EmeraldPay 2023: Card Processing Reviews & Complaints
(888) 593-0096 Company Overview
Founded in 2009, EmeraldPay (formerly Emerald Business Solutions) is a merchant account provider serving retail, internet, and mobile merchants. The credit card processor is “powered by” First Data (now Fiserv), which means that it resells the products and processing services of First Data (Fiserv), including Clover as a POS system.
Article Summary
Before we dive in, here’s a short summary of what we’ll cover:
- EmeraldPay’s various payment processing services.
- The company has received few complaints.
- There is little information available about the EmeraldPay contract.
EmeraldPay Payment Processing
EmeraldPay processes most major debit and credit cards for most business types. Their services include the Clover POS system and mobile solutions, EMV readers and card swipers, MOTO, cash advances, and access to the Payeezy, eProcessing network, and Authorize.Net payment gateways.
Location & Ownership
EBS was previously based in Memphis, Tennessee, but is now headquartered at 1420 Celebration Blvd, Suite 200, Celebration, Florida 34747-4650. Emerald Business Solutions, LLC, is a registered ISO/MSP of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Concord, California. Jennifer Kelly is listed as a managing member of the company and Christoper Kelly is listed as president.
Table of Contents
- Costs & Contract: Appears to resell First Data (Fiserv) contracts of…
- Complaints & Service: Has received fewer than 10…
- BBB Rating: Has no rating with the Better Business Bureau and has not…
- Sales & Marketing: Appears to hire independent sales representatives and has…
EmeraldPay Customer Reviews
Here's What Their Clients Say
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Total Online Complaints | <10 |
| Live Customer Support | Yes |
| Most Common Complaint | N/A |
| Recent Lawsuits | No |
Clean Complaint Record
As of this update, we are unable to find any EmeraldPay reviews that accuse the company of being a scam or a ripoff. We did find one Google review describing excessive fees and continued charges even after account cancelation. The company is showing few total complaints across all non-BBB consumer protection websites, which seems to indicate that it has a responsive and available customer support team. If you have your own EmeraldPay review to make, please do so in the comments below.
EmeraldPay Lawsuits
We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against EmeraldPay. Dissatisfied clients who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.
EmeraldPay Customer Support Options
The EmeraldPay website offers a single phone number for customer service on its website. As a First Data (Fiserv) reseller, it is likely that the company outsources much of its customer service to First Data (Fiserv). It is also possible that First Data (Fiserv) receives the bulk of its complaints as a result of this arrangement. This likelihood is reason enough to exclude EmeraldPay from our list of top-rated merchant account providers for customer service.
EmeraldPay Customer Service Numbers
- 888-593-0096 – 24/7 Customer Support
Other Support Options
- Chat
- Support form
- Customer service e-mail at [email protected]
EmeraldPay Online Ratings
Here's How They Rate Online
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| BBB Reports | 0 |
No BBB Complaints
EmeraldPay currently has no rating from the Better Business Bureau and is not BBB-accredited. Within the last 3 years, the company has received 0 complaints. EmeraldPay has also not received any informal reviews on its BBB profile.
An “A” Performance
In light of the company’s clean complaint record, we agree with the BBB’s rating at this time. Readers should note, however, that there is cause to be skeptical of the BBB’s rating system.
EmeraldPay Fees, Rates & Costs
A Closer Look at The Contract
| Item | Result | >
|---|---|
| Cancellation Penalties | Yes |
| Monthly & Annual Fees | Yes |
| Processing Rates | Variable |
| Equipment Leasing | Likely |
EmeraldPay Contract Terms
There is almost no publicly available information about the standard EmeraldPay contract at this time. One client complaint found at the time of a previous update mentioned a $500 early termination fee, which was confirmed in the company’s response to the complaint and is consistent with other First Data (Fiserv) resellers. Typical First Data (Fiserv) Contracts include a swipe rate of 2.69% plus $0.19 and a keyed-in rate of 3.69% + $0.19 as well as a monthly PCI compliance fee of $19.95. However, as a reseller, EmeraldPay reserves the right to alter these terms and conditions. There is also some indication that EBS sells long-term, non-cancellable equipment leases through First Data Global Leasing.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing
In addition to its storefront payment processing services, EmeraldPay also dedicates a portion of its website that advertises its virtual terminal and payment gateway services. The company advertises Authorize.Net, eProcessing Network, and Payeezy as gateway options. However, pricing will depend upon which gateway a merchant utilizes. Additional rates and fees, including gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and additional transaction rates typically apply to these e-commerce services.
Satisfaction with Contract Pricing
Despite these troubling reports, the general lack of complaints about the company’s contract terms seems to indicate that most of its clients are satisfied with their service. However, there is no strong evidence that EmeraldPay’s contract terms are competitive with the cheapest merchant accounts. If you have any knowledge of the standard EmeraldPay contract (including any PCI compliance fees or monthly minimums), please leave that information in the comment section of this review.
EmeraldPay offers access to a variety of payment gateways
EmeraldPay Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs
Should You Work For Them?
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Uses Independent Resellers | Yes |
| Telemarketing | Possible |
| Misleading Marketing | No |
| Discloses All Important Terms | No |
Outside Sales Partner Program
EmeraldPay appears to utilize referral programs and independent sales agents to market its services. The use of independent sales agents is often linked to high complaint volumes among clients since outside agents generally don’t receive much training or oversight. In the case of EmeraldPay, though, this does not seem to be a widespread problem.
Lone Sales Complaint
We have previously located only one EmeraldPay review that describes the misrepresentation of rates by an EBS sales rep, and this lone incident occurred in 2012. In this case, the client claimed that a sales representative provided an inaccurate rate comparison that resulted in increased fees after switching. To its credit, the company does not engage in any deceptive rate quoting in its official materials. If you suspect that EmeraldPay is charging you undisclosed fees, we recommend a third-party statement audit to eliminate hidden charges.
Our EmeraldPay Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts
EmeraldPay rates as a reliable merchant credit card processing provider according to our criteria. There is not a great deal of information available about the company’s contract terms, but its low complaint volume across all consumer protection websites is a good sign. It appears that EmeraldPay primarily markets tiered rate pricing, may charge an early termination fee, and may market non-cancellable equipment leases. There are very few complaints, so such contract terms may be an exception as opposed to the norm. We encourage prospective clients to carefully examine the terms of any contract they are given and to compare its pricing to the best merchant account providers.
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Your Comments & Reviews
How Did EmeraldPay Treat You?4 Responses
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Donna Powell
I found that the fees from EBS were so much higher than expected and when I cancelled the account to go with a better source, Steve Ward agreed to cancel but did nothing and I continued to be charged fees even though I was not using them for any account processing. After repeated attempts to contact the company, and getting nothing, I contacted Steve again and he got the monthly fee billings stopped but refused to refund the money they had debited from my account. They even gave my bank bogus info when I tried to stop the debits from my end. Good luck trying to get honest help from this company.
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
-Phillip
Debbie Kozin
When there is a problem Kelly is no where to be found . I am very disappointed in Emerald world and lack of help with the one problem I had in the3-4 years I was with them. would no recommend him or his company a
This post will help: Best Merchant Accounts for Great Customer Service
-Phillip
David Rekerdres
Steve and his clover system offer an extremely user friendly system for businesses who process credit-card payments. I always mention EBS when working / talking with retail businesses.
CPO
Hi David,
Please reply to this comment with your business name and location in order to authenticate your testimonial. Thanks!