Coastal Pay Reviews & Complaints

logo for coastal pay
Overall Score
2
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Would you recommend them?

Pros: Cons:
No cancellation fees High equipment lease risk
Virtual terminal availability Potential for undisclosed terms
Transparent rate quotes Aggressive sales tactics

Overview

In this review of Coastal Pay, we’ll provide an in-depth analysis of their services and reputation. We’ll cover their payment processing options, including POS systems, mobile payments, virtual terminals, and e-commerce solutions, highlighting both advantages and potential drawbacks such as the lack of cancellation fees and risks associated with equipment leasing.

We’ll also examine the company’s complex relationships and the conduct of its president, Travis Chrisman, and how these factors impact their reputation. Customer and industry reviews will be discussed, focusing on service quality complaints and how these have evolved over time.

Furthermore, we’ll look into how Coastal Pay handles legal and customer complaints, including their unique strategy of using a legal firm for responses. We’ll also explore employee experiences and sales tactics, shedding light on the company’s internal culture and marketing approach.

Our review concludes with a balanced summary of Coastal Pay, considering their recent improvements against a history of controversial practices and customer service issues, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the company’s current standing in the industry.

About Coastal Pay

Founded in 2013, Coastal Pay is a merchant account provider that serves standard and high-risk business types throughout the U.S. The company resells the products and services of First Data (now Fiserv) and Elavon.

Screen Capture of Coastal Pay Homepage
Coastal Pay Homepage

Coastal Pay Products and Services

Payment Processing

Coastal Pay provides payment processing services for major debit and credit card payments across various business types. They offer POS, mobile, and countertop terminal solutions utilizing equipment from the Poynt family. Additionally, Coastal Pay provides check processing, analytics, loans, marketing solutions, API integration, anti-fraud tools, and e-commerce payment solutions.

POS Systems

Coastal Pay offers several point-of-sale (POS) systems, including countertop, wireless, and mobile options. These systems are designed for ease of use and efficiency, featuring inventory management, employee management, and sales reporting capabilities.

Mobile Payments

Coastal Pay provides mobile payment solutions that enable businesses to accept payments via smartphones or tablets. These solutions are designed to be user-friendly, offering secure payment processing and real-time reporting.

Virtual Terminals

Coastal Pay offers virtual terminal solutions for processing payments online or over the phone. These terminals are designed with security and user-friendliness in mind, featuring options for recurring billing, fraud prevention, and customizable payment pages.

E-Commerce Solutions

Coastal Pay provides e-commerce solutions to facilitate online sales of products and services. Their solutions include customizable shopping carts, secure payment processing, and real-time reporting, all designed to be secure and user-friendly.

Unprofessional CEO Conduct and Behavior

Travis Chrisman has repeatedly emailed us using unprofessional language and tone stating that Green Hygienics is unrelated to Coastal Pay, going as far as calling this reviewer a “liar.” However, he lists himself as a Board Member of Green Hygienics, CEO of Coastal Labs, and President of Coastal Pay in Travis Chrisman’s own LinkedIn profile. We consider shared leadership and ownership across companies a relevant topic for our readers.

Coastal Pay payment processing
Coastal Pay offers standard payment processing services

Coastal Pay Customer Reviews

Customer Reviews Summary
Total Online Complaints 80+
Live Customer Support Yes
Common Complaint Service Quality
Recent Lawsuits No

Evaluating Coastal Pay’s Customer Feedback Trend

Our ongoing analysis has identified around 100 negative Coastal Pay reviews across several platforms since its inception in 2013. These reviews frequently highlight concerns over undisclosed fees, aggressive sales tactics, challenging lease terms, and issues with service quality. Notably, customers have voiced frustrations with telemarketing, misrepresentation of contract details, high termination fees, service cancellation obstacles, and difficulties in contacting customer support.

Interestingly, the volume of negative feedback has seen a significant reduction since 2019, potentially due to pivotal policy adjustments related to early termination fees and the dissolution of Northern Leasing Systems. This development appears to have alleviated some of the financial strains from burdensome lease agreements for many Coastal Pay clients. We invite individuals with insights or experiences with Coastal Pay to contribute their reviews in the comments section below.

Legal Challenges and Coastal Pay

To date, there are no active class-action lawsuits or Federal Trade Commission complaints against Coastal Pay. The company’s previous association with Northern Leasing Systems, which was legally contested and ultimately ceased operations following action by the New York Attorney General, is noteworthy. Clients seeking to address grievances without litigation are encouraged to report their experiences to appropriate supervisory bodies.

