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If you are seeking a CBD merchant processor or merchant services provider. You will be best served by reading our “Best CBD Merchant Services” article.
CBD Merchant Solutions (cbdoilmerchantaccount.com) is a merchant account provider that focuses primarily on CBD and hemp payment processing. The company is a reseller of T1 Payments. CBD Merchant Solutions claims to be part of Transaction Network Services (tnsi.com), a multinational finance and telecom provider, but its website also directs new agents to an Austin-based company called Advantage Bankcard Systems (merchantisoagent.com). Advantage Bankcard Systems blatantly mimics the branding of National Bankcard Systems, which may indicate a connection between the companies or simply be derivative marketing. Advantage Bankcard Systems and National Bankcard Systems appear to share current or prior ownership with a company called General Payments. It is possible that all of these companies are simply DBAs of the same organization marketing under different brands.
CBD Merchant Solutions claims to have been founded in 1990. It does not list its acquiring bank or its location, but General Payments is headquartered at 401 Congress Ave #1540, Austin, Texas 78701. Penny Baker is the former founder and CEO of National Bankcard Systems and the current principal of General Payments.
Item | Result |
---|---|
Total Online Complaints | <10 |
Live Customer Support | Yes |
Most Common Complaint | N/A |
We are currently unable to locate any CBD Merchant Solutions complaints, and there is no evidence to suggest that the company is a ripoff or a scam. The company appears to have only been operational since 2018, so this low complaint total may be due to its short time in business. The company’s clean complaint record is a good sign for any company in the high risk space, as these types of processors typically rack up complaints about fund holds or cancelled accounts.
We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against CBD Merchant Solutions. Dissatisfied merchants who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.
CBD Merchant Solutions lists a customer support phone number on its website, but it does not list a support email address. This falls short of our expectation of top-rated payment processors for great customer service. It is therefore possible that CBD Merchant Solutions will receive negative merchant feedback in the future, but at this time, the company has earned an “A” in this category.
The Better Business Bureau does not maintain a profile for CBD Merchant Solutions at this time. We therefore will not factor a BBB rating into this review. General Payments has an “A+” BBB rating and has not received any complaints in the past three years.
Item | Result | >
---|---|
Visa/MC/Discover Rate | 5.50% + $0.35 |
Amex Rate | 5.95% + $0.35 |
Monthly Gateway Fee | $20 |
Gateway Transaction Fee | $0.20 |
Monthly Maintenance Fee | $49.95 |
Monthly Monitoring Fee | $100 |
Annual Maintenance Fee | $100 |
Early Termination Fee | Liquidated Damages |
The standard CBD Merchant Solutions contract (available below) is a one-year agreement through T1 Payments with automatic renewal for a one-year term, a liquidated damages-style early termination fee, a 5.50% plus $0.35 per-transaction rate (5.95% plus $0.35 for Amex), a $49.95 monthly maintenance fee, a $35 chargeback fee, a $100 “Super Persistent G2 Monthly Monitoring” fee, a $100 annual maintenance fee, a $20 monthly gateway fee, a $0.20 gateway transaction fee, and a rolling reserve of 10%. We cannot find any complaints about CBD Merchant Solutions’ contract terms, which suggests that most of its users are satisfied.
CBD Merchant Solutions’ pricing is not competitive with the cheapest merchant accounts, but it is similar to that offered by other CBD payment processors. For now, the company will receive a “B” rating due to its potentially high cancellation fee. See the CBD Merchant Solutions Application.
Item | Result |
---|---|
Employs Independent Resellers | Yes |
Advertises Deceptive Rates | No |
Discloses All Important Terms | No |
CBD Merchant Solutions appears to market itself primarily through web advertising and independent sales agents. Independent sales agents are typically linked to elevated complaint rates, but we have seen no CBD Merchant Solutions complaints that mention deceptive sales conduct or misleading rate quotes. It is currently difficult for many CBD vendors to locate a reliable or affordable credit card processing option, so it’s likely that the company’s search-friendly name generates a large amount of its traffic.
The CBD Merchant Solutions website advertises domestic CBD merchant accounts with no mandatory cash reserve, a month-to-month contract, and no early termination fees. It also claims to process payments for CBD oil, CBD lotions, hemp oils, and hemp shampoos. However, its contractual documentation actively contradicts some of these claims (see the Costs & Contract section for more information). Merchants should be sure to scrutinize any contract they are asked to sign.
Although there is nothing to suggest that CBD Merchant Solutions engages in deceptive marketing, there is also very little publicly available information about the company. Its website does not disclose its address, the names of its leadership team, or the banks it is partnered with. These might be conscious choices designed to protect the company from any regulatory interference, but it could be hard for some merchants to place their trust in a company that is this opaque. For now, we don’t see any reason to warn merchants against CBD Merchant Solutions. However, if you believe that the company has misrepresented itself to you, you can double-check your monthly bill with a third-party statement audit.
CBD Merchant Solutions rates as a solid credit card processing option for CBD merchants at this time. The company strongly promotes its ability to serve hemp and CBD vendors, which suggests that it has reliable banking partnerships for handling these types of transactions. Our rating will be subject to change as we receive more feedback about this company.
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Kayden Tracy
CBD Merchant Solutions has been an absolute game-changer for my business! Their top-notch services and seamless payment solutions have significantly improved my overall customer experience. With their secure and reliable payment gateway, I now have peace of mind knowing that my transactions are in safe hands.
Setting up an account was a breeze, and their customer support team was super helpful throughout the process. I was pleasantly surprised by how fast and efficient their onboarding was, and they were always available to answer any questions I had.
Since partnering with CBD Merchant Solutions, my sales have soared, and my customers have expressed their satisfaction with the hassle-free payment options. I couldn’t be happier with the results, and I highly recommend CBD Merchant Solutions to any business looking to elevate their payment processing game. Thank you, CBD Merchant Solutions!