Headquartered in Missoula, Montana, Big Sky Commerce is a U.S.-based merchant service provider established in 2003, providing credit card processing to traditional, online, and mobile businesses. The company has partnered with First Data, TSYS, Chase Merchant Services, and National Processing Company to accommodate merchants with the best payment processing solutions. It offers expert merchant services to several B2B, e-commerce, high-volume, mobile, non-profit, mom-and-pop, small businesses, and MOTO companies. Our team compiled a list of important factors to comeup with this Big Sky Commerce review as below.
Big Sky Commerce is a recognized ISO for various payment processing networks and serves multiple industries, including telemedicine, gas stations, electronics, education, moving companies, healthcare, hunting, restaurants, and retail. It aims to understand a merchant’s needs and offer complete assistance and comprehensive solutions to help them grow. The provider promises to meet consumer expectations by offering lower costs to its clients and prioritizing their demands.
Big Sky promises to be approachable and provide competitive customer support to the affiliated businesses. It claims to be a distinguished service provider with advanced equipment and a range of services to help businesses be ahead of time. Here is a detailed Big Sky Commerce review pointing out its services and shortcomings for merchants to determine if the company is a better fit for their business.
Big Sky Commerce Review Based on Features and Services
Big Sky Commerce is an integrated service provider processing all major credit card brands. The company offers efficient virtual terminals, POS systems, payment gateway, credit card terminals, and mobile card readers. It accepts EBT and supports NFC and ACH transactions. Big Sky provides shopping cart integration, check guarantee, and loyalty programs to enable merchants to offer the best shopping experience to their customers.
The provider’s multi-currency acceptance policy, recurring billing option, and dunning management benefit businesses and their clients. Big Sky provides fleet card processing and is affiliated with multiple networks, including Wright Express, Comdata, and Voyager.
Contactless Payments
Contactless payment is one of the fastest and easiest methods allowing users to send and accept payments within seconds through their cards or smartphones using Apple Pay, Google Pay, or other mobile wallet apps. As this method does not require physical contact and uses near-field communication technology to transfer data, it is considered more secure and efficient.
By offering NFC payment processing, the provider decreases the threat of fraud for merchants as this method uses encryption while transferring the data. This way, hackers cannot get in and steal. Furthermore, Big Sky enables merchants to save time and speed up the checkout process. Customers do not have to sign a receipt, count their cash, or enter a PIN code, resulting in shorter queues and less time spent at the register.
Big Sky Commerce reviews indicate that the company’s visa no signature required program allows merchants to take under $25 payments with a contactless reader or magnetic swipe. This feature speeds up the transaction process as the customer won’t have to do a signature to authorize the transaction.
Mobile Processing
The company provides hand-held mobile processing terminals that are GPRS, CDMA, and WiFi enabled, allowing users to process high-volume payments quickly. This service is especially suitable for businesses attending tradeshows or selling their services at various locations besides their outlets. Merchants can accept modern payment types anywhere and enhance the workflow. Customers at a diner, boutique, or retail store can send payments immediately and get going without having to wait for the check or receipt at the counter.
Big Sky’s mobile processing solutions enable merchants to decentralize their POS systems and collect customer information while eliminating the next-day billing hassle. Employees work more efficiently without waiting at the counter at all times.
Online Processing
The provider offers efficient virtual terminals and payment gateway to assist online transactions. Customers are provided a seamless shopping and checkout experience with API and shopping cart integration. Big Sky provides reporting tools and customer information management solutions to manage potential customer interactions, increase revenue, improve consumer relations, and uplift sales. Furthermore, merchants can accept e-checks that are more secure and reliable than paper checks and eliminate the headache of going to the bank.
Big Sky Commerce reviews portray that the company offers multi-currency acceptability, reducing the cost of currency conversion for overseas clients. The provider’s recurring billing option allows merchants to schedule payment intervals and avoid delayed or canceled payments. Moreover, non-profits can put a donate now button on their website and get fundings that can benefit the company in various ways.