Coastal Pay’s Approach to Complaint Resolution

A unique aspect of Coastal Pay’s client interaction strategy involves utilizing an independent legal firm to address complaints filed through the Better Business Bureau (BBB). This unconventional method contrasts with typical industry practices and may serve more to discourage complaints than to offer constructive resolutions. Feedback regarding this approach and its effectiveness from a client perspective remains mixed.

Coastal Pay’s Commitment to Customer Support

Despite claims of offering round-the-clock technical support and a 24-hour response window for written inquiries, historical feedback suggests potential inconsistencies in Coastal Pay’s customer service responsiveness. Recent comments, however, indicate improvements in support quality over the last few years. Your experiences with Coastal Pay’s customer service can provide valuable insights, so please share them in the comments below.

Coastal Pay Customer Satisfaction Ratings

Online Ratings Summary
BBB Rating 5
Average Rating 5

BBB Rating Analysis

Coastal Pay has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and is accredited since April 5, 2019. The company has been in business for 10 years. On the BBB website, Coastal Pay has an average customer review rating of 5 stars based on 3 customer reviews. There are no customer complaints filed against the business.

Negative Feedback

There are no negative reviews available about Coastal Pay on the BBB website.

Positive Feedback

Coastal Pay is awesome! We moved our online business over from Stripe and they were able to get us a better rate so we are saving thousands every month! I would highly recommend Coastal Pay to anyone in need of a payment processor for online or in store.
– Review from April 21, 2023

Source: BBB

Coastal Pay Fees, Rates & Contract

Rates & Fees Summary
Cancellation Penalties Yes
Monthly & Annual Fees Yes
Processing Ratres 2.5% + $0.15
Equipment Leasing Likely

Coastal Pay Contract Terms

Coastal Pay has informed us of a recent update: they no longer charge cancellation fees. Previously, based on numerous client complaints and information from the company’s previous website, the standard Coastal Pay contract entailed a three-year agreement with First Data (Fiserv) with a $495 early termination fee and a separate four-year equipment lease through either Northern Leasing or First Data Global Leasing.

The company advertises a flat processing rate of 2.5% and 15 cents per transaction on its website, but it’s unclear whether this rate applies universally or varies by transaction type or business. A merchant application we obtained lacked filled-in fields, leaving uncertainty regarding potential rate changes. Notably, the application listed additional fees including a $25 monthly minimum fee, a $5 monthly PCI Compliance fee, and a $10 monthly fee, categorized as “junk fees” based on industry standards.

Beware Equipment Leases

Coastal Pay has not clarified whether it still offers equipment leases. Previously, it partnered with Northern Leasing and First Data Global Leasing, notorious for long-term, non-cancellable agreements that resulted in substantial costs for equipment that could have been purchased inexpensively. Notably, the New York state Attorney General shut down Northern Leasing Systems due to predatory practices.

Numerous client complaints regarding equipment leases through Coastal Pay allege undisclosed or misrepresented terms by sales agents. As Coastal Pay did not directly provide or manage these leases, businesses seeking to cancel had to go through the third-party leasing provider.

Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway

Besides its in-store payment processing, Coastal Pay also promotes its virtual terminal and payment gateway services, advertised at the same flat processing rate of 2.5% and 15 cents per transaction.

Adjusting Course

Previously, numerous complaints from business owners about being locked into long-term contracts with hefty termination fees led us to downgrade Coastal Pay’s rating. However, recent policy changes appear more customer-friendly. Nonetheless, past issues remain part of Coastal Pay’s history, underscoring the importance of reviews in prompting such changes. We’ll continue monitoring and updating our rating based on Coastal Pay’s ongoing conduct.

Coastal Pay offers e-commerce solutions including access to virtual terminals

Coastal Pay Employee Reviews & Sales Practices

Jobs & Marketing Summary
Uses Independent Resellers Yes
Misleading Marketing No
Telemarketing Yes
Discloses All Important Terms Yes

Declining Sales Complaints

Coastal Pay appears to utilize a combination of independent sales agents and telephone appointment setters to market its services. This strategy is commonly linked to elevated complaint rates in the credit card processing industry. We have located over 30 Coastal Pay complaints that mention the company’s sales team since we began monitoring Coastal Pay’s customer complaints, but the rate of complaints has been declining since 2019. Business owners had reported persistent, irritating telephone calls, nondisclosure of contract terms (specifically the details of equipment leases), and false verbal promises from sales agents. A few businesses also describe conduct that sounds very similar to “slamming,” in which the company’s telesales representatives claim to be from “merchant services” and avoid stating the name of the company they represent. A company representative has stated that Coastal Pay’s marketing team makes approximately 150,000 sales calls per month.

