Premier Merchant Processing Review

Premier Merchant Processing Logo
Overall Score
3.6
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UPDATED 3/4/2019: Premier Merchant Processing appears to have changed its name to USPAY Group. See our USPAY Group review for up-to-date information about this company.

Premier Merchant Processing, LLC (processpremier.com) is a merchant account provider that caters to a wide range of merchants, from start-up businesses to multi-location franchises. Serving merchants in the U.S., the company’s services include processing of all major credit card and debit card brands, online processing through its proprietary LUCY gateway, mobile payment solutions, check conversion and guarantee, and gift and loyalty card programs. The company is located at 3601 Hempstead Turnpike, Levittown, New York 11756. Premier Merchant Processing is a registered ISO/MSP of BMO Harris Bank, N.A., Chicago, Illinois.

Premier Merchant Services Customer Reviews

Customer Reviews Summary
Total Online Complaints <10
Live Customer Support Yes
Most Common Complaint N/A

Outside of the BBB, we were only able to locate three Premier Merchant Processing complaints, all of which were found in the comment section of this review. These complaints reported undisclosed fees and unauthorized debiting of personal accounts. For its size and time in business, Premier has a very low complaint count, which seems to indicate a responsive and readily available customer service team. The company’s website offers a phone number and an email address for customer support.

Premier Merchant Services Customer Satisfaction Ratings

Online Ratings Summary
Product & Service Complaints 0
Billing & Collection Complaints 2
Advertising & Sales Complaints 3
Guarantee & Warranty Complaints 0
Delivery Complaints 0

Note: We have adjusted this company’s BBB rating according to our own standards. To better understand why we adjust BBB ratings, please see our Rating Criteria.

Premier Merchant Processing has been an accredited business of the Better Business Bureau since 2010 and has an “A+” rating at this time of review. A total of five complaints have been filed against the company, including two for billing and collection issues and three having to do with advertising or sales problems. Two complaints were resolved to the satisfaction of the merchant, while the remaining three either were resolved to the merchant’s dissatisfaction or did not receive a final response from the merchant. In light of these figures, we have adjusted the BBB‘s rating to an “A-.”

Premier Merchant Services Fees, Rates & Contract

Rates & Fees Summary
Swiped Rate Variable
Keyed-in Rate Variable
Early Termination Fee $250
PCI Compliance Fee $79
Equipment Lease Terms 48 Months, Non-Cancellable

According to reports on this site and elsewhere, the standard Premier contract is likely to include an annual fee of $79, a monthly noncompliance fee of $14.95, and an early termination fee of $250. These fee amounts are slightly lower than industry averages, although they may be negotiable depending on a merchant’s time in business and business type. It is also worth mentioning that Premier’s “Partners” page includes the Northern Leasing Systems logo, indicating that the company resells Northern Leasing equipment. Northern Leasing is one of the lowest-rated providers on CardPaymentOptions.com due to its habit of selling expensive, long-term, non-cancellable equipment leases. When dealing with Premier, merchants should ensure that they do not sign up for equipment through Northern Leasing Systems.

Overall, though, a lack of complaints about this company seems to indicate that most Premier clients are satisfied with their contract terms. If you have any information about the standard Premier contract, please leave it in the comment section of this review.

Premier Merchant Services Employee Reviews & Sales Practices

Jobs & Marketing Summary
Employs Independent Resellers Yes
Advertises Deceptive Rates No
Discloses All Important Terms No

It appears that Premier utilizes telemarketing and independent sales agents to market its services, although the use of outside agents could not be confirmed as of this update. Generally speaking, the use of independent sales agents is linked to patterns of nondisclosure at the point of signing, minimal regulation by the parent company, and elevated complaint rates. However, Premier is not showing very many public complaints. Those that are available report undisclosed fees and aggressive telemarketing tactics, although the company did resolve the telemarketing complaint to the merchant’s satisfaction.

Premier Merchant Services Review Summary

Premier Merchant Processing rates as an above average processor according to our criteria. The company has a very low complaint rate for its size and time in business, and its publicly available contract terms appear to be slightly better than industry averages. As always, merchants are advised to carefully examine the terms of any contract they are given.

Top Performing Premier Merchant Services Competitors

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HMS

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Helcim

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Please note that we only suggest providers that adhere to strict ethical standards and offer top performing support at extremely competitive pricing. We may earn revenue if choose one of our recommendations.

Reader Comments, Testimonials & Complaints

5 User Reviews

  • Neal

    The rep made it sound like they were good for business. No hidden fees until I looked at my bank stew meant and realized that I got charged for stuff that was not discussed with me. Now I want to cancel and they say it $495 to cancel! Unheard of! None of this was disclosed at the time of the contract. I will pay the money and leave that company!

  • Debbie

    I received a call today I believe from your company. Premier Merchant Providers. Her name was Jessica. She chose to lie instead of telling who she really is. I called her back as I said I would and she was very rude when she found out that she had been busted!!!!! I explained that the gentleman who answered the phone had already told me they were a credit card processing company and she said then why did you call me back? I said you called my company first and she said you didn’t have to call me back. What do you want & hung up. I’m so sick of these companies who lie to try & get your business. The phone number that called was 866-881-9367. Here’s a clue, don’t lie to people Jessica!!!!!!!

  • Tracy Grimes

    There are too many good processors out there to stick with Premier. When I originally set up the account, the representative made it sound so simple and cost effective for my business that it seemed to be a no brainer. Well, after years of getting popped with bogus “mystery” fees, monies taking forever to make it to our account, and repeatedly being told that a sale was too big and it couldn’t be run, we are now told that to leave it will cost us $250. NO ONE ever mentioned any “contract term” or cancellation fee whatsoever. Ironically, on over $10,000 worth of sales that they would NOT run through…they STILL charged us the fees. If you ever call for help, they will blame you every time, take forever to call you back, and then blame you again. If you care about your money, stay away!!

  • Julie Foster

    I have used Premiere Merchant Processing for three years now. I own a small business. I am very upset by the things I have experienced lately and would like to warn other users. I have now become diligent in checking for every single charge now on my statements because I feel they are popping things in whenever they want to and wait to see if the customer complains. For example, I had never been charged an “annual” fee. Out of the blue, I happened to audit my statements as I periodicailly do and found a $79 annual fee charge. I was promised by Jerry that no “hidden” charges would be put upon me. I called customer service and found out that they had done the same last year to my business. Because it was at Christmas time, my busiest of the whole season, I did not catch it. I was very upset to find that they decided to tack on these charges when they were never a part of our agreement.
    Now the newest thing I find during my audit is that they are charging me for not “registering” my machine. They have been charging my DEBIT card…….not on my monthly statement. Because my husband does the billing reconciliation, he had no way of knowing that this was a bogus charge of $14.95 a month. Our question to them was why were they not putting it on the statement but instead pulling it off my debit card. I feel that this is sneaky at best. No business wants to find out they are being charged for stuff —on the sly.

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