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(877) 797-1783Company Overview
Merchant 1 Payments is a merchant account provider headquartered in Concord, Ontario. Founded in 1999, the company provides Canadian merchant accounts as well as payment processing for U.S.-based businesses. The company provides Poynt as a POS solution to its merchants. It is worth noting that Merchant 1 Payments could potentially be confused with Merchant One in search results; however, these two entities are unrelated.
Merchant 1 Payments Payment Processing
Merchant 1 Payments processes all major debit and credit cards for most business types. Their services include EMV card readers and swipers, POS systems, MOTO, e-commerce solutions, data reporting and analytics, and wireless payments.
Mobile Payment Solutions
As more and more customers use their smartphones for payment, it is common for merchant services companies to offer mobile payment solutions. This allows businesses to accept payments anywhere, at any time, improving the convenience factor for customers.
Online Payment Gateways
For businesses operating online, merchant services companies typically provide online payment gateways. This allows businesses to safely and securely process transactions over the internet.
Point of Sale Systems
Modern point of sale (POS) systems are also a common offering. These systems not only process transactions but can also manage inventory, track sales, and provide valuable analytics.
Location & Ownership
Merchant 1 Payments is a registered MSP/ISO of the Canadian branch of U.S. Bank National Association and Elavon. The company is located at 2180 Steeles Ave W, Suite 300, Concord, ON L4K 2Z5. The president and CEO of Merchant 1 Payments is Joe Bonavota.
Merchant 1 Payments Pros and Cons
pros
- Few Complaints
- Contract Terms Appear Good
cons
- A Few Sales Complaints
- Potentially Costly Equipment Leases
Table of Contents
- Costs & Contract: Offers a month-to-month contract through Elavon with…
- Complaints & Service: Complaints number fewer than 10 on…
- BBB Rating: Has an “A+” rating and has received 0 complaints and 7 reviews in…
- Sales & Marketing: Appears to hire independently contracted agents but has not…
Merchant 1 Payments Customer Complaints & Reviews
Here's What Users Think
Complaint Summary
|
Total Online Complaints
<10
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Live Customer Support
Yes
|
Most Common Complaint
N/A
|
|
Recent Lawsuits
No
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Low Complaint Total
We are currently unable to locate any Merchant 1 Payments reviews that accuse the company of being a ripoff or a scam. In fact, there are only a few reviews about the company across all consumer protection websites at this time. One Merchant 1 Payments complaint, posted in January 2014, vaguely describes a situation in which the merchant “had simply signed up and started receiving bills for online transactions that never happened!” This appears to be an isolated incident. It’s also unclear whether this complainant is referring to an external agent of Merchant 1 Payments or a representative from a different company. If you have your own Merchant 1 Payments review to make, please do so in the comments below.
Merchant 1 Payments Lawsuits and Fines
We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against Merchant 1 Payments. Dissatisfied clients who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.
Merchant 1 Payment Customer Support Options
The lack of any other such complaints indicates that the company generally employs capable customer service reps and discloses all important contract terms. The Merchant 1 website lists dedicated phone support lines that are available 24/7. The company’s customer service offerings are generally on par with the top-rated payment processors for customer support.
Merchant 1 Payment Customer Support Options
- (877) 797-1783 – Toll-Free Support
(800) 541-2613 – Fax
Other Support Options
- Customer service email address at [email protected]
Merchant 1 Payments BBB Rating and Report
Our Better Business Bureau Profile Assessment
BBB Summary
|
BBB Reports
7
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Clean Complaint Record
Merchant 1 Payments has been an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau since 2009. As of this review, the company currently holds an “A+” rating with the BBB and has had 0 complaints filed against it in the last 36 months.
What Merchants Say
Merchant 1 Payments has also received 7 informal reviews from users, all 5 stars. One recent informal review describes excellent customer service:
Jayden has recently set up my small business with Merchant 1 and I am very happy with the service so far. Quick and easy to get a hold of, always checking in to see how we are doing and a pleasure to work with. We have had zero issues with our set up and new machine. ***** ****** ********* ** ****** ** *** ******** ********* they take the time to listen and understand who we are. Currently using Merchant 1 in my retail storefront but looking forward to working with them for new my ecommerce site as well!
