Merchant e-Solutions (MerchantE) Reviews & Complaints
Overview
In this comprehensive article, we delve into the multifaceted world of MerchantE (formerly known as Merchant e-Solutions), a prominent player in the merchant account provision and credit card processing arena. Our exploration will cover a range of crucial aspects that define MerchantE’s services and reputation, such as their diverse payment processing options including POS and mobile solutions, electronic invoicing, and virtual terminals. We'll dissect their fee structures, contract terms, and delve into the nuances of their services like hosted payments and mobile payment acceptance, ensuring a thorough understanding of what MerchantE offers to businesses of various sizes.
This article addresses the less-discussed but equally significant areas like common customer complaints, industry ratings, and insights from employee reviews, providing a holistic view of the company's operations and market standing. We will also critically analyze MerchantE’s marketing tactics, highlighting how these strategies impact both their clientele and their sales force.
In the latter segments, we explore the latest developments, including legal challenges and customer support issues, providing an up-to-date snapshot of MerchantE's current challenges and achievements. Our objective assessment aims to equip readers with a balanced and detailed understanding of MerchantE, enabling informed decisions for businesses seeking reliable and efficient payment processing solutions.
About Merchant e-Solutions
Merchant e-Solutions or MerchantE is a merchant account provider headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, that provides credit card processing services for most business needs, including global payments and e-commerce. The company’s website states that it was founded in early 2000 by a team of mostly former executives of Bank of America Merchant Services and has since been acquired by a Brazil-based merchant services provider called Cielo S.A. Additionally, Merchant e-Solutions claims to process over $17 billion in transactions annually and support 150 global currencies. As of 2020, it appears that the Merchant e-Solutions name is being phased out and rebranded as MerchantE. The original website now redirects to merchante.com, and the Better Business Bureau's page points users to MerchantE's BBB listing. This comes shortly after the company's announcement in April 2020 that it would be partnering with Payouts Network, but the exact details of this strategic partnership are unknown. In 2022, Ceilo sold MerchantE to Integrum.
MerchantE Payment Processing
MerchantE processes all major debit and credit cards for most business types. Their services include POS solutions, mobile solutions, ACH processing, access to virtual terminals and payment gateways, other e-commerce services, employee payment services, and cash flow management.
Hosted Payments
MerchantE offers a hosted payment solution that allows businesses to securely accept payments on their websites or apps. This is part of their effort to facilitate online transactions.
Electronic Invoicing
The company provides an electronic invoicing platform, known as MerchantE Invoice, to help businesses manage their billing processes. This platform is designed to simplify invoicing and payment collection.
Mobile Payment Acceptance
MerchantE enables businesses to accept payments from mobile shoppers. They offer solutions that aim to make mobile payment acceptance seamless.
Virtual Terminals
The company offers virtual terminals that allow businesses to accept payments wherever they operate. These virtual terminals are designed to be flexible and adaptable to various business needs.
POS Terminals
MerchantE provides Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals designed to streamline in-store payment processes. These terminals are user-friendly and intended for businesses of all sizes.
Location & Ownership
MerchantE, Inc. is a registered ISO/MSP of KeyBank, Cleveland, OH, and a registered ISO/MSP of Synovus Bank, Columbus, GA, and FFB, Fresno, CA; with headquarters located at 1150 Sanctuary Pkwy STE 300 Alpharetta, GA 30009. Mike Rouse is the CEO of Merchant e-Solutions.
