Initially established as Auctionpay, Inc, in 2002, Greater Giving Merchant Services is a merchant account provider headquartered in Portland, Oregon. Rebranded as Greater Giving after its acquisition in 2009, the company is a subsidiary of Global Payments, a verified ISO of Wells Fargo Bank. It specializes in offering credit and debit card processing solutions to non-profit organizations. It also facilitates donor management, web hosting, event planning, and fundraising solutions. Here is a thorough Greater Giving Merchant Services review to highlight the pros and cons of choosing the company as your payment facilitator.
Greater Giving caters to several industries, including education, SAAS, SEO & SEM services, and charity organizations. It aims to eliminate tiring manual processes and allow businesses to host online donor pages for a year-long donation program. While enabling its clients to gain more funds, the company also helps train volunteers and streamline the process. Furthermore, the event support team is ever-ready to assist with onsite events.
The provider has partnered with over 150 consultants and auctioneers to build a strong foundation for businesses to rely on. It has maintained a single secure cloud-based platform to accommodate all fundraising solutions tailored to the client’s requirements.
Products and Services
With the help of Greater Giving credit card processing services, non-profits can provide a secure and seamless experience for donors. They can access billing portals, users’ contact databases, and personalized invoices. Several packages are offered according to the client’s requirements. The provider supports online biddings and payments and facilitates a cloud-based event software to manage fundraising activities on one dashboard.
According to Greater Giving Merchant Services reviews, Event and Express are the two packages facilitated by the company. Here is an overview of the features and products included in these packages;
AuctionPay
This is the provider’s mobile payment processing service that is offered to amplify the guests’ experience. Consumers can choose between a mobile and USB card reader, two card swipe devices connected to a smartphone, or a tablet to accept payments on auctions and fundraisers. AutoPay automates post-event reconciliation, cashiering, and registrations.
Event Software
The Event Software is a cloud-based solution accessible anywhere to manage an event’s details. As deduced from Greater Giving Merchant Services reviews, users can upload donors, enter data, and plan the event on a laptop or tablet. They can also track guests, handle seating, send emails, print bid sheets, and review event reports.
Online Payments
The provider’s online payment solutions enable consumers to save time and effort by eliminating manual registrations. Donors can register online and receive online confirmation for their payments. Businesses can set up a donor page that matches their website. With their online presence, non-profits can raise more funds by reaching people countrywide. Moreover, with the text-to-donate feature, consumers can invite donors and share their short code for the campaign through a text message.
Online Bidding
This is an optional feature to enhance the mobile bidding experience. Users can live stream their events and send e-blasts to keep the guests engaged. Online bidding is a way to reach more people for your cause. It can generate more revenue by increasing engagement. Bidders can view results in real time and be updated when they have been outbid.
Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
Greater Giving Merchant Services reviews indicate that the company offers peer-to-peer fundraising solutions to help businesses raise personal donations through their networks. By creating donation pages and sharing them with their acquaintances and friends, non-profits can increase their funding with the help of their relationships.
Event Services
The account provider offers three packages for event-based services; basic, plus, and virtual. Based on the client’s requirements, the consultants facilitate pre-event support, set up the AuctionPay card reader, train volunteers, help with data entry, and manage live and online bids. The support team stays throughout the event till checkout and provides troubleshooting. These packages are offered to ensure your event is a massive success.
Security Measures
The company utilizes advanced encryption and other fraud prevention tools to prioritize security for each transaction. It safeguards the donor’s information and takes precautionary measures to ensure the sensitivity of the bidding events is not compromised.
Rates and Contract Terms
The official website does not outline the contract terms and pricing for merchants. According to Greater Giving Merchant Services reviews, clients are offered a free 14-day trial for the event software.
Contract Length
A standard Greater Giving agreement last one to five years, depending on the business type. The contract has an automatic renewal clause with liquidated damages based early cancelation fee. Overall, the company’s contract terms are uncompetitive with industry-leading service providers.
