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Is Merchant Focus the Right POS Solution for Your Business?

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Maintained Since: November 8, 2011

We take our role in providing guidance and education regarding the card payment industry very seriously. At our own expense, we have vigorously defended our right to continue expose unethical and predatory practices in the industry, successfully defeating every attempt to silence us. However, fending off frivolous lawsuits is costly. To sustain these efforts, one of the ways we generate revenue is through affiliate partnerships with ethical providers. This means that some of our outgoing links connect business owners to trustworthy, low-cost payment processors, which is what most of our readers seek. We see this revenue channel as a win-win-win for everyone involved. Business owners find good processors, processors get good clients, and we are able to continue to provide a valuable service to the small business community. We also recommend and link to many services that do not compensate us. Our priority is to guide you to the best solutions for your needs, regardless of potential revenue. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us.

All mentions of rate and fee costs are estimations based on publicly available information and client feedback. Actual costs may vary based on a variety of factors unique to your business.

Merchant Focus
Rating
B
4/5
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Pros

Multiple Payment Options
High-Risk Tolerance
Quick account setup
Mobile payment solutions
Transparent pricing

Cons

Early cancellation fees
Monthly minimum fees
Potential fund holds
No international services
High Rates

Overview

In this Merchant Focus review, we’ll take a clear look at their credit card processing services, including point-of-sale (POS) systems, mobile payment options, and e-commerce tools. We’ll outline which types of businesses may benefit most, while also examining customer reviews to highlight common feedback and concerns. Along with features, we’ll cover pricing, contract terms, and service details so you know what to expect. By the end, you’ll have the insights you need to decide whether Merchant Focus is the right fit for your business’s payment processing needs.

About Merchant Focus

Screen Capture of Merchant Focus Homepage
Merchant Focus Homepage

Merchant Focus, also known as “Established Merchant Focus,” is a small to mid-sized merchant account provider based out of Dublin, Ohio. The company was established in 2004 and appears to focus solely on providing credit card processing services. Merchant Focus also has a sister company called “Established Merchants Only” that serves businesses with over $250,000 in credit card sales per year. Merchant Focus was founded by the two co-founders of e-onlinedata, which they sold in 2007 to PowerPay (now EVO Payments International). The founder of PowerPay, Steve Goodrich, is now a partner at Merchant Focus. Merchant Focus also acts as the processor for the mobile credit card processing services Inner Fence and AppNinja’s Swipe.

Products & Merchant Services

Payment Processing

Merchant Focus offers merchant accounts for most business types and industries. Merchant Focus utilizes (link unavailable) for its payment gateway and e-commerce processing services.

Online Payment Gateway

An online payment gateway is a tool for facilitating secure online transactions. It acts as the intermediary between a customer’s payment method and the merchant’s bank, ensuring that sensitive payment information is encrypted and processed securely. An online payment gateway supports various payment options, including credit cards, digital wallets, and ACH payments.

POS Solutions

Point of Sale (POS) solutions are for businesses that handle in-person transactions. These systems allow for efficient management of sales, inventory, and customer data, all within a single platform. Modern POS solutions support a variety of payment methods, including credit cards, mobile payments, and gift cards, ensuring a smooth checkout process.

Mobile Card Acceptance Hardware

Mobile card acceptance hardware is for businesses that need the flexibility to accept payments on the go. These devices, which typically connect to smartphones or tablets, allow merchants to process credit and debit card transactions anywhere, whether at a physical location, event, or in the field. Mobile card readers support various payment methods, including EMV chip cards and contactless payments.

Customer Reviews & Sentiment

Low Number of Merchant Focus Complaints

With less than 10 negative Merchant Focus reviews found on popular online forums, the company demonstrates a relatively clean complaint record. Issues commonly mentioned include dissatisfaction with customer service, challenges in canceling accounts, and concerns over fund-holds. Additionally, we experienced some difficulty in contacting a sales agent via phone; however, we eventually connected with an agent through the “Live Chat” feature on their website. If you have a review or experience to share about Merchant Focus, please contribute in the comments below.

Lawsuits & Government Actions

Our search revealed no outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints against Merchant Focus. Clients seeking non-litigious avenues to address issues with the company are encouraged to report them to relevant supervisory organizations.

Merchant Focus Customer Support Options

While not a critical issue, some clients might find the challenge of reaching Merchant Focus staff via phone problematic. The company does provide phone and email support to its clients, although these channels seem less efficient compared to leading payment processors known for excellent customer service.

Industry Scores & User Ratings

Online Ratings Summary
PaymentPop5
BBB RatingN/A
Trustpilot1.7
Google Maps4
Average Rating3.23

PaymentPop Rating for Merchant Focus

Negative Feedback

There are no negative reviews published about Merchant Focus on the PaymentPop website.

Positive Feedback

Merchant Focus provided a smooth setup and didn’t try to sell us services we didn’t need. The platform has worked consistently, and we haven’t run into any billing surprises. When questions came up, their team was quick to respond and helpful.

Merchant Focus BBB Rating

As of this update, the Better Business Bureau maintains a profile for Merchant Focus under the name “Established Merchant Focus” and is reporting that the company has been accredited since 2006. The BBB is awarding an “A+” rating based on 1 complaint being filed in the last 36 months. The complaint was resolved to the dissatisfaction of the merchant or received no final response.

