Help! Anyone who uses Thompson Merchant

[Lady Di]

I use Thompson Merchant to accept credit cards in person and on my website. I've just received a letter from them (or from 1st National Processing) that I am required to become PCI DSS compliant. Something to do with scanning my system(???), and that in June they will start charging me the "preferred monthly rate" of $19.95 for this scanning service (in addition to my monthly fee I already pay)!!!

Are all merchant credit card companies doing this? Can anyone please explain this to me in terms that my small brain can understand? I called customer service at both 1st National and Thompson Merchant, but they weren't very helpful other than to say it is what it is. If this is the way it is, then I will have to stop accepting credit cards.

[Misty]

I use IPayment, and they are doing the same thing. I am getting so fed up with all this nickle and diming us to death. I am considering that this may be my last year in business, with the price of everything else going up, it's just frustrating. I've been running this business for ten years, and although I love making the product, the business side of it is becoming a pain.

[OverSoyed]

My company does the same thing... nickel and dime for everything.

• MASTERCARD WATS AUTH FEE TRANSACTIONS AT $0.25 EACH
  
• VISA WATS AUTH FEE TRANSACTIONS AT $0.25 EACH
  
• AMEX WATS AUTH FEE TRANSACTIONS AT $0.25 EACH
  
• CREDIT CARD BATCH SETTLEMENTS SETTLEMENT FEES AT $0.25 EACH
  
• SECURE GATEWAY FEE
  
• AUTHORIZATION FEE TRANSACTIONS AT $0.05 EACH
  
• CUSTOMER SERVICE FEE
  
• MC/VISA MINIMUM 25.00 MINIMUM LEVEL LESS FEES RATE

I've never used customer service, but still get charged the fee. I thought it would go away once I went paperless, but nope... still there.

The $25 min fee is sick. If they don't make at least $25 in discount fees from your transactions, you get charged the difference.

They are now charging, along with many other companies, "cross border" fees, if you have customers overseas in different countries.

The discount rates vary as well for the credit card types that people use, i.e. work credit cards, industry card and so on.

Some months you are lucky to break even with all the fees you pay. But what can you do.

[islandgirl]

Lady Di...

You could always use the touch-pay system to cut back on costs.

You would not have to swipe the card through the machine,

but you could call it in right there with your cell phone.

You could also use it for web purchases. I download my CC information from a secure website and manually run the cards through on my phone.

Check out the touch pay services, I think it is option #1 though Chase that I use.

I just checked out the site.. Those prices went up slightly too.. I have not gotten a letter yet... We shall see..:rolleyes2

I called customer service at both 1st National and Thompson Merchant, but they weren't very helpfu!l

I agree with you!!!!

Trying to get them on the phone sucks..

No one ever answers, you have to leave messages..

They do everything via email. Which at times is very annoying when you need a problem fixed right away!! That is my one major problem I have with them..

[Lady Di]

According to Thompson, Chase is not yet charging any compliance fees. These fees are coming from 1st National.

[islandgirl]

Yes.. I used first National when I first started using Thompson..

1st National had free online report viewing for over a year..

Then I got hit with a fee's for it..

1st national said.. Oh.. we put in our statement a few months back..

Well I reviewed it and there wtas A tiny little notice that they put at the bottom of my statement.. Never saw it..

Anyhow.. I switched to the option 1 which Thompson has control over the fees with Chase.. Have not had any surprises or problems yet..

Will keep you posted if I get hit this month with new fee's..

Let me know how you make out....:rolleyes2

[Lady Di]

Thompson says I can switch from 1st National to Chase. Chase is not yet charging a compliance fee. Thompson says that by the end of this year ALL companies will have to do this, because Mastercard and Visa are requiring it. Thompson is searching for a scanning company that will not charge as much as the one 1st National is using. So far, the cheapest one they have found is charging $150 a year.

If I go to just accepting PayPal on my website, I will not have this problem. PayPal is already PCI DSS compliant. This is a thought, and one I need to think about.

Another consideration for taking cards in person is ProPay: Accepting credit cards through ProPay is a fraction of the cost of what I'm paying Thompson -- only about $35 a year.