How the Free Merchant Fee Review Works

A recent merchant statement is the best starting point. If your terminal rental is on a separate invoice, send that too. If you have the agreement, renewal date and typical monthly card turnover, include them. You do not need to prepare a spreadsheet.

• Recent merchant statement
• Separate terminal rental invoice, if there is one
• Agreement and renewal date, if available
• Typical monthly card turnover

I look at your effective rate, transaction and per-transaction charges, terminal rental, fixed and monthly charges, PCI compliance fees, minimum monthly service charges, authorisation and declined-transaction fees, card mix, contract terms and auto-renewal. I also check blended versus interchange-plus pricing, CNP charges, settlement times and whether the equipment suits the work.

I explain what you are paying, whether anything looks out of line, whether I can improve the arrangement and what the full cost would be. You get the useful answer without needing to decode payment-industry jargon.

• What each important charge means
• Whether the current deal looks competitive
• What I could improve and the likely cost
• What switching would mean for equipment and settlement

Most reviews take a few minutes to arrange and the time needed depends on how much detail is on the statement. If your current deal is already good, I will tell you to stay put. There is no obligation and no pressure to switch.