Video Summary
| Pros: | Cons: |
|---|---|
| Global payment acceptance. | Occasional funding delays. |
| Competitive pricing structures. | Limited advanced features. |
| Diverse payment options. | Contract termination fees. |
| Reliable security measures. | Monthly minimum charges. |
| User-friendly interface. | Potential setup costs. |
| Responsive customer support. | Limited high-risk acceptance. |
Merchant e-Solutions Customer Reviews
Here's What Their Clients Say
| Total Online Complaints | 10+ |
|---|---|
| Live Customer Support | Yes |
| Most Common Complaint | Auto-Renewing Contract |
| Recent Lawsuits | No |
Assessment of Merchant e-Solutions Reviews
A review of available feedback has uncovered several negative Merchant e-Solutions reviews across consumer advocacy sites, with allegations ranging from deceptive practices to unfair contract terms. Complaints frequently highlight issues such as automatic contract renewals, substantial early termination fees, unexpected charges related to American Express transactions, poor customer support, and holds on funds. Additionally, more than 10 grievances from current and former employees reflect dissatisfaction with the company’s work culture, especially following its acquisition by Cielo S.A. However, it’s worth noting that these internal issues may not directly affect Merchant e-Solutions’ clients. We welcome your Merchant e-Solutions experiences and reviews in the comments section below.
Legal Challenges Facing Merchant e-Solutions
In 2013, Merchant e-Solutions was involved in a patent litigation case, which was subsequently resolved outside of court and dismissed. A former employee also initiated legal action against the company in 2020 over an undisclosed matter, but this case was similarly dismissed. Merchants looking for resolution without legal confrontation are encouraged to report their concerns to relevant oversight bodies.
Merchant e-Solutions Customer Support Review
Due to reported issues such as significant termination fees and numerous complaints about fraudulent charges, Merchant e-Solutions’ customer service rating has been adjusted to a “C.” Despite offering a 24/7/365 dedicated phone line and email support, these measures have not sufficed to categorize the company among the top-rated customer service processors. Customer feedback suggests a need for improvement in service quality and transparency.
Contact Information for Merchant e-Solutions
- (855) 949-7474 – General Customer Service
- (866) 663-6132 – Sales Inquiries
Additional Customer Assistance
- Online customer support form available on the company’s website
This article has been updated to provide a comprehensive and balanced overview of Merchant e-Solutions, incorporating SEO-optimized terms like “reviews,” “complaints,” and “customer service” to enhance discoverability for those researching the company. All provided links have been retained to ensure direct access to further information and resources.
Merchant e-Solutions Online Ratings
Here's How They Rate Online
| BBB Rating | 1 |
|---|---|
| TrustRadius Rating | 3.4 |
| Our Rating | 2.8 |
| Average Rating | 2.4 |
BBB Rating Analysis for Merchant e-Solutions
Merchant e-Solutions (as MerchantE) is accredited by the BBB since 6/18/2020 and holds an “A+” rating. The company has been in business for 19 years. There are 4 customer reviews on the BBB website for MerchantE, with an average rating of 1/5 stars. There are no customer complaints filed against the business.
Negative Feedback
MerchantE has terrible service; they kept funds for over a week in Feb of 2023 before depositing them to our account. Then we had customers who were charged twice by MerchantE with no follow-up by MerchantE to either us when we asked for help. In that same month, I never got deposit reports that matched what was deposited into our bank account while we spent hours on the phone trying to get help for our customers who were charged twice. We tried to return credit card machines several times and were not sent labels and once we did get labels and sent the machines back, MerchantE continued to charge us and lost their tracking on the delivery. They told us that we were under contract for another six months when we tried to cancel but when questioned said that actually we were not under contract. They have cost us clients and business and many, many hours of employee time. And now, after being told that we are all paid up and can close our account, we still owe them money but do not provide info on what the charges are for. If I could give them less than a one-star review, I would! – Review from May 23, 2023
Positive Feedback
There are no positive reviews published about MerchantE on the BBB website.
Source: BBB
TrustRadius Rating Analysis for MerchantE Solutions
MerchantE Solutions has a score of 6.8 out of 10 on TrustRadius, based on 2 reviews. The reviews highlight the software’s integration with NetSuite ERP system and its ability to process credit card payments and collect money faster. However, there are concerns about the user interface and account support for smaller businesses.
