A direct processor and merchant account provider headquartered in Kansas City, Commerce Bank Merchant Services was established in St. Louise, Missouri, in 1865, right after the civil war. The provider is a well-established national bank and a Fiserv reseller, offering merchant accounts to domestic and offshore businesses. It started as a bank, loaning finances to companies that were rebuilding the nation and continued motivating merchants to overcome the challenges faced in the marketplace.
The company later expanded into a modern financial service provider, enabling many renowned companies to stay put even after the second world war. It aims to provide innovative and tech-savvy payment solutions to non-profit organizations, startups, personal services, and investors from various fields. The provider accepts all major credit card brands and serves most business types. Its services are divided into multiple categories (personal, business, wealth, and corporate) designed specifically to meet the individual requirements of a business.
Commerce Bank acquired multiple banks over the years but remained true to its ideology; to purvey safe business solutions. The provider promises to analyze and understand the situation and weigh the options before taking any step, earning clients’ trust. This gives merchants the much-needed support to slow down and avoid jeopardizing their investments by making rash decisions. Here is a Commerce Bank Merchant Services review to give an aerial view of businesses looking forward to signing up with the company.
Products and Features
The provider offers wealth management, personal and business banking, loans and financing, payment and treasury services, online and mobile banking solutions, life insurance policies, and long-term financial planning. Whether a person needs help starting a new business, making a fool-proof retirement plan, or combining finances with a partner, Commerce Bank has answers. Merchants can keep their customer’s data secure with the company’s identity theft protection tools and cardholder security features.
Commerce Trust, Commerce Healthcare, and Commerce Payments are some of the company’s distinguished divisions dedicated to providing comprehensive financial planning for each department. The provider is keen on helping investors, institutes, and their families to keep their assets and taxes in check and focus on their goals without worrying about financial hurdles.
International Payments
The company provides Commerce Payments, a full-fledged package of solutions for offshore businesses, by connecting over 160 banks worldwide. It offers foreign wire transfers, currency risk management, and foreign check insurance. Merchants can time their payables for overseas purchases and avoid foreign currency fluctuation.
The provider offers an online portal to accept and submit wire transfers. With the letter of credit services, merchants can import products without wiring an advance. Furthermore, they can improve cash flow by receiving accurate documents of payments and time their payables.
ACH Payments
Commerce Bank Merchant Services reviews portray that the company offers Automated Clearance House services for electronic payments. This service lowers processing costs and the risk of fraud and saves time by reducing human error. It upgrades the transaction process and is a preferred payment method for customers.
ACH processing allows merchants to choose between one-time and recurring payments and offer their customers the convenience of automated transfers after set intervals. This way, both parties can avoid the hassle of manual transfers and delayed payments.
Expense Management
The company provides expense management solutions for merchants to manage payrolls and other expenses without wasting effort and time. With prepaid Visa cards, they can allow employees to access funds while controlling their spending limits. Merchants can load and unload the card and track the travel expenses. The provider offers cost-effective employer benefit solutions and provides a DirectCheck payroll card that lets merchants deposit employees’ pay without traditional bank accounts.
Small Business Banking
Commerce Bank assists small companies in simplifying their payments and protecting funding while improving cash flow by offering a variety of small business accounts matching each merchant’s needs. Merchants can choose between checking and savings accounts and enhance their financial efficiency by adapting to the options best suited for their company. They are provided with business Visa debit and credit cards, email updates, and a remote deposit feature that allows secure deposits anytime.
Commerce Bank Merchant Services reviews show that the company provides easily approved acquisition financing, merchant loans, and equipment, term, and real estate loans to help merchants upgrade their businesses. With its treasury services, the provider offers the equipment and technology needed to accept payments and provides consultancy to set up a line of defense to fight cyberattacks and save money while focusing on the goal.