Big Sky Commerce Review Based on Pricing and Contract Terms
The provider binds merchants in a multi-year contract with a $300 early termination fee depending on the contract terms compatible with the business type. It does not mention its pricing and other conditions on the official website. However, the Big Sky Commerce reviews claim that merchants are offered customized rates based on the processing volume and the agent setting up the merchant account.
Merchants are charged according to a tiered pricing plan with a 1.00% to 4.99% virtual terminal rate. The company’s average swipe and the keyed-in rate are 1.00% to 4.99%, but it can differ from business to business. Merchants canceling the contract within the first year have to pay the termination fee, but there is a chance of negotiation.
Big Sky Commerce Review Based on Customer Support
The provider has reserved a toll-free phone support number available during office hours. A fax number and email address are mentioned on the official website, and merchants have access to an online form to write their queries, feedback, or concerns to the provider. Furthermore, Big Sky provides an FAQ page and a knowledge base covering basic instructions, a user manual, and answering commonly asked questions to guide merchants about the company’s services.
Big Sky Commerce Review Based on Sales and Advertisement
Big Sky does not hire independent sales representatives, utilizes traditional promotion methods, and trains an in-house sales team to market its services. The company claims to provide honest quotes and avoids deceptive tactics to mislead merchants. Since there is very scarce information about the company’s practices, businesses concerned about hidden charges are advised to hire a third-party audit to eliminate their concerns.
Big Sky Commerce Reviews and Complaints
Big Sky has no online reviews, making it difficult to determine its reputation among businesses. There are a few video testimonies available on the provider’s website, but it is a fact that a company will only display positive feedback.
The cow complaint total and lack of positive reviews indicate that merchants do not prefer posting online complaints on consumer protection platforms. They may be directing their complaints to one of the partner companies or would rather address their concerns in person to the customer support agent.
Reports on Other Review Sites
The company is not accredited by Better Business Bureau but is rated A+ on the review platform. There are zero complaints against the provider, and the informal positive reviews hint that the rating may be correct. However, merchants should know that BBB does not verify informal reviews. The provider is not facing any mentionable complaints on other review platforms and has a positive rating on Google.
Drawbacks
Even though the company is a reasonable payment processor suitable for multiple businesses, there are a few shortcomings that merchants should be aware of. These deficiencies may seem minor but cause inconvenience in the long run because every service provider has a few loopholes that are ignorable for one business but damaging for another. Here is a Big Sky Commerce review concerning its drawbacks to help businesses evaluate the pros and cons and decide attentively.
Undisclosed Information
Big Sky provides inadequate information to its merchants, and its contract terms are kept from the public. This practice causes inconvenience for merchants wanting to know everything beforehand. The company has not mentioned its rates on the website, and merchants wonder if they can afford it.
The company’s equipment lease terms and product details are minimal and confusing. The overview on the website regarding its payment processing solutions is inadequate and does not provide dependability. Consequently, lack of information leads to doubts about the provider, and new merchants find difficulty in deciding if they can trust the company for their business.
Average Customer Service
Even though the provider offers multiple options for merchants to access customer support, it cannot be considered one of the top-rated payment processors in that niche. The company’s support line is available only during office hours, and merchants must wait for the next business day even if they require immediate assistance. 24/7 customer support is one of the most notable features of a reliable payment processor, and the provider acks in that area.
Early Termination Fee
The existence of an early termination fee is a red flag for any company as it is a tactic to force merchants into keeping an unsuitable agreement. Since merchants are not provided with the necessary information and choosing the company is equivalent to shooting their shot in the dark, businesses finding the contract unagreeable can not get out of it because of the cancellation fee. This policy is a huge drawback for inexperienced merchants and new businesses.
Final Verdict
This Big Sky Commerce review concludes that the provider is an excellent choice for most small to medium-sized businesses but can be the exact opposite for some companies. The inadequate information, early termination fee, and below-average customer support are enough reasons to cause long-term inconvenience for a business.
Businesses should research their options and choose a service provider offering complete trust, transparency, and reliability. Merchants keen on choosing Big Sky as their payment processor are advised to ask questions and understand the terms and conditions before signing up with the provider.
