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Based in Amherst, New York, Benchmark Merchant Solutions is a merchant account provider that offers startup business solutions and payment processing for businesses of all sizes as well as non-profit organizations. Benchmark Merchant Solutions does not list its founding year on its website, but the Better Business Bureau states that the company began operating in 2008. Benchmark is a reseller of EVO Payments International.
Benchmark Merchant Solutions processes all major debit and credit cards for most business types. Their services include EMV card readers and swipers, POS solutions, e-commerce solutions, mobile solutions, and non-profit fundraising solutions.
Benchmark Merchant Solutions offers a comprehensive POS system that accepts a variety of payment methods, including credit and debit cards. Their system is designed to be user-friendly and efficient, reducing transaction times and offering a seamless payment experience for customers. With its capacity to integrate with existing systems, businesses can easily incorporate Benchmark’s POS into their operations.
For businesses that operate in varied locations, Benchmark provides a mobile payment processing solution. This service allows businesses to accept credit card payments through a mobile device, making it a fitting choice for food trucks, pop-up stores, or any business model that requires mobility. Benchmark’s mobile processing service is compatible with many smartphones and tablets, ensuring a wide range of accessibility.
To cater to online businesses, Benchmark Merchant Solutions provides a robust e-commerce payment gateway. This online payment processing service allows businesses to accept credit card payments from customers around the world securely.
Benchmark Merchant Solutions stands out with its capacity to integrate with a wide range of payment gateways. This flexibility allows businesses to customize their payment processing system to match their specific needs.
Benchmark Merchant Solutions is a registered ISO/MSP of Deutsche Bank AG, New York, New York, and the company is headquartered at 4053 Maple Rd Ste. 199, Amherst, NY. Schneur Kamensky is listed as Director of Operations at Benchmark Merchant Solutions and Daniel Gellman is listed as owner.
Key Points |
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Total Online Complaints | <10 |
Live Customer Support | Yes |
Most Common Complaint | N/A |
Recent Lawsuits | No |
We have located approximately 5 negative Benchmark Merchant Solutions reviews, some of which accuse the company of being a ripoff or a scam. As noted above, most of these Benchmark Merchant Solutions complaints were filed in relation to a merchant cash advance promotion launched by one of the company’s ISOs a few years ago. The company has since taken steps to eliminate this promotion and to release any targeted merchants from their contracts. The other available complaints cite account deposit delays and early termination fees as the main issues. If you have your own Benchmark Merchant Solutions review to make, please do so in the comments below.
We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against Benchmark Merchant Services. Dissatisfied clients who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.
The company provides a phone number and contact form on its website, but it is unclear whether these channels connect directly to customer support.
The available evidence does not suggest that Benchmark Merchant Solutions should qualify as a top-rated payment processor for customer service at this time.
Online Ratings Summary |
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BBB Reports | 0 |
Benchmark Merchant Solutions currently has an “A+” rating with the Better Business Bureau and is not BBB accredited at this time. The company has received 0 complaints in the past 36 months.
Benchmark Merchant Solutions has no informal reviews in the last 3 years. One former review cited difficulty canceling the merchant account:
Hidden charges totaling almost $100 per month. Impossible to cancel contract. Asked for a copy of the contract took over a month to email over and charged another $98.24 for the month of June. Called back and still account is open and will not cancel. Manager is never available. Horrible and rude comments on the phone.
Clients who find themselves in this situation are advised to take steps to cancel their merchant account without paying a fee.
In light of the company’s clean complaint record, we agree with the BBB’s rating at this time.
Key Points |
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Cancellation Penalties | Yes |
Monthly & Annual Fees | Yes |
Processing Rates | 2.20% - 4.99% |
Equipment Leasing | Yes |
According to the terms and conditions that were only recently removed from the company’s website, Benchmark Merchant Solutions offers a three-year contract with automatic renewal for one-year terms, an early termination fee of $495, and various monthly costs. The available client complaints about the company’s pricing corroborate this document.
As a reseller of EVO Payments International, it is likely that Benchmark Merchant Solutions’ terms and conditions resemble those of EVO. A standard EVO Payment International contract includes a PCI compliance fee of $120 per year. Additionally, the company includes long-term non-cancellable equipment leases in their merchant agreements which result in fees that exceed the cost of purchasing a credit card terminal. We encourage business owners to check out our list of the providers of the best merchant services.
The Benchmark contract is fairly standard for the industry, but the low number of complaints related to BMS’s pricing suggests that most of the company’s users are fine with it. We have therefore assigned the company a “B” rating in this category until more information is available, but businesses should still compare the company’s rates to those of cheap merchant account providers. If you have any specific knowledge of the standard Benchmark Merchant Solutions agreement please share that information in the comment section below this review.
Key Points |
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Uses Independent Resellers | Yes |
Telemarketing | Yes |
Misleading Marketing | No |
Discloses All Important Terms | No |
Benchmark Merchant Solutions appears to primarily market its services via independent sales offices and traditional advertising. The use of independent resellers is commonly linked to elevated complaint rates in the credit card processing industry, and we have located a handful of Benchmark Merchant Solutions reviews that accuse the company of misrepresentation or nondisclosure of terms.
This does not compare favorably to our list of best credit card processors.
At least one Benchmark Merchant Solutions complaint stems from undesired telemarketing from the company, but many older complaints almost exclusively appear to be related to a merchant cash advance promotion conducted by one of the company’s ISOs in 2012 and 2013. Clients specifically complain of being promised large cash advances in exchange for opening merchant accounts but never receiving the cash advances. The company has since taken steps to correct the issue, but it appears that these Benchmark Merchant Solutions complaints were a direct product of its sales infrastructure. We have therefore lowered the company’s score slightly in this category.
To its credit, BMS does not appear to advertise any misleading rate quotes or unrealistic guarantees in its official materials. If you suspect that you have had undisclosed Benchmark Merchant Solutions fees added to your Benchmark Merchant Solutions contract, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to eliminate hidden charges.
Benchmark Merchant Solutions rates as a solid credit card processing provider according to all available information. Most complaints filed against the company seem to be related to an outdated issue, and its overall complaint rate is low, but its industry-average contract terms prevent it from equaling the value offered by a top-rated payment processor. Our rating for Benchmark may be subject to change once more is known about its contract terms.
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Yakov
I signed up with bms the agent brings me a credit card machine we swiped a a card and showed error so we swiped again and the same error. And the next day calls me the customer that we charged him twice . So we stopped using the machine waiting for a new or repair we never got (waiting a year).
After a year we decided to sand back the machine and cancel the subscription they charged us over $500 to cancel after every month fee $27 when we didn’t use the there services
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Igor G Polishchuk
Horrible customer service.
Hidden contract charges at over a $100 per month.
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Igor G Polishchuk
Everything was taken care of and services were finalized successfully. Thank you!