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(940) 323-8888
Company Overview
Founded in 1998 as a web hosting company called Simple Solutions, Gotmerchant.com company changed its name to “Gotmerchant.com” in 2001 as it shifted its focus to credit card processing.
Affiliation with Harbortouch
The Better Business Bureau lists Curtis Stevens as the CEO of Gotmerchant.com. We have also been repeatedly contacted by a sales agent named Curtis Stevens in the comment section of our Harbortouch review, and this second Curtis Stevens appears to be employed as an independent sales rep for Harbortouch.
Given the fact that the BBB lists a PO box in Fate, Texas, as the address for Gotmerchant.com, it appears very likely that the same Curtis Stevens who is the president of Gotmerchant.com is the Curtis Stevens who works as an independent sales agent for Harbortouch. In addition, a BBB complaint filed against Gotmerchant.com in November 2014 explicitly names Harbortouch as the entity with whom the merchant did business. It therefore appears that Gotmerchant.com and Harbortouch may not operate as entirely separate entities.
Gotmerchant.com Payment Processing
Gotmerchant.com is a merchant account provider processing most major debit and credit cards for businesses ranging from small startups to multi-million dollar corporations. The company advertises Harbortouch as part of its free POS system offer. Other services they offer include electronic cash registers, card swipers, Yahoo Store merchant accounts, access to the Authorize.net payment gateway, virtual terminals, wireless and mobile processing, MOTO, QuickBooks integration, e-commerce solutions including shopping carts, cash advances, and fraud and chargeback protections.
Gotmerchant.com Location & Ownership
Gotmerchant.com is a registered ISO/MSP of First National Bank of Omaha, 1620 Dodge St., Omaha, Nebraska. The company lists PO Box 751 Fate, TX 75132 as its address. As mentioned above, the Better Business Bureau lists Curtis Stevens as the CEO of Gotmerchant.com.
Gotmerchant.com Review Table of Contents
- Costs & Contract: Offers a two-year contract with a $250 early termination fee and a payment gateway through..
- Complaints & Service: Has received fewer than…
- BBB Rating: Has an “A+” rating and has received 0 complaints in the past 3 years. The company has been…
- Sales & Marketing: Does not appear to rely on independent sales agents and has not received any complaints about its…
Gotmerchant.com Reviews and Complaints
Here's What Their Clients Say
Complaint Summary
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Total Online Complaints
<10
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Live Customer Support
Yes
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Most Common Complaint
N/A
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Clean Complaint Record
We are currently unable to locate any Gotmerchant.com complaints that characterize the company as a scam or a ripoff. As noted above, there are many reviews citing exceptional customer service from the company, many of which report same-day responses, honest conduct, and a willingness on Gotmerchant’s part to work with its partner companies to resolve merchant complaints. The company offers several dedicated support phone lines on its website, depending on whether the merchant needs assistance during or outside of business hours.
Mixed Responses to Complaints
We are inclined to note that Curtis Stevens appears to be very active in responding to complaints about Harbortouch on this website and others. Although it’s encouraging to see a company representative take public complaints so seriously, there are multiple occasions in which Mr. Stevens accuses the complainant of being a competitor rather than an actual merchant of Harbortouch. For this reason, merchants who are dissatisfied with a Harbortouch POS system they have obtained through Gotmerchant.com are advised to supply proof that they are actual customers before posting negative reviews.
Gotmerchant.com Lawsuits
We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against Gotmerchant.com. Dissatisfied merchants who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.
Gotmerchant.com Customer Support
Given that Gotmerchant.com is not the recipient of any negative online complaints, we have awarded it an “A” in this category for the time being. However, it does not currently warrant consideration as a top merchant account for customer service.
Gotmerchant.com BBB Rating and Report
Our Better Business Bureau Profile Assessment
BBB Summary
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Product & Service Complaints
0
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Billing & Collection Complaints
0
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Advertising & Sales Complaints
0
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Guarantee & Warranty Complaints
0
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Delivery Complaints
0
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0 Complaints
Gotmerchant.com is an accredited business of the Better Business Bureau and is currently rated an “A+” with accreditation since 2010. Gotmerchant.com has received 0 complaints in the past 36 months.
An “A” Performance Overall
In light of the company’s low complaint total, we agree with the BBB’s rating.
