Benchmark Merchant Solutions 2023: Reviews & Complaints

Name: Benchmark Merchant Solutions
Item: Benchmark Merchant Solutions
Rating: 4
Author: Phillip Parker

By Phillip Parker

Last Updated: May 4, 2023

3 User Comments

Benchmark Merchant Solutions Rating

4/5

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1 (877) 382-6262 View Pricing

Company Overview

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 Payment Processing

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 POS: Seamless Payment Experience

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.

Mobile Payment Processing with Benchmark

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.

Benchmark’s E-commerce Payment Solutions

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.

Customizing with Benchmark’s Payment Gateway Integrations

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.

Location & Ownership

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.

Costs & Contract: Offers a three-year contract through EVO Payments International with…
Complaints & Service: Complaints number fewer than 10 on…
BBB Rating: Has an “A+” rating with the Better Business Bureau and has received…
Sales & Marketing: Appears to hire independent sales agents and has received…

Benchmark Merchant Solutions Customer Reviews

Here's What Their Clients Say

Key Points
Total Online Complaints	<10
Live Customer Support	Yes
Most Common Complaint	N/A
Recent Lawsuits	No

Low Complaint Volume

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.

Benchmark Merchant Solutions Lawsuits and Fines

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.

Benchmark Merchant Solutions Customer Support Options

The company provides a phone number and contact form on its website, but it is unclear whether these channels connect directly to customer support.

Benchmark Merchant Solutions Customer Service Number

(877) 382-6262 – Toll-Free 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.

Benchmark Merchant Solutions Online Ratings

Here's How They Rate Online

Online Ratings Summary
BBB Reports	0

Under 5 Complaints

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.

What Merchants Say

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.

An “A” Performance

In light of the company’s clean complaint record, we agree with the BBB’s rating at this time.

Benchmark Merchant Solutions Fees, Rates & Costs

A Closer Look at The Contract

Key Points
Cancellation Penalties	Yes
Monthly & Annual Fees	Yes
Processing Rates	2.20% - 4.99%
Equipment Leasing	Yes

Three-Year Agreement

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.

Industry-Standard Terms

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.

Benchmark Merchant Solutions Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs

Should You Work For Them?

Key Points
Uses Independent Resellers	Yes
Telemarketing	Yes
Misleading Marketing	No
Discloses All Important Terms	No

Third-Party Resellers

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.

Sales Complaints

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.

No Deceptive Marketing

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.

Our Benchmark Merchant Solutions Review Summary

Our Final Thoughts

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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About The Author

Phillip Parker

Phillip Parker is an independent card payment expert specializing U.S. and Canadian point-of-sale, e-commerce, and mobile payment acceptance. He has nearly two decades of experience in credit card processing as a journalist and consultant. Phillip is the creator of this website and has written over 1,500 articles covering numerous payment acceptance topics. He has also published critical reviews about most merchant services providers currently in operation.

Expert Guidance

Phillip has consulted businesses of all sizes from mom-and-pop shops processing $10K per month to enterprise level organizations processing in excess of $300MM annually. His specialties include:

– Merchant Account Statement Auditing
– Rate & Fee Negotiation
– Processor & POS Selection
– Software Integrations
– Risk Assessment
– Fraud Prevention
– General Processing Advice

Schedule a Consultation Here

Phillip’s Top Picks

Phillip has researched and reviewed over 1,000 merchant services providers over the last 15 years. He also owns multiple businesses that accept credit card payments. If you are looking for an ethical credit card processor that doesn’t hide fees or lock you into expensive contracts, see Phillip’s merchant account picks here.

In The Media

In addition his contributions on CPO, Phillip has also been quoted in several major publications such as The Los Angeles Times, INC Magazine, Miami Herald, Computer World, and numerous others. If you would like to interview Phillip for your story or podcast, please reach out here.

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Your Comments & Reviews

How Did Benchmark Merchant Solutions Treat You?

3 Responses

Yakov

August 23, 2018

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

July 11, 2018

Horrible customer service.
Hidden contract charges at over a $100 per month.

From The Editor
This Post Might Help: Let Us Eliminate Fees From Your Contract For You

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Igor G Polishchuk

October 1, 2018

Everything was taken care of and services were finalized successfully. Thank you!

Reply

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