This level of quality of customer service is an important consideration when choosing a merchant account provider.
An “A” Performance
Given the fact that Merchant 1 Payments has received 0 complaints, we agree with the BBB’s score in this case. For more information on how we factor BBB grades into our overall ratings, please see our rating criteria.
Merchant 1 Payments Fees and Rates
A Closer Look at the Contract
Cost Summary
|
Cancellation Penalties
No
|
Monthly & Annual Fees
Yes
|
Processing Rates
1.00% - 4.99%
|
|
Equipment Leasing
Yes
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Month-to-Month Contract
The standard Merchant 1 Payments contract outlines a month-to-month agreement with no early termination fee, a PCI compliance fee of $9.99 per month, and an optional, non-cancellable equipment lease through Ladco Leasing, one of the worst ranked companies on our website. There is also a PCI non-compliance fee of $20 per month for merchants who fail to maintain compliance.
A company representative has stated that clients can buy, rent, or lease equipment through Merchant 1. In almost all cases, businesses are advised to buy rather than lease equipment if possible.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing
In addition to its storefront payment processing services, Merchant 1 Payments also dedicates a portion of its website to advertising its virtual terminal and payment gateway services through Elavon as well. However, pricing is not disclosed for the gateway. Client reviews report rates as high as 3.5% plus $0.30 along with a gateway fee of up to $25 per month. One Merchant 1 Payments complaint references a setup fee of nearly $500 dollars, though it is more than 5 years old and no other available public complaints reference the fee in the time since it was posted. However, additional rates and fees, including gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and additional transaction rates typically apply to these e-commerce services.
No Pricing Complaints
Overall, there are no complaints that mention excessive fees or hidden clauses in the standard Merchant 1 Payments fees or contract. We will therefore assume that most of the company’s clients are satisfied with the service they receive. In our assessment, the company’s contract terms are competitive with some of the cheapest merchant accounts.
Merchant 1 Payments Jobs and Employment
Hiring Standards and Ethical Marketing Assessment
Key Points
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Uses Independent Resellers
Yes
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Telemarketing
Unclear
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Misleading Marketing
No
|
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Discloses All Important Terms
Yes
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Inside and Outside Sales Agents
Merchant 1 Payments appears to employ both full-time, W2-employed inside sales agents and paid-by-commission external sales agents to market its services. The latter practice is often responsible for client frustrations in this industry due to the difficulty of monitoring these agents’ behavior, but in this case, we are only able to locate a few Merchant 1 Payments reviews that mention problems with the company’s sales team. One Merchant 1 Payments complaint does not provide specific details of what transpired and is therefore of little use. The other describes frustration with the company’s insistence on scheduling a phone call to receive a rate quote. If true, these complaints do not compare favorably to our list of best credit card processors.
No Red Flags
Merchant 1 Payments does not appear to engage in any deceptive advertising strategies in its official materials. If you suspect that the company is charging you undisclosed fees, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to eliminate hidden costs.
Merchant 1 Payments Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts and Opinions
Merchant 1 Payments rates as a reliable credit card processing provider according to our standards. The company is showing nearly few complaints at this time and scores very well with the BBB. It appears to perform on the same level as our top-rated all-purpose merchant account providers. Even when dealing with highly rated credit card processors, merchants are encouraged to carefully examine the terms of any contract they are given.
If you found this article helpful, please share it!
Stephanie Greve
We have been partners with M1P for a year now and I have nothing but great things to say. From the savings to the PCI compliance being taken care of, our account manager, Robert, is amazing! I would highly recommend any business utilize M1P as their merchant services.
Karen Avery
Our company has been dealing with Merchant 1 payments for one year now and the service has been excellent.
Ashleigh Watkins
Amazing to deal with. Great customer service and went above and beyond to make our company feel welcomed. Robert Bauco was excellent and explained everything clearly. Definitely recommend Merchant 1 Payments!!
CPO
Hi Ashleigh,
Please reply to this comment with your business name and location in order to authenticate your testimonial. Thanks!
