Harbortouch is a merchant account provider based in Allentown, Pennsylvania. They claim to provide merchant accounts for over 120,000 businesses and process over $10 billion in credit card transactions annually.
The Harbortouch POS has a portable credit card reader, screen, receipt printer, cash drawer, and card reader that are designed for food trucks, cafes, restaurants, retail businesses, spas, and bars.
Business owners previously complained that Harbortouch had predatory contract terms, but the company has now reduced its contract length and no longer charges an early termination fee.
Has a one-year contract with no early termination fee and offers interchange-plus or basic rate. It has 144 complaints and 28 reviews.
Harbortouch has revised its terms and conditions in response to customer complaints about the company’s 3-year contract term.
Harbortouch charges 1.39% plus $0.10 for swiped transactions and 1.79% plus $0.10 for keyed-in transactions. Former customers must return their equipment within 15 days or else they can get charged for it.
Harbortouch offers the Onyx POS system, which includes the mobile and tableside options, along with its Echo and Elite POS systems. Each system includes similar monthly fees and upfront costs, though the Elite POS system does not require any additional wiring.
The POS agreement will detail additional monthly costs for optional add-ons, as well as one-time purchases for less expensive products.
Although the company’s official terms are listed below, the company’s use of independent sales agents means that transaction rates and fees can vary. Customers should trust the documentation above the agent’s word.
Harbortouch’s merchant agreements and POS systems have received mixed reviews. The company has now changed its terms and conditions and now offers a shorter one year contract.
Harbortouch has received numerous complaints about its poor customer service and exorbitant cancellation fees. It appears that Harbortouch has paid Ripoff Report to be a part of that site’s corporate advocacy program.
A Harbortouch CEO blog post speculates that negative reviews of the company are actually from competitors and former customers and that it is important to note that most of the complaints do not have real contact information associated with them.
A Harbortouch representative claimed that the company’s cancellation policy was clearly disclosed to customers and that Harbortouch’s early termination fee was justified by the upfront expense of providing sale system equipment to merchants.
Harbortouch was a participant in the CPO’s complaint resolution program, which was a positive indication that they were interested in providing a satisfactory outcome.
We don’t have any current class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints against Harbortouch, but we found a number of now-settled cases.
Harbortouch’s parent company, Shift4 Payments, was sued for monopolizing the payment interface and merchant account services market for mid-sized table service restaurants, but the case was settled in 2019.
Harbortouch offers extensive customer service options to merchants. The company website provides a knowledge base, a toll-free number, and a customer support form.
Although Harbortouch has taken steps to improve its reputation, the company’s complaint rate and content of complaints have remained consistent.
Harbortouch has been an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau since 2013, and has had a total of 144 complaints. 69 of these complaints have been resolved to the satisfaction of the merchant.
Harbortouch hires an independent sales agent to resell its merchant services. This practice results in unregulated or unsupervised agents that fail to inform merchants about contract terms.
Harbortouch’s promotional deals for free equipment or a free POS system often miscommunicate this fact, as the business owner still has to pay for access to the system for at least three years.
Harbortouch charges a $250 restocking fee for merchants who cancel before the install date. If customers cancel after the install date, they will be charged for the full cost of the service agreement.
Harbortouch’s policy appears to be to enforce the fine print terms of the service agreement even in the event of business closure.
Harbortouch has procedures in place to discipline ISOs that act unethically, and discloses its service agreement terms in its paperwork.
Harbortouch has an average grade of “C” in the category of best POS providers due to its sales team’s negative experience with customers.
Harbortouch is a large merchant account, credit card processing, and point-of-sale provider, but the company is making efforts to improve its reputation with recent contract revisions.
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