Company Responses

As noted above, Coastal Pay’s most common response to these complaints had been to hold each client accountable for the terms of his or her contract, even when the client claims that an agent made verbal misrepresentations. For instance, we found some complaints stating that Coastal Pay agents promised to pay the cost of the business’ early termination fees with their previous processors if they switched to Coastal Pay. However, language on the company’s website stated the following: “Merchant and the guarantor who signed page one of the MUA (“Merchant”) understand that it is solely the Merchant’s responsibility to cancel all prior services and equipment contracts and accepts responsibility for any termination or cancellation fees and agrees to hold harmless CP of any obligation related to prior processing and equipment lease contracts, unless otherwise agreed to in writing.” In other words, business owners should disregard any promise made by a Coastal Pay agent that contradicts the exact language of the company’s full contract. The front page of the Coastal Pay merchant agreement (seen here) includes a line requesting the amount of the client’s ETF from their current processor, but it does not include any language that guarantees that this fee will be paid. A company representative has stated that Coastal Pay does pay merchants’ ETFs.

Travis Chrisman of Coastal Pay has contacted us stating that the company ceased enforcing ETFs in 2017 and no longer includes them in their current merchant account terms and conditions.

Employees Weigh In

One positive review of Coastal Pay from a former sales employee mentions that the company’s sales agents “mainly go off of the Straight Line Persuasion System by Jordan Belfort.” It’s worth noting that Jordan Belfort is the subject of Martin Scorsese’s 2013 film The Wolf of Wall Street. Another employee review states “No leads or appointments with clients that really need your service. They are always already committed to a contract. Most times the client doesn’t want to see you and they are pissed off that your there, because the rep that called and set up the appointment on you behalf. badgered them into taking the appointment. I had one client threaten to shoot me when I walked in the door, because the appointment setter brow beat him into the appointment.” A company representative has disputed the accuracy of both reports.

No Misleading Rate Quotes

As a small point in the company’s favor, we are unable to find any misleading rate quotes or unrealistic guarantees on the Coastal Pay website. If fact, we were unable to find very little information regarding rates and fees, aside from a promoted flat rate of 2.5% +$0.15 per transaction. The sheer volume and consistency of complaints regarding the company’s sales force have lowered Coastal Pay’s score overall score in this review. If you have had any experience with Coastal Pay sales representatives, we encourage you to tell us about it in the comment section below.

Coastal Pay Review Summary

Coastal Pay is evaluated as a substandard credit card processing provider. The company’s history is marred by questionable business practices and consistent reports of inadequate customer service, which has contributed to its low rating. Although it seems Coastal Pay has made attempts to revise its policies and reduce customer complaints, we believe these changes might have been externally imposed rather than driven by an internal commitment to ethical improvement.

Coastal Pay’s rating has been further lowered due to Travis Chrisman’s unprofessional conduct directed at this website. Businesses should carefully consider the available information and compare Coastal Pay’s services against top-rated payment processors to secure a partnership that aligns with their operational needs.

Contact Coastal Pay

Contact & Customer Support
CEO Kavan Thanasith
President Co-founder Travis Chrisman
Toll-Free General Customer Service (888) 266-1715
Additional Support Form Online Contact Form
Website https://www.coastalpay.com/

Top Performing Coastal Pay Competitors

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Reader Comments, Testimonials & Complaints

18 User Reviews

  • Zac

    I’ve been in the payment processing industry for over a decade, working as both an agent and a merchant, and I can confidently say that Coastal Payments is hands down the best company I’ve ever worked with. From the very beginning, they’ve gone above and beyond in every aspect, setting a new standard for excellence in the industry.

    **Unmatched Support and Care for Agents**

    As an agent, the support and care I’ve received from Coastal Payments are unparalleled. They treat their agents with the utmost respect and provide an environment that fosters success and growth. Their commitment to agent satisfaction is evident in every interaction, ensuring that we have the tools, resources, and support needed to thrive. I’ve never felt more valued or appreciated by any other ISO.

    **Superior Client Retention and Referrals**

    One of the most remarkable aspects of working with Coastal Payments is the incredible client retention I’ve experienced. My business owners not only stay with me, but they also actively refer new clients. This level of loyalty and satisfaction is a direct result of the exceptional service Coastal Payments provides. They truly understand the importance of nurturing client relationships and go the extra mile to ensure that every merchant feels valued and supported.

