Summit Merchant Solutions was a full-service electronic payment processing system and equipment supplier. Their objective was to work closely with small and medium-sized merchants to assess their individual business needs and offer cost-effective solutions that optimize their income since 1996.
In our Summit Merchant Solutions review, we couldn’t obtain any information on Summit Merchant Solutions because their site is no longer operational, and the brand has been shut down. Although, we were able to discover their LinkedIn page. However, some of the personnel associated with Apex Merchant Groupm, Certified Payment Processing, and Summit is said to be working for Cypress Bay Solutions.
We’ve stumbled upon many negative comments, complaints, and dissatisfaction among the people who used their services and those working for the company.
Summit Merchant Solutions: Brand Review
SMS was a merchant services company in Carrolton, Texas, selling credit card processing equipment and merchant accounts. This provider’s year of establishment is 1991 or 2006. Summit Merchant was a member of the First American Payment Systems platform, but the Summit name was introduced in 2006. Summit is Certified Payment Processing’s more direct subsidiary. However, the links between these firms still need to be clarified.
We found out that the head of the company was Toni Norrie, but there needs to be info on his LinkedIn profile connecting him in any way with Summit Merchant Solutions. The number of employees of the company was listed as around one hundred members. We couldn’t determine precisely if the company is still operating or has been discontinued.
Pros
- There was no setup fee
- Tolerance for medium risk
- Domestic phone assistance is available throughout business hours
- Documentation knowledge base
- Live online one-on-one assistance
Cons
- Contract for three years
- Fee for early termination
- There is no public price
- Fee for PCI compliance
- Does not disclose all crucial terms
Complaints, Fees, Rates, Customer Feedback
Summit Merchant Solutions Review Based on Rates and fees
Summit Merchant Solutions account prices and fees likely vary depending on the agent who sets up the account and the merchant’s company type. The standard contract contains a 36-month service agreement with a $495 Early Termination Cost (ETF) and a $120+ yearly PCI Compliance fee, in addition to various monthly fees and processing fees.
Retailers have reported that agents are compensated for selling equipment leases with 48-month non-cancelable lease agreements. Worryingly, these leases appear to be with Northern Leasing Systems; an “F” rated service on CardPaymentOptions.com. Overall, no consumer feedback online promotes Summit Merchant Solutions to small or large merchants.
Businesses that used their services:
- Online businesses
- Moto
- Mobile
- eCommerce
- Small Businesses
- Retail
Industries served:
- Gas stations
- Moving companies
- Second-hand clothes stores
- Electronics
- Apparel stores
- Bars and restaurants
Summit Merchant Solutions Review Based on Customer feedback and complaints
There are over 150 complaints online, with many describing the organization as a fraud or scam. There are two major categories of complaints:
Former Employees Complaints
The first complaint comes from former employees who claim they were employed on pretenses and promises. These agents said the company promised them quality leads and pre-scheduled visits, but most merchants never expected them or refused the appointment.
The appointments appear to be made by the company’s telemarketers, and their leads are purchased from Experian. Agents complain about wasting time and money hunting down unwanted meetings with merchants. Several employees complained about the contract provisions and price of the account agreement. Instead, they were instructed to sell equipment and merchant accounts for maximum commissions.
According to our study, organizations that engage in this sort of recruiting process frequently receive several bad ratings. In one allegation, Summit Merchant Solutions, according to a former recruiter, is effectively a “hiring factory” of totally independent contracted sales agents. He said that his group of 30 recruiters needed to employ 350 agents per week, with the majority leaving within three months.
Clients Complaints
The comments come from angry clients who weren’t happy with their experience with Summit Merchant Solutions and lost their money. Most of the complains and reviews online were from their clients and service users. That led to many one-star reviews and angry customers that described the company as a fraud.
Higher processing rates than what was given during merchant account activation and unanticipated costs are the most common types of merchant complaints. There have also been multiple complaints about Summit failing to disclose its 3-year contract with a $495 cancellation charge when the account was opened.
Some retailers have also complained about being trapped into 5-year equipment contracts and the 3-year merchant account obligation. Many merchant complaints also mention individual sales agents, which appear to be crucial in a merchant’s future contentment with Summit.
Summit Merchant Solutions Review Based on Sales Strategy and Advertisement
Summit Merchant Solutions seems to be employing the usual “agent hiring mill” technique, which entails a corporation actively recruiting and engaging independently contracted agents to sell and advertise its services. Under this technique, agents are paid on a commission-only basis and sometimes urged to offer pricey merchant accounts in return for high commissions.
Merchant account fees are typically priced based on the merchant’s first payout and recurring residual commission. All of the data we’ve uncovered reveals that Summit engages in such methods, much to the displeasure of hundreds of retailers. According to multiple accounts, the organization also appears to rely mainly on telemarketing.
Conclusion
From the information gathered in this article, if you own a business in the above industry, we’ll advise you to think twice before investing your money and trusting companies like Summit Merchant Solutions.
We’ve found out the services the company is providing, their pros and cons, fees, rates, contract terms, reviews and complaints from their employees and users, their marketing strategies, etc. We’ve concluded that based on everything listed above, we won’t trust this company with our money.
