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(800) 616-8415
Company Overview
Founded in 2006, Merchant Processing Company, also known as MPC Solutions, is a merchant account provider that appears to be a DBA of Crescent Processing Company. This is evidenced by the fact that at the time of a previous update, the old Crescent Processing website URL redirected to Merchant Processing Company’s website, as well as the presence of similar branding and identifying information between the two websites of the two companies. For example, previously the Merchant Processing Company logo is simply the old Crescent Processing Company logo with the word “Merchant” superimposed over it in a different font.
A Company of Many Names
Crescent Processing Company has created multiple DBAs and rebranded multiple times since its founding. The company is affiliated with two defunct providers called Park Central Company and Future Payment Technologies, although the evidence suggests that both Park Central and Future Payment Technologies were simply DBAs or wholly owned subsidiaries of Crescent. Crescent also created Talus Payments, but Talus has since been acquired by a new ownership group and does not have any current connection to Crescent Processing Company or MPC.
Merchant Processing Company Payment Processing
Merchant Processing Company processes most major debit and credit cards for high-risk businesses. Their services include EMV swipers, wireless swipers, a virtual terminal, check processing, gift cards, receipt capture, and cash advances.
Point of Sale (POS) Systems
MPC provides POS systems that enable businesses to manage their sales, inventory, and payment processing. The POS systems come with features such as inventory management, employee management, and customer management. Additionally, the platform offers POS systems that can be customized to meet the specific needs of a business.
Virtual Terminal
MPC provides businesses with a virtual terminal that allows them to accept payments from anywhere. The virtual terminal can be accessed through any web-enabled device, making it easy for businesses to process payments on the go. The virtual terminal also comes with features such as recurring payments and electronic invoicing.
E-commerce Solutions
MPC provides e-commerce solutions that enable businesses to sell products and services online. The platform supports various e-commerce platforms, including Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento. Additionally, it provides users with a virtual terminal that allows them to accept payments over the phone or through email.
Gift Card Processing
MPC offers gift card processing services that enable businesses to offer gift cards to their customers. The platform provides customizable gift card templates and allows businesses to manage their gift card programs easily.
Location & Ownership
Merchant Processing Company lists its address as 259 Nassau St #115, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, which is different from the Dallas, Texas headquarters that most of Crescent Processing Company’s DBAs have listed. At the time of our last update to this review, the MPC website’s “Executive Team” page used the same photos and biographical text for each of the company’s executives but had changed David Kesler’s name to Brian Johnson, Chris Dierks’ name to Carter Davis, and Jim Davis’ name to Jim Benson. This is extremely suspicious, but it may simply indicate that Merchant Processing Company is under new ownership despite its use of Crescent’s old branding and website. As of this update, the “Executive Team” page on MPC’s website lists no information. Merchant Processing Company is a registered ISO/MSP of Esquire Bank.
Table of Contents
- Costs & Contract: Appears to offer a four-year contract with…
- Complaints & Service: Complaints number few to none at…
- BBB Rating: Does not have a profile with…
- Sales & Marketing: Hires independent sales agents and appears to…
Merchant Processing Company specifically markets itself to high-risk businesses
Merchant Processing Company 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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Recent Lawsuits
Unclear
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No Public Complaints
We are unable to locate any negative Merchant Processing Company reviews at this time, but this is almost certainly due to the company’s generic name and the short amount of time that the company has been operating under this name. The company’s obvious affiliation with Crescent Processing Company inclines us to factor Crescent’s reputation and complaint record into Merchant Processing Company’s review until the company generates independent merchant feedback of its own. If you have your own Merchant Processing Company review to make, please do so in the comments below.
Crescent Processing’s Complaint Record
Crescent Processing Company and its DBAs have a high number of complaints. Crescent Processing Company alone has more than 90 complaints. The common themes among the negative Crescent Processing Company reviews are claims of higher-than-quoted processing fees and other unexpected/undisclosed fees, and that agents failed to disclose a $495 cancellation fee in connection with a three to four-year auto-renewing contract. Several clients have also reported that Crescent continued to debit fees even after the account was canceled.
Merchant Processing Company Lawsuits and Fines
We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against Merchant Processing Company. Again, however, the incredibly generic name for this company makes it very difficult to find lawsuits specifically referring to it and not other merchant processing companies. Dissatisfied merchants who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.
Merchant Processing Company Customer Support Options
Merchant Processing Company only offers a contact form on its website and a phone number to call a consultant. A few Crescent Processing Company reviews indicate a poor level of customer service and long wait times when attempting to resolve problems. Most of the problems appear to be traced back to the sales agent as the source of the problems due to non-disclosure of terms and fees; however, Crescent’s business practices seem to allow for these types of problems to occur.