Ashleigh Watkins
Aztec Landscaping Ltd
Grande Prairie, AB Canada
Renda A
Merchant 1 was wonderful when I opened my new business. The setup and support has been excellent and any questions I had were always answered right away. I would not think of going with another merchant account.
Clara Kovats
I have been a very happy client of Merchant1Payment (located in Canada) for over 7 years. I was using another merchant service before and Calvin came to my rescue! I have been receiving friendly, EXCELLENT, customer service consistently. Merchant1Payments have been a reliable, affordable, professional interac service provider for my business at Urban Bliss Wellness Spa in New Westminster. Thank you!!!!
Peter Reichart
A bit shady. Non existing extension was provided be the first contact. They insisted on scheduled phone meetings and did not provide the analysis via email. That’s what the competitors did. Apparently there is only one person that can interpret the analysis (Robert) and he demands a scheduled phone meeting. After sending in one of our statements, I feel they are very opportunistic and have wasted my time by not providing tan analysis back. Reselling elavon is not a bad thing, being cagey with information, providing a false extension and trying to gain leverage with all that is leaving a bad taste. Never heard back from them or saw an analysis of my provided statement after telling that to the cold caller (Representative)
FRANK WANG
Switch to Merchant one 2 months. the fees rate is higher than agreement and hidden cost. customer service is poor. in 1st month (July), they ignore me my request for a week then promises to return the overcharged fees in August and correct the fee rate in the system. but in August the fee rate is still wrong and the overcharged fees is not returned. email them on Sep 6, no reply until now. call them today. nobody pick the phone. left message. no reply till now
CPO
Hi Frank,
Did you intend to post this comment below our review of Merchant 1 Payments (this page) or below our review of Merchant One?
Frances Monach
Super company! I have been with Merchant 1 Payments for over 2 years now. From my first monthly statement I can finally say I understand the rates being charged. We have multiple locations with Merchant 1 Payments and all our locations are very happy with the services we receive. Thank you Merchant 1 Payments.
Phillip CPO
To authenticate your testimonial, please reply to this comment with your business name and location(s).
Jack Del
Switched to Merchant 1 Payments 4 years ago. Great service, lower rates and they supply me with the paper rolls. One stop shop with no hidden fees or rate changes. Their slogan is “at Merchant 1 Payments the Merchant is always # 1” and they stick to it. Thank you to my Regional Account Executive Len for helping me make the switch.
Phillip CPO
To authenticate this testimonial, please reply to this comment with your business name and location.
Paul
I have worked for Merchant 1 Payments for 3 years now and I can verify that they do not charge an early termination fee or PCI compliance fees. I have worked in the merchant services industry for 3 and a half years now and I have had some real nightmares with other merchant services providers. With Merchant 1 Payments I can call Merchants that I have signed up and ask for referrals, 9 out of 10 times I will get the referral. Customers are very happy with the all aspects of services received from Merchant 1 Payments. My Relationship Manager always says to me “Paul, we are not the biggest but we are the best and we are building the Merchant 1 Payments brand one merchant at a time”.
When I first stared with Merchant 1 Payments I thought this was just going to be another nightmare but I was so desperate to get my more than unsatisfied Merchants which I signed up with other providers away from the nightmare which I put them through and put them with a real company that has integrity and most important respect for their customers. Most of the Merchants I signed up with the other providers were friends & family who had businesses and they could not understand why I would placed them with such a bad provider. I spoke to my Relationship Manager with Merchant 1 Payments and they helped me move them from the other Merchant Services Providers and are now more then happy with the rates and services. I hope this is very helpful and please beware of the crooks out there!
paul elliot
I have seen the Merchant 1 Payments Agreement and it is the replica of the Elavon Agreement. They do NOT have any PCI Compliance Fee and they have the only agreement that I have seen that does NOT have any early termination fee. Their current website demonstrates their policy of total transparency and their objectives to have such universal. They conform to the Canadian Code of Conduct which is a voluntary standard that they wish to see as compulsory throughout the industry. I know many merchants who use their services and all are extremely pleased.
Phillip CPO
Hi Paul,
In order to authenticate your testimonial, please reply to this comment with your business name and location. Thank you.