Merchant Services Reviews

BaseRates Merchant Services Review: Fees, Complaints & Lawsuits

Updated:
Maintained Since: September 22, 2014
▼ 1 User Reviews
Base Rates Merchant Services Logo
Overall Score
5
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How did they treat you?

Note: The BaseRates Merchant Services website has been down for over a year, so we assume the company is out of business and will no longer be updating this profile. If you have information that the company is still in business, please let us know in the comments below.

Wholesale Processing Rates

Founded in 2014, BaseRates Merchant Services is a merchant account provider that seeks to distinguish itself with its unique credit card processing pricing plan. Like Fattmerchant or Payment Depot, BaseRates advertises that it passes the wholesale interchange costs on to its merchants with no additional per-transaction markup. In place of a per-transaction fee, BaseRates merchants only pay a flat monthly fee to process cards, which is very uncommon within the industry.

Headquartered in California

BaseRates Merchant Services is a registered ISO/MSP of Elavon and is headquartered at 3579 E. Foothill Blvd, Ste #277, Pasadena, California 91107.

BaseRates Review Table of Contents

  • Costs & Contract: BaseRates Merchant Services appears to offer a month-to-month contract with 3 tiers of monthly fees and no termination fees.
  • Complaints & Service: BaseRates Merchant Services has received fewer than 10 public complaints.
  • BBB Rating: BaseRates Merchant Services does not have a profile with the Better Business Bureau.
  • Sales & Marketing: BaseRates Merchant Services does not appear to hire independent sales agents and not received any complaints about its sales practices.

BaseRates Customer Reviews

Here's What Their Clients Say

Customer Reviews Summary
Total Online Complaints <10
Live Customer Support Yes
Most Common Complaint N/A

Low Complaint Total

We have found only two negative BaseRates Merchant Services reviews on the usual consumer protection websites, so it is unlikely that the company is a scam or a ripoff. These complaints are contained in the Reddit thread linked above and mention higher-than-expected rates, poor communication by sales agents, and poor customer support.

BaseRates Merchant Services Lawsuits and Fines

We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against BaseRates Merchant Services. Dissatisfied merchants who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.

BaseRates Merchant Services Customer Service Options

BaseRates advertises 24/7/365 phone support (which is probably serviced through Elavon), so merchants should be able to reach a live representative at any time. We have therefore assigned it an “A” in this section, but we do not consider it a top credit card processor for customer service. If you have had any experience with the company’s customer support channels, please describe your experience in the comment section below.

BaseRates Online Ratings

Here's How They Rate Online

No Profile with the BBB

The Better Business Bureau does not currently maintain a profile for BaseRates Merchant Services. We will therefore not factor a BBB rating into our overall grade for the company.

BaseRates Fees, Rates & Costs

A Closer Look at The Contract

Rates & Fees Summary
Swiped Rate Interchange Plus $0.05
Keyed-in Rate Interchange Plus $0.05
Virtual Terminal Rate Interchange Plus $0.05
Payment Gateway Fee None
Low Volume Plan Fee $35 Per Month
Medium Volume Plan Fee $49 Per Month
High Volume Plan Fee $59 Per Month
Early Termination Fee $0
PCI Compliance Fee $0

Interchange Rates on a Month-to-Month Contract

BaseRates has a unique pricing model that, if advertised accurately, could be the cheapest processing option available for many merchants. Instead of earning its revenues with a per-transaction markup under either an interchange-plus plan or a tiered pricing plan, BaseRates charges merchants a simple $0.05 fee per transaction plus a fixed monthly fee and then passes along interchange costs as they’ve been set by the card networks. In other words, a merchant’s only costs through BaseRates will be a fixed monthly fee.

Merchants processing under $10,000 in sales per month are charged a monthly fee of $35. Merchants processing under $25,000 per month are charged $49. While high volume merchants whose monthly transactions exceed $25,000 are charged a fee of $59. BaseRates also advertises that it offers month-to-month contracts with no PCI compliance fee or early termination fee, and the company also appears to either sell or lease equipment.

Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing

In addition to its storefront payment processing services, BaseRates Merchant Services also mentions that its same plans and pricing structure are available to e-commerce merchants.

A Lone Contract Complaint

On the surface, everything about the pricing through BaseRates indicates that the company is a great deal for most merchants. However, merchants are cautioned to read all documentation carefully and to inquire as to whether any additional parties may impose fees. We have found only one BaseRates complaint that describes unexpectedly high rates through the company, but the merchant, in this case, seems to have received an effective rate of around 3%. That’s not a remarkably high effective rate, so it’s possible that the merchant just didn’t understand how interchange rates work. Even though the company seems to offer competitive pricing, merchants are still advised to ensure that they fully understand their agreements before signing.

We also encourage merchants to check out our list of the providers of the best merchant services.

BaseRates Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs

Should You Work For Them?

Jobs & Marketing Summary
Employs Independent Resellers No
Advertises Deceptive Rates No
Discloses All Important Terms Yes

No Widespread Sales Issues

BaseRates does not appear to employ an outside sales team or engage in telemarketing practices, meaning that it likely advertises through its website and online listings. There are no BaseRates Merchant Services complaints that describe misrepresentation or nondisclosure by the company’s sales reps, so it seems that the company generally enforces transparency throughout its sales force.

This compares favorably to our list of best credit card processors.

No Misleading Rate Quotes

As an additional point in its favor, the BaseRates Merchant Services website does not appear to list any deceptive rate quotes or misinformation. The company clearly lists all of its pricing information on a dedicated page of its website. If you suspect that you have had undisclosed fees added to your BaseRates Merchant Services contract, however, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to eliminate hidden charges.

Our BaseRates Review Summary

Our Final Thoughts

A Unique Approach Appropriate For Some Merchants

BaseRates Merchant Services rates as a reliable merchant services provider according to all available information. However, the company is still relatively new and utilizes an unconventional pricing plan that may not be a perfect fit for all merchants. Some may prefer to work with a top-rated payment processor that features a more standard pricing structure. Merchants are advised to carefully read all documentation and ensure that they understand all rates and fees. As a final note, merchants should be aware that the company’s name could easily be miswritten as “Base Rates Merchant Services.”

Testimonials & Complaints

How Did BaseRates Treat You?

1 User Reviews

  • Dawson Gertrude

    BaseRates has been an absolute game-changer for our business! We were struggling to keep up with the constantly shifting market rates, but since we started using BaseRates, it’s been smooth sailing all the way. The platform’s user-friendly interface makes it a breeze to access up-to-date rates, allowing us to make informed decisions without any hassle. The accuracy and reliability of the data are unparalleled, giving us the confidence to optimize our pricing strategies effectively.

    Furthermore, their customer support is top-notch! Whenever we had a question or needed assistance, their team was prompt and knowledgeable, ensuring we never experienced any downtime. BaseRates has truly simplified our rate management process, and we can’t imagine running our business without it. Highly recommend it to any company looking to stay ahead in the competitive market. Kudos to the BaseRates team!

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