This page says what a Pacta merchant is billed for and what they never are, flatly. Every owner reading it has been burned by a processor who hid exactly this, which is why it's in writing.
The indignities you've met at other processors, by name, and our position on each.
Putting this in writing is the point. You'll see every number on your quote before you sign anything.
| The card fee on each sale | On card sales at your counter, the fee sits inside the card price your customer pays, instead of coming out of your money. You keep the whole sale. |
| Refunds | When you refund a sale, the card companies keep their fee. That is true at every processor, including us. |
| Tip adjustments | A tip added after the sale runs the card a second time, so it costs a fee. The terminal prompts tips on screen at payment so most merchants never see this line. |
| Monthly program cost | The dual pricing program has a monthly cost. The exact number is on your quote, in writing, before you sign. |
| Hardware beyond the free terminal | Extra devices, PIN pads, POS stations and accessories are priced at the manufacturer list on the hardware page. |
Every complaint in this industry is one of these line items showing up without warning. So here they are.
Our full incidental fee schedule is published here. It is being finalised with our processor and goes up the day it is confirmed. Until then, ask on your call and we will read you the whole list.
Term, exit, and what happens to the hardware. Nobody in this category publishes this.
Our contract terms are published here in plain words, not buried in a PDF. They are being confirmed against the current merchant agreement and go up the day they are. Ask on your call and we will tell you exactly what you are signing.
No jargon, no hedging. If your question isn't here, call and a person answers it.
Interchange is the wholesale cost of running a card, set by the card networks and paid to the bank that issued the card. Every processor pays it. What varies is the markup a processor stacks on top, and how many extra line items ride along with it. Dual pricing puts the whole cost into the card price your customer pays, instead of taking it out of your money.
A chargeback is a customer disputing a charge through their bank, which pulls the money back out of your account while the dispute is decided. They happen to every business that takes cards. Pacta accounts include dispute management, and your dashboard shows every dispute with what to submit and when.
Yes. Dual pricing is legal in all 50 states when the card price is the posted price and compliant with Visa and Mastercard rules when implemented correctly, which is our job, not yours. Both prices are posted, the customer chooses, and the terminal rings the number on the shelf tag. We configure your program to your state's requirements and keep it current as rules change.
A surcharge is a fee added on top of one posted price at the register, and it carries stricter rules, caps, and registration requirements. Dual pricing is different: two prices are posted up front, a cash price and a card price, and the customer simply chooses. Nothing is added at checkout. The card price is the posted price. That distinction is the legal foundation of the program.
No. Pacta Payments LLC is a merchant services provider. Payment processing runs through our partner processors and acquiring banks, and your money settles to the business bank account you already have.
PCI is the card industry's security standard for anyone who handles card data. Every merchant is required to be compliant. With Pacta the terminal arrives already configured to the standard, and we walk you through the short annual questionnaire so it's done correctly. You won't be left alone with a form.
Twenty minutes, your real numbers, and a quote in writing. That's the whole process.