Negative Feedback
There are no specific negative user reviews available on TrustRadius for MerchantE Solutions.
Positive Feedback
We use Merchant e-Solutions company-wide to handle and process all of our credit card payments. As a distribution company selling B2B, we were having to wait for check payments from our customers for orders. When we were able to accept credit card payments, we were able to collect money much faster. They are a great solution for any company using NetSuite’s ERP platform as it is a direct integration into the software platform. They are able to accept all major credit card providers and their rates seem to be in line with the industry. – Review from April 23, 2020
Source: TrustRadius
Merchant e-Solutions Fees, Rates & Costs
A Closer Look at The Contract
| Cancellation Penalties | Yes |
|---|---|
| Monthly & Annual Fees | Yes |
| Processing Rates | Variable |
| Equipment Leasing | Unclear |
Three-Year Agreement
According to the company’s standard contract, terms and conditions, and the company’s pricing table found on its website, Merchant e-Solutions typically offers a 3-year agreement with automatic renewal for one year, an early termination fee of $300, an annual PCI Compliance fee of $34.95, a $20 monthly minimum fee, a chargeback fee of $25, a qualified rate of 2.69% plus $0.30 per transaction, and an additional 1.95% plus $0.10 for Non-Qualified transactions. This pricing table is co-branded with PayPal, suggesting that some of the listed fees may be charged by PayPal rather than Merchant e-Solutions.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing
In addition to its storefront payment processing services, Merchant e-Solutions also advertises its virtual terminal and payment gateway services on its website. However, pricing for these services is not disclosed. Additional rates and fees, including gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and additional transaction rates, typically apply to these e-commerce services.
Beware of Liquidated Damages
A separate document detailing the company’s terms and conditions describes a liquidated damages early termination fee, which is calculated based on the greater of $300 or the product of the average monthly Processing Fees over the most recent 6 months multiplied by the number of remaining months in the contract. Complaints and company rebuttals online confirm this liquidated damages fee, as well as an annual PCI Compliance fee of up to $69.95 with a $15-25 monthly minimum fee. While the PCI Compliance fee is slightly lower than usual, these terms are less competitive than those offered by the cheapest merchant accounts. We therefore assign the company a “D” grade in this category.
Contract Complaints
It’s worth noting that the company has received complaints about its contract terms, particularly regarding the liquidated damages fee. Business owners are encouraged to review the terms and conditions carefully before signing up for services. We also recommend exploring our list of the best merchant services.
Merchant e-Solutions Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs
Should You Work For Them?
| Uses Independent Resellers | Yes |
|---|---|
| Telemarketing | Likely through independent agents |
| Misleading Marketing | No |
| Discloses All Important Terms | No |
Outside Agents and Resellers
Merchant e-Solutions appears to rely on referrals and partnerships with ISOs and independent sales agents to market its services. This marketing practice can often result in an elevated complaint rate, as it is difficult for any company to regulate the conduct of a network of independent sales entities. In this case, we have located a handful of Merchant e-Solutions reviews that mention undisclosed fees and contract terms, specifically with respect to the company’s automatic renewal clause. This does not compare favorably to our list of best credit card processors.
No Deceptive Quotes
The company does not appear to engage in any deceptive advertising strategies in its official materials. However, the nature of its available complaints inclines us to award its sales team a “B” for now. If you suspect that you have had undisclosed fees added to your Merchant e-Solutions contract, we advise seeking a third-party statement audit to eliminate hidden charges.
Our Merchant e-Solutions Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts
Merchant e-Solutions rates as an average credit card processing provider according to our rating system. The company is showing a slightly lower complaint rate than is typically expected of a company of its size and time in business, but its contract terms lower its overall rating in this review. As always, businesses are advised to carefully examine the terms of any contract they are given and to consider opting for a top-rated credit card processor for the most competitive terms and rates.
