Flagship Merchant Services Review

Flagship Merchant Services is a large credit card processor based out of Charlestown, Massachusetts. The company was founded in 2001 and has become a large super-ISO over the last two decades. Flagship is a reseller of credit card processing services provided by Fiserv and subsidiary of Paysafe (formerly iPayment). It should also be noted that Flagship’s parent company, PaySafe, owns some of the worst-rated credit card processors that we have reviewed, including Leaders Merchant Services.

Payment Processing

Flagship Merchant Services processes major credit and debit cards for small to medium-sized businesses. Their services include EMV and NFC-compliant terminals, Clover POS systems, mobile card readers, e-commerce payment solutions, phone and mail order capabilities, cash advances, gift cards, loyalty programs, and a business management portal.

Payment Gateway

Flagship Merchant Services offers a secure payment gateway compatible with various e-commerce platforms. The gateway includes features like fraud detection and prevention, recurring billing, and customizable payment pages.

Mobile Solutions

Flagship provides mobile payment solutions, enabling businesses to process transactions wherever their customers are.

In-Store, Mobile, and Online Solutions

Flagship offers a range of payment processing options, including in-store, mobile, and online solutions.

Branded Gift Card Service

Flagship Merchant Services provides a branded gift card service as part of their comprehensive merchant services.

Point of Sale (POS) Systems

Flagship offers Point of Sale (POS) systems as part of their transaction processing services, catering to various business needs.

Wireless Payments and E-commerce

Flagship also provides wireless payment solutions and e-commerce payment options for businesses operating online.

Understanding Flagship Merchant Services Customer Feedback

Flagship Merchant Services, given its scale and operational tenure, presents a concerning volume of customer dissatisfaction, evidenced by various negative reviews across consumer forums and over 190 comments on this page. A recurring pattern in these grievances points towards undisclosed fees, unannounced fee hikes, contract cancellation difficulties, and charges persisting post-cancellation. One account underscores the disparity between the company’s advertised and actual practices, highlighting unexpected and substantial charges, coupled with misleading BBB accreditation claims.

Enhancing Transparency and Client Support

The frequency and nature of these complaints suggest systemic issues within Flagship’s sales and billing practices, often attributed to inadequate fee disclosure. For Flagship to enhance its standing, a reevaluation of these practices is imperative, focusing on clear communication and transparency. Currently, Flagship’s support infrastructure, while inclusive of a customer service contact form, falls short of what’s expected from a leading credit card processor in customer service.

Concerns Over Aggressive Retaliatory Measures

Flagship’s approach towards criticism, marked by threats and coercive attempts to remove unfavorable reviews, raises significant ethical concerns. Such measures, rather than addressing the root causes of customer dissatisfaction, appear to prioritize silencing critique over meaningful resolution, further tarnishing the company’s reputation.

Flagship’s Customer Service Reach

Flagship offers a toll-free customer service line and an online support form. Despite these channels, feedback indicates a pervasive dissatisfaction with the quality and responsiveness of customer support.

PaymentPop Rating for Flagship Merchant Services

Positive Feedback

There are no positive reviews published about Flagship Merchant Services on the PaymentPop website.

Flagship BBB Rating

Flagship Merchant Services has an average customer review rating of 1/5 stars on BBB based on 4 customer reviews. The company has also received 20 customer complaints in the last 3 years. A common theme in the reviews is dissatisfaction with billing practices and customer service.

Positive Feedback

There are no positive reviews published about Flagship Merchant Services on the BBB website.

Trustpilot Rating for Flagship

Flagship Merchant Services has a rating of 1.9 stars on Trustpilot based on 13 customer reviews. A significant majority of the reviews are negative, with 90% of them being 1-star ratings. Common themes in the reviews include dissatisfaction with service, misleading information from sales representatives, and issues with account closures and fund holds.

Google Rating for Flagship Merchant Services

Flagship Merchant Services has a 1 out of 5 star rating based on 5 user reviews on Google.

Positive Feedback

There are no positive reviews published about Flagship Merchant Services on Google.

Yelp Rating for Flagship Merchant Services

Flagship has a 1 out of 5 star rating based on 35 user reviews on Yelp.

ConsumerAffairs Rating Analysis

Flagship Merchant Services has an average customer review rating of 1.0 stars on ConsumerAffairs based on 299 reviews. A significant portion of the reviews are negative, with 47% of the reviews being 1-star ratings. Common themes in the reviews include issues with customer service, misleading or deceptive practices, and difficulties in canceling services or obtaining refunds.

Positive Feedback

There are no positive reviews published about Flagship Merchant Services on the Consumer Affairs website.