What Customers Say

Merchant Focus has received no informal reviews in the past 36 months. Prior to that period, we documented one negative review. That review expresses a client concerned with being unable to resolve an issue with customer service:

This business is a scam, don’t ever use them. They take advantage of small business owners with no regard for proper customer service. They charged me month upon month for a service I wasn’t even using. I had spoken once with a salesperson to see if I was eligible for their payment processing app, was told my business was under review, and then charged monthly without any warning. A good business would have called me to confirm my business was approved, reached out when they saw I wasn’t using the service (yet still being charged), and provided a full refund when I finally realized who they were (the charges were labeled non-descriptively in my bank statements so I had no idea what it even was. Do not do business with these guys!!

Readers seeking to avoid issues such as this could benefit from choosing a provider that offers excellent customer service.

An “A” Performance Overall

Given the company’s complaint total and resolution ratio, we agree with the BBB’s rating at this time.

Trustpilot Rating for Merchant Focus

Merchant Focus has a 1.2 out of 5 star rating based on 48 user reviews on Trustpilot.

Positive Feedback

Merchant Focus went above and beyond in helping me. It is greatly appreciated.

Negative Feedback

Very high rates, unreasonable processor

Google Maps Rating for Merchant Focus

Merchant Focus has a 4 out of 5 star rating based on 12 user reviews on Google Maps.

Positive Feedback

I use a virtual portal and I have no issues entering charges for receiving bank deposits. Very satisfied with the service.

Negative Feedback

Horrible to deal with. The owner kept swearing and cussing at me. The owner thinks he’s above of everyone

Processing Rates & Fees

Merchant Focus’ Merchant Account Contract

Merchant Focus offers month-to-month contracts without an early termination fee, simplifying the process for businesses looking to maintain flexibility. Clients are required to provide written notice for cancellation to avoid any penalties, a policy that supports business owners in managing their accounts more effectively. Rates and fees with Merchant Focus vary depending on the business’s processing needs, transaction volume, and the specific industry, offering tailored solutions for diverse business models.

Merchant Account Pricing, Rates, and Fees

Merchant Focus discloses various pricing details on its website, including a qualified credit card processing rate for retail businesses at 1.69% plus $0.25. For mid-qualified transactions, rates go up to 2.29% plus $0.25. Internet and MOTO transactions are charged at 2.19% plus $0.24, alongside a statement fee of $10 and a monthly minimum fee of $15. Keyed-in transactions incur a rate of 2.89% + $0.29. While there’s some indication that interchange-plus pricing might be available for larger businesses, it’s not prominently featured on the website.

Merchant Focus partners with Authorize.net for payment gateway and e-commerce processing services, applying a $0.15 batch fee, a $25 monthly gateway fee, and a transaction fee of 2.9% plus $0.30.

The company promotes a cash discount program, which implements a fixed surcharge on all products and waives this fee for cash payments. This model transfers the cost of electronic payment acceptance to consumers using non-cash methods, with surcharges typically ranging from 1% to 4%. This approach helps business owners mitigate the costs associated with payment processing.

Merchant Focus also caters to high-risk businesses, offering specialized rates that may differ from the standard pricing structure. While the company’s pricing structure seems reasonable, businesses are encouraged to compare these terms with other competitive merchant accounts to ensure the best deal.

Merchant Focus surcharge program
Merchant Focus’ surcharge program

Employee Reviews & Sales Practices

Merchant Focus Jobs and Employment

Merchant Focus seems to rely heavily upon the use of independent resellers and sales agents, a practice which would normally lower a company’s rating; however, there are no Merchant Focus reviews that accuse the company’s sales agents of unethical conduct. The only factor negatively affecting the company’s rating in this section is its promotion of “Qualified” rate quotes on some of its pricing pages. These pages often do not make any mention of the higher “Mid-Qualified” and “Non-Qualified” rates that clients will pay on the majority of transactions, which could give businesses an unrealistic expectation of the rates they will pay. However, on a few of its pricing pages, the company does list Mid-Qualified and Non-Qualified rates and also appears to promote interchange-plus pricing, in some cases.

No Widespread Sales Issues

To its credit, Merchant Focus has not suffered the usual complaints associated with this marketing strategy and therefore will maintain a high rating in this section until evidence surfaces to the contrary.  If you suspect that you are being charged undisclosed fees, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to find and eliminate hidden charges.

Merchant Focus Competitors

Compare Merchant Focus to competitors that earned top marks.

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Bottom Line

Merchant Focus ranks high in credit card processing. Merchant Focus stands out by providing month-to-month contracts as a standard practice with no cancellation fee. In addition, it appears to offer competitive pricing and quality service, even when measured against some of the top credit card processors.

However, based on our observations, one area for improvement would be increasing the availability of the company’s sales staff over the phone. Enhancing this aspect of customer support could ensure more seamless communication and improve the client onboarding process. Nevertheless, Merchant Focus remains a solid contender, and its flexible contracts and transparent pricing make it an attractive option for businesses seeking a reliable payment processing partner.

Read Actual User Reviews

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All user reviews have been moved to our partner, PaymentPop.com

Contact Merchant Focus

Contact & Customer Support
CEOJohn Waldron
PresidentJason McLeod
Headquarters400 Riverside St. Suite A-1 Portland, ME 04103
Customer Support800-895-4085
Additional Support ChannelsOnline Contact Form and Live Chat
Websitemerchantfocus.com