Gotmerchant.com Fees and Rates
A Closer Look at the Contract
Cost Summary
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Retail Debit Rate
0.69% + $0.20
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Retail Qualified Rate
1.69% + $0.20
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Retail Mid-Qualified Rate
2.44% + $0.20
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Retail Non-Qualified Rate
3.29% + $0.20
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Virtual Terminal Debit Rate
0.99% + $0.25
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Virtual Terminal Qualified Rate
2.19% + $0.25
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Virtual Terminal Mid-Qualified Rate
2.94% + $0.25
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Virtual Terminal Non-Qualified Rate
3.79% + $0.25
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Payment Gateway Fee
$10 Per Month
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Monthly Minimum Fee
$25
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Monthly Service Fee
$10
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Early Termination Fee
$250
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PCI Compliance Fee
Undisclosed
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Equipment Lease Terms
36 Month (locked)
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Two-Year Contract
The standard Gotmerchant.com contract appears to be a two-year agreement with a $250 cancellation fee, a $10 monthly service fee, a $25 monthly minimum fee, no annual fee, and a variable PCI compliance fee. A representative of the company has stated on other consumer protection websites that these terms (specifically contract length and termination fee) are flexible depending on a merchant’s business type, size, and time in business. The company also offers Interchange-plus pricing to all merchants, but smaller merchants may pay more in markups and monthly minimums. An overall lack of complaints about the company’s contract terms indicates that most merchants are satisfied with their contracts.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing
In addition to its storefront payment processing services, GotMerchant.com also dedicates a portion of its website to advertising its virtual terminal and payment gateway services. The company uses Authorize.Net as a payment gateway provider. However, GotMerchant.com seems to alter the terms and conditions of a standard Authorize.Net contract as a reseller. The company charges debit, qualified, mid-qualified, and non-qualified rates of 0.99% plus $0.25, 2.19% plus $0.25, 2.94% plus $0.25, and 3.79% plus $0.25, respectively, for transactions made through a merchant’s virtual terminal. A $10 monthly fee for the payment gateway is also assessed in addition to a general monthly service fee. When combined, those 2 fees are still $5 less than Authorize.Net’s typical $25 payment gateway fee.
Harbortouch POS Contracts
Gotmerchant.com also sells Harbortouch POS systems, which cost a flat amount per month that depends on the type of system provided. Although Harbortouch POS systems are given to merchants for no upfront cost, they come with a three-year non-cancellable agreement that requires merchants to pay for the entire contract regardless of when they terminate service. Returning the Harbortouch POS system will not relieve a merchant of his or her obligations under this contract. It is our opinion that this type of contract is unfavorable to merchants because it locks them into an agreement that will cost thousands of dollars and cannot be canceled if the merchant no longer wishes to use the system. It should be noted that most credit card terminals can be purchased for under $500.
An Excellent Provider With Troubling Partnership
The only factors lowering Gotmerchant.com’s score in this category are its Harbortouch POS agreement, its industry-average cancellation fee, and its standard two-year agreement. To the company’s credit, the last two terms appear to be negotiable and infrequently applied. It is therefore possible for some merchants to receive terms through Gotmerchant.com that compete with even the cheapest merchant accounts.
The GotMerchant.com Authorize.net payment gateway rates and details
Gotmerchant.com Jobs and Employment
Hiring Standards and Ethical Marketing Assessment
Key Points
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Employs Independent Resellers
No
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Advertises Deceptive Rates
No
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Discloses All Important Terms
Yes
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In-House Sales Team
Gotmerchant.com appears to market itself primarily through its client network and its in-house sales team. As of this update, we were unable to locate any Gotmerchant.com reviews that describe a negative experience with the sales team; in fact, there are numerous testimonials available online that relate overwhelmingly positive experiences. Many of these positive interactions mention a specific representative of the company, which indicates a high level of consistency and accountability within the Gotmerchant.com sales team.
Rates Clearly Disclosed
Although it takes a bit of searching to find, Gotmerchant.com’s rates and fees page discloses a great deal of information about how “Qualified,” “Mid-Qualified,” and “Non-Qualified” rates are assessed. It also lists each of these rates in addition to most of the company’s standard monthly fees and terms. The company’s website does not actively promote interchange-plus pricing, but a company representative has stated on other consumer protection websites that Gotmerchant.com does offer this pricing structure to all merchants, with varying markups and minimums depending on size and time in business. Overall, Gotmerchant.com appears to market its services in a forthright manner, and there are only positive comments to be found about the company’s sales tactics online.
Harbortouch Equipment and Terms
It should be noted that Gotmerchant.com does not disclose that its POS system is a Harbortouch POS system. Harbortouch’s POS systems are provided to merchants for no upfront cost as part of a non-cancellable three-year agreement. Our review of Harbortouch assigns the company a low score in this section for what appears to be a pattern of incomplete or insufficient disclosure by the company’s sales representatives with regard to this long-term agreement. Given the fact that Gotmerchant has a nearly spotless complaint record, we will not lower the company’s score in this review, but merchants should be aware that the Harbortouch POS system requires a long-term commitment and has received numerous complaints from merchants. If you are concerned that Gotmerchant.com or Harbortouch is charging you undisclosed fees, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to find and eliminate hidden charges.
Gotmerchant.com Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts and Opinions
A Reliable Option for Many Business Types
According to all available information, Gotmerchant.com rates as a reliable merchant services provider. The company is showing mostly positive reviews and nearly zero complaints online. Its standard contract isn’t especially competitive, but the company appears to show some flexibility with regard to these terms. Merchants are encouraged to strongly negotiate the provisions of their contracts and to compare Gotmerchant to top-rated all-purpose merchant accounts. We also advise merchants to inquire about all possible terms and fees associated with Gotmerchant.com’s Harbortouch POS system. It is worth noting that Gotmerchant.com could potentially be confused with a company called GoEmerchant in search results. These two companies are unrelated.
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Customer & Employee Reviews
What Others Are Saying About Gotmerchant.com