce’s contracts are anticipated to be competitive with cost-effective merchant accounts.
We recommend our readers explore our selection of the best merchant accounts for more options.
Base Commerce Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs
Should You Work For Them?
Uses Independent Resellers | Yes |
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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.