Acquired by Worldline, a leading European payment-facilitating company, in 2020, Bambora is a merchant service provider established in 2000. It was originally called Beanstream and rebranded in 2015 after its acquisition by Bambora, which Ingenico then acquired in 2017. The provider is an ISO/MSP of Wells Fargo Bank (Canadian branch) and serves businesses across 65 countries offering Canada, U.S., and UK-based merchant accounts.
Bambora offers credit card, online, and mobile payment solutions to e-commerce businesses and small-scale resellers. The company’s expertise revolves around card-present stores, airlines, electronics, gas stations, SAAS, bars, thrift stores, convenience stores, gaming zones, low-risk startups, and subscription-based businesses. It caters to multiple industries, including education, clubs, non-profits, food, and retail, and offers payment flexibility, helping clients win in the fast-evolving marketplace. The company’s priority is saving time while expanding a business’s approach to credit card payments.
The provider aims to simplify the complexities of credit card payments and enable merchants to accept payments on the go. It promises to create a frictionless process to streamline the checkout experience while finding innovative ways for new businesses to onboard more customers and increase revenue. Here is a detailed Bambora review presenting a close-up of the company’s features and shortcomings for merchants to better understand what they are signing up for;
Products and Benefits
The company provides flexible, secure, and dependable payment solutions compatible with mobile wallets, Apple Pay, Visa Checkout, and MasterPass to satisfy merchants and their customers. It accepts all major credit card brands and processes EFT and ACH payments. Merchants are offered recurring and automated payments and a simple layout to make connecting with customers easier. They are allowed integration with Bambora’s secure SDKs and API to access multiple processors through a single platform.
Instead of being a temporary fix, the company aims to be there for its client through thick and thin. It promises a secure platform for its clients with end-to-end encryption and tokenization to protect sensitive information. Businesses are provided an additional layer of security to ensure each transaction complies with the proper risk parameters, shielding them from potential chargebacks.
Subscription Billing Management
Subscription billing is a great way to ensure timely and hassle-free payments. Merchants can automate payments and set intervals, eliminating the risk of human error. This feature is especially beneficial for gyms, charity organizations, SaaS companies, and other businesses with recurring customers.
According to the Bambora reviews, merchants can use the company’s tracking tools to gain insight into customers’ information and provide the best offers. They can customize the intervals based on user preference, set up a website or app through seamless integration, and offer deals and discounts to regular clients.
Software Integration
Bambora’s API integration service allows merchants to access multiple processors and process smooth and stress-free payments. They can enhance business intelligence by connecting with useful third-party software and companies and integrating their system with the company’s existing program.
The company provides a payment API supporting online payments, payment profiles, and reporting, all secured with tokenization. With onboarding API, users can create their own interface and submit applications for sub-merchants who can sign up for an account. The settlement report API allows customers to reconcile payments and merchants to track the deposited amounts and removed fees.
Merchants can set up a test account and learn to create and run it with the company’s APIs. Moreover, they are offered SDK integration to utilize cost-effective software tools and provide the best user experience to customers with the help of the company’s in-house technical support team.
Online Payment Solutions
Merchants can accept online payments anywhere on their internet-enabled device with the company’s virtual terminals. Today, everything has shifted to mobile phones, and people find it convenient to utilize their smartphones for any task possible. Facilitating online payments allows businesses to reach more customers and provide them with the easiest mode of payment.
Online payment comes with its own risk. Users are faced with the risk of scams and identity theft, while merchants are worried about chargebacks and data breaches. Bambora reviews show that the company enables businesses to keep their customer’s data secure with PCI-validated services. This way, merchants can reach 100% of the customers and increase revenue.
Cost and Contract Details
The company binds merchants in a month-to-month agreement facilitated through TD Bank, with a $0 early cancelation fee. Merchants are offered a flat rate pricing model with a $25 account setup fee. Bambora has not mentioned its pricing on the website. Multiple Bambota reviews indicate that the provider purveys two pricing plans.
In the Bambora ready plan (also called pay-as-you-go), suitable for small businesses, Canadian clients are charged 2.80% plus $0.30, and the rest are offered a rate of 2.90% plus $0.30 per transaction. They are charged a $20 chargeback fee, a $25 monthly, and a $49 setup fee. Merchants signing up for the Bambora advance plan are charged the same chargeback fee and are offered an interchange plus pricing plan with varying rates. This fee plan is designed for large enterprises and high-volume businesses.
Sales Practices
According to Bambora reviews cited online, the provider markets its services on the website through referral partnerships and training an in-house sales team. It does not hire any independent sales organization to promote its name and promises to utilize ethical marketing strategies. However, the company does not list all the necessary information on the website, and the public can not access the required details.
Customer Support
The provider has maintained a resources section on the website comprising support documents, product guidance, a knowledge base with detailed information concerning the API integration guide, and manuals with troubleshooting issues. It has dedicated a phone line and reserved an email ticketing support system. There is an FAQ page answering common queries and a callback support form for merchants to address their concerns.
Bambora Reviews and BBB Report
After its rebranding, the provider’s complaint rate has dropped significantly, and there are only ten negative reviews on various consumer protection websites. Merchants have complained about the sub-par customer service and difficult signing-up policies. Considering the large clientele, this is quite impressive. However, the low complaint rate could also mean that merchants are still directing their complaints to Beanstream, as rebranding is a tactic used by many companies to be invisible and ricochet the complaints toward a non-existing brand.
Bambora was rated A+ on its profile after being accredited by BBB in 2017. After the merger with Worldline, the provider has received zero complaints. Yet, merchants have various reasons to be skeptical about this rating.
Shortcomings
Even though Bambora has managed to keep a low complaint total, it needs major improvement in some areas. Its below-average customer service, non-transparent pricing, insufficient information, and defective setup policies have received the most negative feedback from merchants. As gathered from several Bambora reviews, consumers show frustration over the long-term non-cancellable equipment lease term and displeasure regarding its monthly minimum and setup fee.
Concealed Information
The company deprives merchants of information disclosure and fails to provide price transparency. Its pricing details are not accessible to the public, and new merchants cannot determine if they can afford the company. Concealed information may sound insignificant, but it causes serious trouble for businesses.
The official website only covers some topics, and merchants are left to decipher the intricacies and figure out the contract details, rates, and rest of the services. The provider does not allow insight into its PCI compliance fees and equipment lease terms and conditions, and consumers are forced to find it out the hard way. The custom pricing plan is confusing, and as the details are not disclosed beforehand, it causes frustration among merchants.
Limited Consumer Support
Customer service is an integral part of any company because it builds the core of the client-provider relationship. Multiple Bambora reviews indicate that the company’s consumer support options are limited and mostly unreachable. Merchants are not offered a live chat option, and only one support line is available during business hours. Moreover, there is no evidence of a dedicated support manager.
A company as big as the provider needs a big and well-trained team to deal with customers and be available 24/7. Limited customer service options mean most queries go unnoticed, and many complaints remain unresolved, causing an even bigger pile of complaints.
Final Words
This Bambora review concludes that the provider is an average payment facilitator with a limited approach. It is suitable for small-size e-commerce companies and mobile businesses of most types. But it is not a reliable option for most medium to large-scale businesses processing high-volume and in-person payments. Even though the provider facilitates international payment processing, it does not provide stability or the products necessary for all payment types.
The company fails to provide complete disclosure, and its customer service is unimpressive. Moreover, it has a fixed monthly minimum amount, setup fee, and long-term equipment lease, which is expensive. Merchants are advised to look for a better-suited service provider to whom they can hand their business.
