Merchant One Overview
Merchant One is a merchant account provider that claims to be a direct processor and serve over 100,000 merchants across the U.S. The company’s history is complicated due to the fact that it was originally an independent reseller of United Bank Card. United Bank Card rebranded itself as Harbortouch in 2012, but it’s unclear whether Merchant One maintained its relationship to the company following this rebranding. Merchant One’s claim that it is a “direct processor” suggests that it may have established a separate arrangement with a different backend processor, but it is common for companies in the credit card processing industry to intentionally mislabel themselves as direct processors.
Merchant One’s products and services include point-of-sale solutions, check scanning and imaging, gift and loyalty programs, mobile payment processing, e-commerce solutions, and mail order/telephone order solutions. Merchant One offers 24/7 phone support and email support to all of its merchants. Jim Saka is the CEO of Merchant One.
Merchant One offers credit card and debit card processing, as well as POS systems, swipers, a virtual terminal, recurring payments, gift and loyalty programs.
Jim Saka is listed as the CEO of Merchant One, which is a registered ISO/MSP of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and Fifth Third Bank, N.A.
The company appears to have had a high number of complaints regarding its service, and it has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Merchant One’s standard merchant account contract, which varies by business type and processing volume, may have a $25 per month early termination fee or a $295 liquidated damages fee, depending on the contract.
Merchant One offers virtual terminal and payment gateway services in addition to its storefront payment processing services.
Merchant One’s contract terms and cancellation fees are unclear, so merchants are advised to compare the company’s pricing to the best chance of saving money.
Merchant One has a high number of negative reviews, and many of these reviews complain about undisclosed fees, and high cancellation fees.
A merchant filed suit in 2021 that alleges Merchant One reported a debt to credit reporters despite disputing it.
Merchant One provides two customer support numbers for merchants, but its customer service channels are not sufficient to qualify it as a top-rated payment processor for customer service.
The BBB reports that Merchant One received 58 complaints in the last 36 months. Despite these complaints, the company received an “A+” rating.
The BBB profile of the company has received 58 complaints and 50 informal reviews, 24 of which are positive, and 26 of which are negative.
Merchant One has been found to advertise low processing rates, which set unrealistic expectations. The company also does not mention what type of transactions qualify for these low rates.
Merchant One has a history of misleading rate promotions and hidden cancellation fees. We recommend seeking a third-party statement audit if you suspect Merchant One is charging you undisclosed fees.
Merchant One is a large merchant services provider, and has received several complaints about high fees and deceptive marketing tactics. This company has a high number of complaints compared to other processors of its size.
At a glance
Founded: 2000
Location: Miami, Florida
Acquiring bank: Wells Fargo Bank
Website: merchantone.com
Phone number: 800-910-8375
E-mail: [email protected]
Online reputation and reviews
Merchant One has received over 100 negative reviews online, which have been consistently posted ever since the company functioned as a United Bank Card subsidiary. The vast majority of Merchant One complaints have to do with misrepresentation of rates by both sales agents and the company’s official marketing materials. Other commonly cited issues include hidden monthly and annual fees and large early termination fees. Overall, the company receives complaints that are typical of the industry at large: bait-and-switch pricing, nickel-and-dime fees, and punitive contract terms.
Legal actions and lawsuits
There are no outstanding or recently resolved legal actions related to Merchant One at this time.
Have you used Merchant One for your business? Rate the company at the top of this post and tell us about your experience in the comment section below:
Do not do business with this company. They will lie to you just to get you to sign up with them. I quit there services only after a week due to their deceit and gross incompetence. They advertise no cancellation fee but they charged me $850.00 for cancelling my contract. Again do not do business with this company, Merchant One!