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Kerri Lovelace
This company is terrible when it comes to Customer Satisfaction. They have been our Credit Card Processor since 2008! The fees have increased with an excelerated rate over the last few years. We are now at 5-7% fees on any credit card payments being processed. Because of this I called to close our account. I was told there would be a $500 Penalty to close the account. They stated we are under contract. This is totally incorrect. The original agreement that was signed was a one year agreement! How can they get away with this? Beware of this company!!!!
Cheryl Bardhi
This company is the worst I have been with them for over 20 years this company is highway robery no one help you period talk to ten different people all help you in a different way
But can never fix the problem got a new terminal have downloaded over ten times still can’t get it correct calling the ceo tommrow mike rouse this company owes me a lot of money be ware it was bought out buy the Japanese two years ago the owner
Owns Toyota of Japan we are all being screwed I’m not joking !!!!
John
Long-time Merchante-Solutions client (10+ years). We’ve waited 7 days for them to call us back, calling them 4 times ourselves trying to reach the correct human. For some reason, they play interference with every phone call and won’t let you reach the right person. Rude customer service who claim “they’re doing everything they can” when virtually nothing is being done. Claim they will respond by “end of day” then “within 72 hours”, meanwhile our company is completely SHUT DOWN because we can’t use this processor anymore. Do you know what it means to an online company that suddenly loses it’s credit card processing ability? That’s like $400,000 in lost sales (already) growing every single day. Now we’ve got angry customers lining up, calling us and attacking us when the real problem is Merchante. We’re dumping this company forever. Be advised – they really don’t care about you as a business, even if you’ve processed millions in credit card payments. They don’t care if you lodge a complaint either. They don’t care about you at all. Be warned – use somebody else. We will happily join a class action suit against this company, which we think is sure to happen.
Lisa Ruiz
I went for almost 2 years without a charge going through their system all while paying their normal fee plus a NON PCI Compliance fee for almost 2 years. This business has no respect or conscious when it comes to helping and protecting it’s business owners. NEED TO KNOW 1. EVERY Processor has a different and individual PCI compliance hoop that you have to pass. I have passed many PCI compliance test and have certificates but they did not honor it because it was not “Their” PCI Compliance. We cancelled the service today and want to warn everyone to be on the alert. Such a scam that when your account becomes inactive for so long, they don’t notify you and just keep on Charging. If my new bookkeeper hadn’t of caught and questioned it…we would still be paying an atrocious fee. MERCHANTE…bull foot.
DENISE
I have been a customer with them since 2012 – I never had a problem except for today. I have been calling the customer service department for help since 8 am was told at one point I would become a priority since I am not able to run cards for our business. Nothing no callback, I am again sitting on hold forever and nothing is being done to correct the issue. Once again press 1 and someone will get back to you. yeah right
Scott
I was on a 3-year contract with specific fees. They then added a new “business hub fee” and simply started charging it, claiming I was now getting more services. They agreed that I never asked for the new services, and was not making use of them, and that they were not in my contracted fees, but refused to remove them.
After trying 3 days to reach a supervisor, she told me that the fee “replaces” another fee I had been charged (but was still higher), except that they charged me both the new fee and the one it supposedly replaced.
I was twice put on hold to talk to a supervisor, and both times disconnected after a wait on hold.
They used to have decent customer service, but they have really become impossible.
Leanne Fuchs
So I called to get some information concerning my account and update my online account. I am the OWNER of the BUSINESS!!!! The representative told me that he could not help me because I was not the authorized person on the account. Again, I AM THE OWNER!!!!!!! I told the representative this again and he said it didn’t matter. I what land does it not matter that you ARE THE OWNER. So I had to contact the previous employee and have her tell them she no longer worked there and that I WAS THE OWNER. Then I finished this phone call and was told that I would be sent an email within minutes with a password reset so I could get to my account and information I needed. The email NEVER came through, so I called them again and they proceeded to tell my office manager that since they had no proof I was the owner that I would need to send a copy of the corporation’s taxes with my name on them to prove I am the OWNER!!! It’s laughable since, my sister, the previous office manager and who was the prior authorized person NEVER had to do any of this and she was allowed access to my accounts. Yet, I AM THE OWNER and was made to do all of these extra steps. I find it completely ludicrous their policies and actually not consistent with what was required of others.
