Merchant 1 Payments Reviews & Complaints

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Company 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 Customer Reviews

Here's What Their Clients Say

Customer Reviews Summary
Total Online Complaints <10
Live Customer Support Yes
Most Common Complaint N/A
Recent Lawsuits No

Minimal Complaints Reported

At present, we could not find any Merchant 1 Payments reviews that label the company as a scam or a ripoff. In fact, there are only a handful of reviews across various consumer protection websites. One complaint dating back to January 2014 vaguely mentions unexpected bills for online transactions that the merchant claims never occurred. However, this seems to be an isolated incident, and it’s unclear if the complainant is referring to an external agent of Merchant 1 Payments or a representative from another entity. If you’ve had an experience with Merchant 1 Payments, feel free to share your review in the comments section below.

Legal Issues and Penalties

No significant class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints have been filed against Merchant 1 Payments. Clients dissatisfied with their experience and seeking a non-litigious resolution can explore reporting their concerns to relevant supervisory organizations.

Customer Support Services

The scarcity of complaints suggests that the company likely maintains capable customer service representatives and transparent contract terms. The Merchant 1 website provides dedicated phone support available 24/7, indicating a commitment to customer care that aligns with the standards of top-rated payment processors for customer support.

Merchant 1 Payments Customer Service Information

  • (877) 797-1783 – Toll-Free Support
  • (800) 541-2613 – Fax

Other Support Options

Merchant 1 Payments Online Ratings

Here's How They Rate Online

Online Ratings Summary
BBB Reports 7

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, Rates & Costs

A Closer Look at The Contract

Cost & Fees Summary
Cancellation Penalties No
Monthly & Annual Fees Yes
Processing Rates 1.00% - 4.99%
Equipment Leasing Yes

Month-to-Month Contract

The standard Merchant 1 Payments contract is a flexible month-to-month agreement without an early termination fee. It includes a PCI compliance fee of $9.99 monthly. Additionally, there’s an option for an equipment lease with Ladco Leasing, which has received negative feedback. Merchants not maintaining PCI compliance are subject to a $20 monthly fee.

A representative from the company advises clients on purchasing, renting, or leasing equipment, with a strong recommendation to buy equipment outright to avoid the pitfalls of leasing.

Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing

Merchant 1 Payments extends its services to include virtual terminal and payment gateway offerings through Elavon. Detailed pricing for these services is not provided directly on their site. Customer feedback suggests transaction rates could be as much as 3.5% plus $0.30, with a potential gateway fee up to $25 monthly. One complaint mentioned a setup fee nearing $500, but this claim is outdated, with no recent reports supporting this figure. Typically, additional costs, such as gateway fees, technical support, batch fees, and other transaction-related charges may apply, especially for e-commerce services.

No Pricing Complaints

There appears to be an absence of complaints regarding hidden fees or unexpected charges in Merchant 1 Payments’ standard fees or contracts, suggesting a general contentment among its clientele with the company’s pricing structure. Merchant 1 Payments is considered to offer contract terms that are on par with some of the most affordable merchant accounts available.

Merchant 1 Payments Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs

Should You Work For Them?

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

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.

Our Merchant 1 Payments Review Summary

Our Final Thoughts

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.

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Which is Most Important for You?

If you had to pick one, which quality would you say will be the most important with your next credit card processor? Tap or click your selection to register your vote:

  1. Low Transaction Fees
  2. No Monthly Fees
  3. No Contract
  4. Reliable Customer Support
  5. Quick Signup

Testimonials & Complaints

How Did Merchant 1 Payments Treat You?

17 User Reviews

  • Stephanie Greve

    Apsley Veterinary Services

    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.

  • 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!!

  • 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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

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