    **Exceptional Service for Merchants**

    As a merchant, Coastal Payments has exceeded all my expectations. Their dedication to providing top-notch service is evident in everything they do. From seamless transaction processing to proactive issue resolution, they consistently deliver a superior experience. Their innovative solutions and commitment to security give me the peace of mind I need to focus on growing my business.

    **Above and Beyond in Every Way**

    Coastal Payments isn’t just another payment processing company; they are a partner invested in your success. Their team is responsive, knowledgeable, and always willing to go the extra mile. Whether it’s customizing solutions to fit specific needs or providing timely support, they consistently demonstrate their dedication to excellence.

    In my 10 years in the industry, I’ve never worked with a company as outstanding as Coastal Payments. Their exceptional service, unwavering support, and commitment to both agents and merchants make them the best ISO out there. If you’re looking for a payment processing partner that truly cares about your success, look no further than Coastal Payments. They are, without a doubt, the gold standard in the industry.

  • Steve

    I am surprised to see so many bad reviews. I’m guessing it’s from people who don’t read their contracts. They have hired new staff, Vanessa is very nice to work with and I never have an issue with reaching them.

  • Julie H

    Not Reputable!! Also unable to contact to cancel contract after 2 requests. Mailed cancellation notices to Impala Drive in Carlsbad. One was ignored and the other was returned saying their “forward time expired return to sender”. The forwarding address is two four one Camino Del Postigo, Escondido, CA . Pretty snazzy private home…check for yourself! We finally faxed 2 cancellation notices and stopped their monthly auto payment and are now dealing with First Data and the leasing company to complete the cancellation. During this process, even First Data was unable to contact Costal Pay. I emailed pretending I wanted to sign up. Travis Chrisman (President & Co-Founder) responds in less than 1 1/2 hours with his cell number. Waited a couple weeks and mentioned the address and phone issues and asked him to explain. He responds with, “What can I help you with? You can reach me on my cell phone at six one nine six six five nine nine six six.” If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck……

    From The Editor
    This Post Might Help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee

  • Elizabeth

    Do not do business with these people. They tell you one thing and charge you another. They take forever to get back with you, and that is if they get back with you. I have been trying to get in touch with them to end our lease agreement for over 2 weeks and have yet to get any type of response back. Save yourself the headache and DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THESE IDIOTS

    From The Editor
    This Post Might Help: Best Merchant Accounts for Great Customer Service

  • Sheree

    Horrible Company! Was with them for over a year and was charged over 2% every month. I had a separate charge for the equipment of $64.20 per month and this is non cancellable and is costing me $3,081.60 for a piece of equipment that I can’t use and is out of compliance. Not to mention it is also on my personal credit report. What! The machine also changed dates on its own and I had to call technical service through my bank to have them give me the code to change the date back so the funds would deposit the next day instead of 2 days later. This happened twice. There is absolutely ZERO customer service. If you call the phone number it goes to voice mail and the mailbox is full unless you call Technical Support. So.. you can’t get a resolution to anything. I changed companies 6 months ago and not only am I being charged $64.20 per month for the equipment but they are also charging me $34.99 per month to do NOTHING! I called in March to get them to stop charging the $34.99 and refund the last 5 months. I was on hold with Technical Support for 18 minutes before he transferred me to someone else and he says I need to go to Coastal Pay and he said he couldn’t get through to their number either… 22 mins later I get on the phone with another number he provided me… 858-848-0705. It asked me for my name and then I left a voice mail. This is ridiculous!

  • Cynthia

    I was told that I would be have to pay $69 a month. Also that I would not have a device that I had to pay for. I told the lady that came out that I did not want anything is I was having to pay for a device because I was already going through square. So I did not need a device but I would like the advertising because I a new place in town. I got sent a card device and it is $59 a month for four years. I call them to see if could return it and get out of the monthly payments because they already took out $104.27 out of my bank account. Told them that I didn’t agree to the card device. They told me that is I have emails stating the agreement that to send it to them. I told them that it was not emailed it was told in person. So I do not know what to do.

  • judy swain

    bad company. I to signed the paper that I received the equipment before it came by UPS, which I refused it. eric, who calls regularly from coastal pay telling me I cant get out of this contract. I had put this on hold with the company 2 days after signing in order for me to see some of the websites they built for other merchants. I didn’t have a good feeling from the start. I called and put a stop payment thru my bank so they can not take any money from my account. if I have to, i’ll add them to my bankruptcy.