J Benoit
merchant e-solutions is a financial trap to small businesses. They lock you in a 3-year contract with automatic annual renewals. If you want to cancel your contract they force you to submit a 90 notice then pay a $500 cancellation fee. The way they handle their business is completely unfair to the small business person. I highly recommend you find another source to accept credit card payments. These thieves will take all they can from you.
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
– Phillip
Business Owner
Listen to the other reviewers ~ they will not let you leave without reaming you for extra fees!!
I was with Merchant e-solutions for 13 years. They are continuing to charge me $15 month “until the end of my contract” (13 years isn’t long enough???).
Regarding service, God forbid your credit card machine goes down. You’ll be on hold forevvvverrrrr waiting for help, especially if you call on the weekend.
***Horrible all around company! Steer clear!!!
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
– Phillip
Anne Cornelius
My rep had been pressuring me to sign a new contract for some reduced fees. Meanwhile, I got a proposal from another vendor that did not require a contract. And the fees were less. After being with merchant e-solutions for 8 years, I told them I wanted to cancel. The first person I spoke with said he would make it effective that day. No problem. Then my rep called and said there would be early termination fees, because I am in the middle of an automatic renewal contract! This after 8 years with them! I am waiting for a supervisor to address this now. Meanwhile, beware of this company. Very unprofessional and unscrupulous.
From The Editor
This Post Might Help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
Sharie Thomas
This is the type of company that would scam a small nonprofit organization. They conned us into believing that their credit card swipe device would be compatible with our current device. It is not. We are paying money each month for a product that we’re unable to use. Not to mention that we were never told about a 3 year contract that somehow we’re tied into. This company is disgusting.
From The Editor
This Post Might Help: Best Merchant Accounts for Non-Profits
Cliffhanger
These guys are crooks, they never say one word to you about the automatic renewal of the contract after you have honestly fulfilled your 3 year commitment with them . This is bad business and I wish every pissed off business owner could find this website and hammer them, that is the only way Merchant-e-solutions will ever stop doing this to people. I have a feeling now that they have been open for over 3 years we will see a lot more of these reviews, and then they will close doors and open under another name.
Dave Maxfield
This company is a compete total SCAM and Crooks.
They charge you like 25 hidden fees per Month, on top of the 2.95% per sale that you pay them to process your payments. I am not KIDDING YOU, they charge you like 25 hidden fees per Month, which can easily add up to 10% of your Sales.
AVOID them like Plague.
They are bunch of Criminals :(
Dave Powell
Service is terrible. On hold for almost 5 minutes. A long time when customers are waiting. I have had approval numbers on slip and they would still delay batching money to our bank. One of their managers personally promised me a credit to my account which she admitted was their mistake. Still have not seen that credit. We are getting ready to change soon.
Linda Krasinski
Horrible customer service. Takes weeks and months for someone to get back to you.
Justice
This company is a crook. I just called them to cancel and they said it would cost of $4,000.00 because of liquidated damages, which they use last 6 months processing revenue against the remainder of the contract. :( What a rip off to force merchants to stay when they are not happy.
JJ Winters
Predators who take advantage of small businesses who are loyal to them. Auto renew their contracts and charge staggering fees to terminate. Find another payment processor!!
stan hampton
Charge my Amex card $3667.00 and I do no business with them at all. Total scam.
Tobacco stop
This is the most worst company out there to do your processing
This company shut down my prosseseng with a 5 minute notice and are holding $183,000.00 dollars of mine.
This company will put your business out of business. There team are liars they charge high rates and still don’t pay you
I think the company should go under investigation and the CEO should be behind bars.