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Transparent Merchant Services Review

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Transparent Merchant Services Overview

Rating

5/5
Transparent Merchant Services Logo
Website
(800) 700 5761

Most Recent Comment

  • Rita Carnevale:
    "I've left many different forms of messages for their sales dept. to contact me as a potential customer, but my efforts were fruitless. Can y..." Read More
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Rating:
5/5
Transparent Merchant Services Logo
View Rates & Fees
(800) 700 5761

Most Recent Comment

  • Rita Carnevale:
    "I've left many different forms of messages for their sales dept. to contact me as a potential customer, but my efforts were fruitless. Can y..." Read More
    Reply Leave Your Own Comment
Processor Recommendations

Budget-Friendly Pricing

Transparent Merchant Services (trytransparent.com) is a merchant account provider based in Scottsdale, Arizona. The company offers standard credit card processing solutions for all business types, but what sets it apart from most of its competitors is its unique pricing model. Similar to Payment Depot or BaseRates Merchant Services, Transparent Merchant Services charges merchants a flat monthly rate with a per-transaction fee of interchange plus a fixed dollar amount. This means that Transparent does not keep a percentage of each sale for itself, which could make it appealing for merchants with high average tickets who want the cheapest credit card processing possible.

Transparent Merchant Services Payment Processing

Transparent Merchant Services appears to process most major debit and credit cards. They offer POS solutions through Igenico, Walker mobile payment equipment, the Poynt 5 terminal, PCI compliance through Conformance, and a payment gateway, though it is unclear which gateway they use.

Location and Ownership

The Transparent Merchant Services website states that its merchant accounts are provided by Base Commerce, LLC, a registered ISO/MSP of Synovus Bank. The company is located at 4701 N 68th St. Suite 114, Scottsdale, AZ 85251. Dustin Sparman is listed as a managing partner at Transparent Merchant Services.

Transparent Merchant Services Review Table of Contents

  • Sales & Marketing: Transparent Merchant Services does not appear to hire independent sales representatives and has not received any merchant complaints about its sales practices.
  • Costs & Contract: Transparent Merchant Services offers a month-to-month contract with no early termination fee.
  • Complaints & Service: Transparent Merchant Services has received fewer than 10 public complaints.
  • BBB Rating: Transparent Merchant Services has an “A+” with the Better Business Bureau and has received 0 complaints in the past three years.
  • Rates & Fees: How Merchants Got The Best Rates With Transparent Merchant Services
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Transparent Merchant Services Rates, Fees, and Costs

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Transparent Merchant Services Rates, Fees, and Costs

Cost Summary

Swiped Rate Interchange Plus $0.09 or $0.19
Keyed-in Rate Interchange Plus $0.09 or $0.19
Early Termination Fee None
PCI Compliance Fee $99 Per Year
Equipment Lease Terms $9.95 Per Month or Free

Two Plans to Choose From

Transparent Merchant Services offers two pricing plans: Pro and Elite. The Pro plan charges a flat monthly fee of $49.97 and a per-transaction fee of interchange plus $0.19, but it is intended for merchants who process up to 500 transactions per month. The Elite plan comes with a $99.97 monthly fee and a per-transaction fee of interchange plus $0.09 and is designed for merchants who process over 500 transactions per month. For merchants who process over $100,000 per month or $1.2 million per year, the company also offers custom Enterprise merchant account pricing.

Month-to-Month, No Termination Fees

Both pricing plans come with a month-to-month agreement with no early termination fees or setup fees, but the company does charge a $99 annual PCI Compliance fee on the third billing cycle. The company also offers point-of-sale equipment that can be either rented for $9.95 per month, purchased outright for $249, or given for free to businesses that process over 300 transactions per month. Overall, these terms are reasonably competitive for the credit card processing industry and very transparent, although merchants will want to run the numbers based on their transaction volumes and the applicable pricing tiers before signing up.

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Transparent Merchant Services BBB Rating Summary

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BBB Summary

Product & Service Complaints 0
Billing & Collection Complaints 0
Advertising & Sales Complaints 0
Guarantee & Warranty Complaints 0
Delivery Complaints 0

No Complaints

Transparent Merchant Services currently has an “A+” rating with the Better Business Bureau and was formerly accredited since June 2014 but no longer is. The company’s BBB profile has only existed since June 2014 as well, but it has not accumulated any formal complaints in that time. There are also no unverified reviews posted about the company in the BBB’s “Reviews” section.

An “A” Performance Overall

Given the company’s clean complaint record, we agree with the BBB’s rating. This strong performance with the BBB is a major reason why we recommend Transparent for dentist merchant accounts, pharmacy merchant accounts, mechanic merchant accounts, and other professional services.

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Truth In Marketing & Advertising

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Key Points

Employs Independent Resellers No
Advertises Deceptive Rates No
Discloses All Important Terms Yes

Clean Complaint Record

Transparent Merchant Services appears to utilize traditional advertising methods and in-house, W2-employed sales agents to market its services. This tactic is generally preferable to hiring mill strategies because it ensures a greater degree of control over agents’ conduct. We are currently unable to locate any Transparent Merchant Services negative reviews that accuse the company’s sales staff of deception or nondisclosure, indicating that the company places an emphasis on forthright sales pitches.

Understanding the Rate Calculator

As of this review, the Transparent Merchant Services website features a tool for calculating your potential savings through the company. This tool is useful for merchants who are currently on Interchange-plus pricing because it draws a direct comparison between Transparent’s markup above interchange and a merchant’s existing markup above interchange. Merchants who are on tiered pricing should note that the tool assumes an average interchange rate of 1.6%, which may be more or less than the average interchange rate each merchant typically receives.

True to Its Name

To its credit, the company’s website does not promote any outright deceptive “teaser” quotes. Transparent’s pricing is fully disclosed for anyone to view, which is a major reason why we consider it a top-rated merchant account provider.

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Transparent Merchant Services Review Summary

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Huge Potential for Savings

Transparent Merchant Services rates as a quality merchant services provider according to our rating criteria. The company offers month-to-month agreements with transparent pricing and is not showing any complaints online. The one potential drawback for merchants to consider is that the company’s pricing, though transparent, may not be the most cost-effective option for certain business types. As a general rule, merchants who process fewer transactions at larger volumes are best served by the company’s pricing model.

For more information on the company, see the Transparent Merchant Services website or call (888) 510-2937.

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About Phillip Parker

Why I'm Qualified to Write About Credit Card Processing

I’m a small business owner who previously worked in the credit card processing industry. I started this blog in 2009 to help other business owners by exposing credit card processors that engage in unethical marketing, rate and fee trickery, and fine-print-contract schemes. Over the last decade, I’ve reviewed hundreds of merchant services providers which has helped to educate over 5 million businesses on the nuances of credit and debit card acceptance. I’ve appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Inc. Magazine and a host of other publications to offer insight on the subject of card acceptance. 

I offer merchant account and credit card processing consultation for the following needs:

  • Selecting the right credit card processing services for your business.
  • Reducing credit card processing fees with your current merchant account provider.
  • Negotiating credit card processing fees when changing merchant accounts.
  • Strategies for reducing and recovering funding holds and chargebacks.

 

Schedule a call with me today!

 

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Transparent Merchant Services Reviews & Comments

One Response

  1. I’ve left many different forms of messages for their sales dept. to contact me as a potential customer, but my efforts were fruitless. Can you imagine a company not responding to a potential customer’s numerous messages???? I shudder to think how they treat their existing customers!!!! **POOR SALES SERVICE**

    Reply

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