Source: ConsumerAffairs

Flagship Merchant Services Contract

Flagship merchant account rates and fees may vary based on factors such as business type, processing volume, and the agent facilitating the account setup. While the company typically offers a month-to-month contract without cancellation fees, there are reports of such fees being applied, indicating some inconsistencies. Additionally, an annual PCI Compliance fee of $99 is standard, along with various monthly fees. Some complaints mention a $29.99 monthly fee for Womply affiliate marketing, with instances of automatic enrollment in a free 60-day trial in late 2016, leading to subsequent charges if not opted out. Furthermore, several reviews highlight ongoing monthly charges post-cancellation.

Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing

In addition to its in-store payment processing, Flagship Merchant Services promotes its virtual terminal and payment gateway services. However, pricing details for these services are not disclosed on the website. Typically, additional fees such as gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and transaction rates apply to these e-commerce services.

Negotiate Your Rates

Prior to signing up, business owners should thoroughly review and understand Flagship’s merchant account agreement to avoid surprises. Complaints about undisclosed fees or unexpectedly high rates are not uncommon. While Flagship can offer interchange-plus pricing, it’s not actively promoted.

Flagship Merchant Services offers various e-commerce solutions

The lawsuit, Durango Merch. Servs., LLC v. Flagship Merch. Servs., LLC, casts a spotlight on Flagship’s business practices, with the court ruling against Flagship for false advertising and unfair competition, resulting in a mandate to cease misuse of Durango’s trademarks and compensate for damages. This legal outcome emphasizes the need for honesty and fairness in competitive business conduct.

Deceptive Rate Quote

We have previously located one use of deceptive marketing by Flagship in which the company advertised on its homepage and in Google Adsense ads that “rates start at 0.38% plus $0.19 per transaction.” This rate quote is misleading because it only applies to a particular transaction type, but the majority of a client’s transactions will run at much higher rates. Flagship fails to mention that the business owner will experience other rates and fees in addition to the unrealistically low rate quote. As you can imagine, these types of quotes can lead to confusion. Flagship removed this specific rate quote from its website in the past few years, but replaced it with the just as deceptive “rates start at 0.38%” on its homepage. As of this review update, the homepage no longer advertises these rates. Businesses may also encounter similar “teaser” quotes when speaking directly with Flagship representatives. This type of marketing disqualifies the company from being added to our list ofbest credit card processors.

Questionable Review Website Ranking

Flagship Merchant Services is listed as a top pick with numerous ethically questionable review websites. Many of these websites appear to be in parternship with PaySafe group or possibly owned by PaySafe through a web of alternate DBAs. These websites consistently list the same “top rated” providers, almost of of whom have a poor rating with legitimate review websites. A few examples of these shady review sites, according to our opinion, are:

• thetop10sites.com
• idealcomparison.com
• top10.com
• best10creditcardprocessing.com
• compareguroo.com
• toppaymentprocessing.com
• best-ccp.com
• comparisun.com

However, there are numerous such websites that appear at the top of search results as advertisements when researching credit card processors. Business owners are advised to proceed with caution when reviewing credit card processors from websites that resemble the ones listed above.

Gift Card Promotion

Flagship’s homepage currently advertises a “Meet-or-Beat” Processing Rate promotion, offering a $200 AMEX gift card if Flagship does not provide the lowest total processing cost. The terms and conditions of this promotion are not found on the website. Instead, business owners must submit contact information and speak with a representative in order to learn more information about this promotion. In general, these types of promotions are a sales gimmick because the company only has to be a penny cheaper to avoid paying out the $200 gift card.

If you are seeking an ethical way to substantially and permanently lower your processing costs, consider getting an independent merchant account statement audit.

Numerous Sales Complaints

Flagship Merchant Services appears to primarily use inside sales staff to market its services instead of using outside independent sales agents. Inside sales personnel are the preferred marketing strategy for this site because the sales tactics of these agents can be better controlled. This is assuming that the company doesn’t encourage deceptive sales practices, which may be an issue with this processor. Numerous Flagship Merchant Services reviews indicate that agents fail to fully disclose important fees and contract terms. On the surface, Flagship does not appear to engage in any egregiously deceptive practices such as bait-and-switch rate quotes. However, the consistent Flagship Merchant Services complaints about undisclosed fees have lowered its score to an average grade of “C” in this section. If you suspect that Flagship is charging you hidden fees, we recommend seeking a free third-party statement audit.

Flagship Merchant Services has garnered numerous reviews and complaints regarding its fees and business practices. As a subsidiary of PaySafe, which has also managed other poorly rated merchant account providers, Flagship’s reputation is marred by reports of deceptive sales practices and excessive billing. Its grade remains unchanged from the last review, largely due to ongoing concerns around these practices.

To improve its standing, Flagship should focus on reducing future client complaints related to billing issues, hidden fees, and challenges with service cancellations. Transparency and a commitment to customer satisfaction are essential for regaining trust. Until significant improvements are made, business owners should consider opting for a top-rated payment processor that prioritizes fair terms and exceptional service for their merchant services.