Pricing Structure
Customers are subjected to a flat-rate pricing model, but most charges are undisclosed. The provider’s equipment lease terms are also unrevealed.
Processing Fees
There is no updated information regarding the company’s processing rate and other fees. The company’s swiped card rate for MasterCard, Visa, and Discover is 1.75% and 2.25% for American Express. The keyed-in rate is 3.45% plus $0.35.
- Merchants pay $1295 for the one-year compete event suit and $795 for the five-year term
- Event payments for $395 for 1-year
- Event software fee of $295
- Online payment facility for $695 (1 year) to $295 *5 years)
- Virtual terminal for $695 for 1-year
- Online add-on features for $595
Consumer Support
Greater Giving has dedicated email and phone support. It maintains a separate support number for sales-related issues. There is a knowledge base and live chat facility on the official website. Moreover, clients can access recorded video training. The company’s offshore tech support is available after hours.
Sales Practices
The provider outsources sales facilities from Global Payments’ marketing network- a combination of traditional advertisement, an in-house team, and independently commissioned sales agents. Even though there are not many complaints against Greater Giving’s sales practices, the payment facilitator does not offer all the required information to its clients.
Greater Giving Merchant Services Reviews and Complaints
The provider has maintained a mediocre complaint rate over the years, as few negative reviews are cited on consumer protection platforms. Greater Giving has never been subjected to a class-action lawsuit, and no FTC reports were posted against it.
The negative reviews against the account provider revolve around its contract terms, scarcity of available information, and overcharges. Consumers have also complained about the difficulties in using certain features and the inadequacy of the online bidding software. Considering the reviews, merchants should be aware of the following drawbacks;
Inconvenient Features
A common complaint cited against Greater Giving is its confusing features. Users have stated that it is not user-friendly and is difficult to understand. The tutorials are not helpful enough and offer little insight. Resultantly, it takes hours to understand and set up the fundraising program. Multiple features have technical issues, and the logging-in process is confusing.
High Rates
Multiple Greater Giving Merchant Services reviews indicated expensive pricing. The company’s one-time fees and processing rates are not industry competitive. Users have complained that the provider’s overall cost is higher than most payment facilitators. The facilities are not as high standard as the pricing.
Liquidated Damages Clause
The company forces liquidated damages-based early cancelation penalties comprised of the remaining years left in the agreement multiplied by the unpaid costs. This clause costs a hefty amount on the client’s end. This category of ETF forbids merchants from determining the exact cost. It can vary and be too expensive.
Long-Term Agreement
Even though the company advertises one to five-year contract terms, there are multiple complaints about Greater Giving forcing long-term agreements on its clients. Businesses in a long-term contract are stuck in the same situation and cannot move on to new opportunities until it expires. The auto-renewal clause and high ETF make it more difficult to escape.
Employee Complaints
How a provider treats its employees directly affects the quality of its services. According to Greater Giving Merchant Services reviews, employees are unhappy about long working hours, zero breaks, and unsupportive management. They have complained about outdated technology and sub-standard services.
BBB Ranking
The provider is not accredited with BBB, yet rated A+ on its profile. The review platform displays zero formal and one informal review of a negative nature. The complainant wrote about the company’s dishonest sales practices. They complained that the sales agents exaggerate and make fake claims far from the truth.
Even though this is an isolated incident, merchants are advised not to trust online ratings thoughtlessly and to research before signing with a payment service provider.
Conclusion
The company has maintained its reputation and has received minimal complaints. However, its contract terms are not reliable. As deduced from this Greater Giving Merchant Services review, the facilitator does not directly offer its merchant accounts. Hence, it does not have much control over the terms and conditions. Moreover, the expensive rates, hard-to-navigate program, and long-term agreement does not leave enough room for clients’ preferences.
Non-profits are encouraged to compare the costs with other service providers and review the contract terms to make the right decision for their company.