Merchant Processing Company Customer Service Numbers
- (800) 616-8415 – Toll-Free Customer Support
We see no reason at this time to assume that Merchant Processing Company offers a better customer service experience than Crescent Processing Company, and we have therefore assigned it a grade of “C.”
Merchant Processing Company BBB Rating and Report
Our Better Business Bureau Profile Assessment
No BBB Profile Available
The Better Business Bureau does not maintain a profile for Merchant Processing Company at this time, nor does it maintain a profile for Crescent Processing Company any longer. When its profile was last active, Crescent Processing had been given an “A” rating by the BBB despite receiving 288 complaints. Our review gave the company an “F” rating.
The BBB does not maintain a profile for Future Payment Technologies any longer either. With the lack of any active profiles between its multiple DBAs, we will not factor the BBB into this review until it establishes a profile for Merchant Processing Company.
Merchant Processing Company Fees and Rates
A Closer Look at the Contract
Cost Summary
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Cancellation Penalties
Yes
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Monthly & Annual Fees
Undisclosed
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Processing Rates
1.00% - 4.99%
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Equipment Leasing
Yes
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Four-Year Contract
Merchant Processing Company’s relationship to Crescent Processing Company suggests that it likely offers similar terms to Crescent. The typical Crescent Processing Company standard contract appears to be a four-year automatically renewing contract with a $495 Early Termination Fee (ETF). It is unclear at the time of this update if the company also charges an annual or monthly PCI Compliance Fee. MPC’s website lists a PCI Compliance and Security Page that states its clients were charged a PCI Compliance fee of $89 in 2010, but does not mention if this was a monthly or annual fee. Businesses are encouraged to carefully read and understand their Merchant Processing Company contracts before signing with the company.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing
In addition to its storefront payment processing services, Merchant Processing Company also dedicates a portion of its website to advertising its virtual terminal and payment gateway services. However, pricing is not disclosed for those services. Additional Merchant Processing Company rates and fees, including gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and additional transaction rates typically apply to these e-commerce services.
Beware Long-Term Equipment Leases
Merchant Processing Company’s sales agents also appear to receive additional commissions for selling long-term credit card terminal leases that may come with additional expensive contracts. We always advise business owners to never lease processing hardware, because it is the most expensive way to obtain it. Buy your equipment and shop around before purchasing it. We encourage businesses to check out our list of the providers of the best merchant services.
More of the Same
We have no reason to expect that Merchant Processing Company offers more competitive contract terms than its predecessors. If you have any additional information about Merchant Processing Company fees or its contract, please leave it in the comment section of this review.
Merchant Processing Company also advertises a virtual terminal
Merchant Processing Company Jobs and Employment
Hiring Standards and Ethical Marketing Assessment
Key Points
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Uses Independent Resellers
Yes
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Telemarketing
Likely
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Misleading Marketing
No
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Discloses All Important Terms
No
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Independent Sales Team
Merchant Processing Company relies heavily on hiring independent outside agents and resellers to market and sell its services. This type of sales program usually encourages agents to sell expensive, long-term merchant account contracts in exchange for high commissions. We are unable to locate any Merchant Processing Company reviews at this time that specifically refer to sales, but this is likely due to the fact that the company has only been active under this name for a few years. It should also be noted that using this extremely generic name makes it difficult to find information and complaints about the company, as “merchant processing company” is a very commonly used term in the industry. This may be a purposeful tactic on the part of MPC. This does not compare favorably to our list of best credit card processors.
The Crescent Processing Experience
Due to Crescent Processing Company’s well-established reputation for generating sales complaints and Merchant Processing Company’s obvious relationship to Crescent, we will assign the company a grade of “C” in this section. If you suspect that Merchant Processing Company is overcharging you, then you can double-check your monthly bill with a third-party statement audit.
Merchant Processing Company Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts and Opinions
Merchant Processing Company rates as an average credit card processing provider based largely on the reputation of its predecessor, Crescent Processing Company. It is unclear at this time whether Merchant Processing Company is under entirely new ownership, and, if it is, whether the new owners plan to run the company differently than Crescent’s management team. For now, businesses should assume that MPC operates in a similar fashion to Crescent and its various DBAs. They should also compare MPC’s contract terms and services to those offered by top-rated payment processors in order to obtain the best possible deal.
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Customer & Employee Reviews
What Others Are Saying About Merchant Processing Company