Orion Payment Systems (Houston) Overview
In this review of Orion Payment Systems (Houston), we examine the company’s payment processing services, pricing structure, customer feedback, and overall reputation.
Customer Reviews & Sentiment
"They make complex payment systems feel simple."
Low Complaint Total
We have located only 1 negative Orion Payment Systems review outside of the BBB, and this complaint does not call the company a scam or a ripoff. The complainant describes poor service when attempting to correct a payment duplication error. Although this complaint is highly critical of the company’s efforts, it is the only one of its kind. This nearly clean complaint record is impressive considering that Orion Payment Systems shares a name with another, unrelated merchant account provider in Illinois. It appears that both companies generally offer dependable customer support and do an excellent job of resolving complaints in-house.
Orion Payment Systems Lawsuits
We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against Orion Payment Systems. Dissatisfied merchants who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.
Orion Payment Systems Customer Support Options
The Orion Payment Systems website lists a dedicated customer support phone number, but it’s unclear whether Orion itself or the company’s backend processor services this line. Although we do not consider Orion Payment Systems to be a top credit card processor for customer service, its support channels seem to keep merchants satisfied for the most part.
Client Satisfaction Ratings
| Product & Service Complaints | 0 |
|---|---|
| Billing & Collection Complaints | 0 |
| Advertising & Sales Complaints | 0 |
| Guarantee & Warranty Complaints | 0 |
| Delivery Complaints | 0 |
No BBB Complaints
The Better Business Bureau currently assigns an “A+” rating to Orion Payment Systems but is no longer accredited as it had been since 2008 at the time of our last review. The company has had 0 complaints filed against it in the past 36 months. There are no other reviews or warnings on Orion’s BBB profile.
An “A” Rating
Given the company’s clean complaint record, we agree with the BBB’s rating in this case. Merchants should note, however, that there are good reasons to be skeptical of the BBB’s rating system.
Card Processing Rates & Fees
Orion Payment Systems Pricing
The standard Orion Payment Systems contract outlines a three-year agreement through Global Payments with automatic renewal for one-year terms. The fees listed include an early termination fee equal to the lesser of $295 or the maximum amount allowed under state law, an annual PCI compliance fee of $49, a PCI noncompliance fee of $20 per month, and a monthly regulatory fee of $4.50. Variable monthly minimum fees and application fees may also apply. The merchant agreement also mentions the option to lease equipment through Global Payments, whose standard equipment leases are non-cancellable for a term of 48 months.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing
In addition to its storefront payment processing services, Orion Payment Systems also dedicates a portion of its website that advertises its virtual terminal and payment gateway. The company is partnered with eProcessingNetwork and Sage Payment Solutions for these services. However, pricing on either of those services is not disclosed. However, eProcessing Network charges a $0.05 per transaction gateway fee and a monthly fee of up to $10 per month, which could apply to merchants using their payment gateway through Orion Payment Systems. However, this is not confirmed by the company’s standard contract. Additional rates and fees, including gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and additional transaction rates typically apply to these e-commerce services.
Level 2 and Level 3 Processing Services
In addition to its traditional merchant services, Orion Payment Systems also advertises that it provides level 2 and level 3 processing for b2b and b2g transactions. Level 2 and level 3 processing rely upon different interchange rates than traditional consumer credit transactions. Accommodating those rates requires different payment processing technology from a merchant account provider to transmit the amount of data required to facilitate the transactions. These services are reserved for b2b and b2g purchases that utilize corporate credit cards. Merchants who process between 1 million and 6 million Visa or MasterCard transactions qualify for level 2 processing through Orion. Merchants who process between 20,000 and 1 million Visa or MasterCard e-commerce transactions qualify for level 3 processing with the company.
Industry-Average Terms
These contract terms are essentially average for the merchant services industry. However, we have not found any Orion Payment Systems complaints regarding the company’s pricing and fees, which indicates that most merchants are comfortable with the amounts they are being charged. We have therefore assigned the company a “B” rating in this section, but urge merchants to compare Orion’s rates to low-cost alternatives. If you have had any experience with the Orion Payment Systems contract, please share that information in the comment section below this review.
Employee Reviews & Sales Practices
No Sales Complaints
According to its website, Orion Payment Systems primarily markets its services through a network of independent sales agents. The use of independent agents is commonly tied to elevated complaint rates within the industry because these sales reps tend to receive minimal training and oversight. Orion Payment Systems, however, appears to be an exception, since we have found no merchant complaints that mention deception or nondisclosure by the company’s sales team.
No Deceptive Rate Quotes
Given this low complaint rate and the fact that the company does not engage in deceptive rate quoting on its website, we will assign it an “A” rating in this category for the time being. If you suspect that you have had undisclosed fees added to your Orion Payment Systems contract, however, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to eliminate hidden charges.
Bottom Line
A Solid Payment Processor
Orion Payment Systems rates as a reliable merchant services provider according to our rating criteria. The company has a very low complaint volume and appears to offer fairly standard terms for the industry. Even when dealing with a highly rated processor, merchants should be sure to inquire about all potential costs and terms before signing up for service and to compare all pricing to the top overall providers.
Orion Payment Systems (Houston) Rating