  • ZENDAYAH MARYSE DAOUT

    TODAY 3/28/2017
    I have been asking for the longer to cancel this contract, your sales representative and Kevin is trying to make treats to me, every company have a time frame to cancel a contracts ten days grace period, I did not wait ten days to cancel. Michel waited exactly until today March 28 in which i signed the contract on Feb 28 one month to show up here, so that i would not have any choice but to stay into the contract, if that’s the way your company does business then that is the wrong way. And while i am speaking to Kevin, Michel is making adjustment to the contract not even noticed that i have a camera right above his head recording, I HAVE THE FIRST ORIGINAL ON MY EMAIL WHEN MICHEL SENT IT TO TRAVIS WITHOUT CORRECTION. I spoke with you Travis you asked to send Michel in my office to speak with, I told you that I do not want to see Michel or speak with him, Michel is very arrogant and I am another one, this morning he is stating that I told him that I did not spoke with anyone which is not true, I can see that I would go through hell with your company for all these dilemmas that brought in my office. I do not have your equipment all were sent back the same day there were in my office, since Kevin that we will go legal I am waiting for legal.

    On Fri, Mar 3, 2017 at 6:51 PM, DAout Tax & Immigration Expert wrote:

    Good afternoon Sharon,
    I am not sure who i must talk too, cause i have asked numerous time that i want to cancel this transaction. I just now found out that your company has charged my account without notices and I was blaming Blackstone for it, I do not like that. this machine will be sent back to your company. I am starting to be irritating about this, I made a decision not to have this credit machine any longer, in a business a customer have ten business days to cancel any transaction. I have requested to cancel the day after, my husband said no and he is my business partner and its final.

    MARCH 1ST THE DAY AFTER I SIGNED THE CONTRACT
    Good morning Travis,

    I would like to cancel my service with you guys, as I know in most business I have a time frame to cancel. I did not appreciated the fact that Michel took a picture of my machine and sent it to you without my consent, second my husband found the machine to lease for $37.00 a month 2% amex + .19 cent flat, i am saving $42 a month, I was not told that with Michel whether there was a plus or not. He just told me not to worry about. Also when I asked what is the fee for cancellation, that information was not provided to me therefore of course my business partner asked me to cancel, Sorry for the inconvenience, and I also would like a confirmation of cancellation thanks.

    REPLYING TO MY EMAIL
    Good morning Zendayah! I hope you are doing well. You do have the guarantee that you have the best rates with Coastal Pay. I can also guarantee you that that other program will not beat our price, They might be saving you on the lease but they will be making it up 10 fold on the rates. It’s impossible to do .19 cents when the cost of debit is .22 cents unless you are on ERR system. Be very careful with this system as their is a downgrade surcharge that is very expensive. Lets hop on a call in a few hours and I’ll do my best to explain this out to you. Remember, you have a rate match guaranty in writing which means we guarantee to beat any rates at any time. Many companies will tell you they have the best but they will not guarantee it in writing. Talk to ya soon…

    Best regards,

    Travis Chrisman
    President

    D: (619) 452-3215
    O: (888) 266-1715 Ext. 301
    F: (888) 266-1716

    2445 Impala Dr.
    Carlsbad, CA 92010

  • Bonnie Gill

    I worked there. They stole my accounts. They lied all day to every customer. They insult employees all day if they aren’t pushy and demanding and try to force sales all day. My boss got caught in lies tons but always tried lying his way out. I reported to abuse to the company. So far they don’t even care. Stay away from this place.

  • Cindy

    I had a pushy dishonest sales lady also. She had my husband sign while I was away and told him I forgot to sign some of the documents after I told her I did not want to sign I just wanted information. Then told me the same later that he already signed some and forgot a few signatures. I should have said oh well and left them unfinished at least until I spoke with him first. I got locked into a 5 year contract at 98/mo for the terminal and they charge me $153 per month for non usage. I told them from the beginning we do not have sales every month and I do need a terminal for more than one bank account for more than one business. The terminal does not meet my needs. I have spoke with Dianet several times and nothing gets done. So over $250 per month for nothing for going on 3 year so far. They do not care of the tactics the sales person uses, do not care if this package fits the customer. They do not look out for the customer at all. I would not recommend Coastal Pay never!!!!!

  • Sandi Katz

    I was called today by Coastal Pay and they spent about 10 minutes trying to convince me to have someone come to my home and explain their services. I continually told them I needed to know more first and they did tell me exactly what they do. After giving him the courtesy of listening to his high pressured sales pitch, I told him I would check the online reviews of his company before I went any further. At that point, he hung up on me. I was not at all surprised when I read the reviews which were awful. My suggestion to anyone who gets these types of calls saying they can save you money and help grow your business – hang up immediately. This is the third company that has turned out to be a scam….another one is Web.com. They are just as bad.

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