Commerce Bank Merchant Services Contract and Pricing
The company offers multiple contract terms ranging from month-to-month and one to five years, similar to Fiserv’s, depending on the business type and size, and its early termination fee varies. Merchants are charged a swiped card rate of 2.69% plus $0.19 and 3.69% plus $0.19 for keyed-in transactions. The company offers non-cancelable 48-month equipment lease terms and charges a $19.95 monthly PCI compliance fee. Merchants who process more than $50,000 per month are charged 2.29% plus $0.19 and 3.29% plus $0.19 for swiped and keyed-in transactions.
Sales Practices and Customer Support Options
The provider has displayed a contact form on the website and reserved a phone support number available during business hours. According to the Commerce Bank Merchant Services reviews, merchants are offered email support, and a customer service representative is available to assist them in case of any queries. Even though the company claims to provide consumer support directly and not through Fiserv, the options are not competitive with the top-rated service providers.
Commerce Bank trains an in-house sales team and utilizes traditional means to market its services. The provider has given a detailed overview of its services on the website but has not provided all the necessary information. Its pricing and contract conditions are not accessible to the public. However, the provider is not accused of being a fraud.
Commerce Bank Merchant Services Reviews and Complaints
Merchants have posted over 100 complaints against the company on multiple consumer review sites, and most reviews are against the company’s banking services. Merchants are unsatisfied with Commerce Bank’s limited support options and non-disclosure policies. Some of the complaints related to the contract terms and other intricacies are directed toward the partner company. There are no mentionable lawsuits and FTC reports against the provider, and merchants have posted mixed reviews.
BBB Report
The company was rated A+ on its BBB profile after being accredited by the review platform in 1961. However, merchants are bound to be skeptical about this rating. There are over 51 formal complaints and ten informal reviews with a negative tone posted against Commerce Bank in the last three years. These complaints are related to the provider’s banking services, and only eighteen were resolved as per consumer satisfaction.
Shortcomings
Even though there are very few complaints against the company’s merchant services, and most complaints revolve around its banking solutions; merchants should be aware of the drawbacks they may face. The provider offers below-average customer service and fails to purvey insight into its pricing. The variable contract terms can cause instability and confusion for merchants, and multiple complaints are directed toward First Data in that department.
Sub-Par Consumer Support
Several Commerce Bank Merchant Services reviews indicate that the company does not offer industry-competitive consumer support. It only provides email and phone support which is not enough for a large clientele. Considering the size of the company and the number of complaints it receives, it is evident that many of the merchants’ concerns and queries go unnoticed. Only a few of the complaints get the deserved attention.
Variable Contract Terms
The provider does not disclose its agreement details and only mentions the variable contract policy. Even though variable contract terms can benefit some merchants, they can be frustrating in the long run when there are no fixed conditions. It gives authority to a payment facilitator to make any changes when they see fit and justify them with little reasoning.
Merchants do not have any tangible logic to counterattack it, and they are forced to accept any unpleasant policies. Furthermore, most merchants are stuck in long-term contracts based on this practice. Since the provider offers its contracts through Fiserv, many online complaints exist against Fiserv in that matter.
Expensive Rates
The Commerce Bank Merchant Services reviews portray the provider’s rates as too expensive for most businesses. Merchants are bound in non-cancellable long-term equipment leases with rates higher than the equipment. The company charges a high termination fee which is unfair for a merchant wanting to get rid of an unwanted agreement. Moreover, the provider charges variable rates from merchants depending on their processing volume, and the difference is noticeable.
Final Words
This Commerce Bank Merchant Services review concludes that the provider is a reliable payment facilitator for multiple business types, but its services are too expensive for most merchants. The company’s non-disclosure can confuse and lead to wrong estimations for new merchants as they cannot gauge if they can afford its rates and depend on the contract policies. Furthermore, long-term contracts, high cancelation fees, and a non-responsive customer service team are not dependable traits.
Merchants are advised to ask all the necessary questions to understand the provider better and negotiate the rates. Before jumping to conclusions and ending up with the wrong payment processor, they should hire a third-party audit to eliminate hidden charges and compare the company to other available options.
