Anyone use EMS Firearms CC processor for their business

[Highlander751]

Need to start taking credit cards. Anyone have any experience with EMS Firearm System. I saw a flyer in some NRA literature. Any comments would be appreciated.
Robert
Highlander Guns and Ammo
Ridgecrest CA

[XxWoodsHunterxX]

[ugimports]

It’s all the same. Just find a processor direct way easier. All these places just charge an additional fee on top of what your already going to pay to the processor. We use Bank of America merchant services and for online enetwork it runs around $25/mo service fees.


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I thought BofA didn't do merchant processing for firearms companies. We use these guys: https://freedomprocessing.us/
Contact: Mike Miller <mmiller@freedomprocessing.us>

Some items to consider based on your own requirements:
1) If you will be doing online and in person
2) How does that show up on billing (effects how you reconcile)
3) Do you have an eCommerce gateway you need to integrate with, will the vendor support it (for example I use ZenCart and Freedom Processing has an authorize.net compatible gateway through EPN)
4) What equipment do they offer or can you use your own (depends on your needs)
5) Do they have a mobile app (if you care)
6) Are you locked in a contract (do you care)?
7) do they charge monthly fees? (know what they are - you may care if you are low volume and the monthly fees exceed the revenue you bring in through CC)
8) any volume limits? I've heard of some companies that got locked out earlier this year because their volume shot up 100% over what their normal volume was and the CC provider locked them out. Know what those are if they exist. I insisted on being with a provider that did not have pre-set (I could ask to set it if I wanted it).
9) do they provide PCI compliance as part of their package? You will need to worry about this. Do you have to pay it separately on your own to remain compliant or is it part of the service you are paying your provider. As a small shop I elect to use the one "provided" one with the vendor. I do see where I pay it as part of my fees, but I'm small enough their provider is sufficient for my requirements.

I briefly looked at BofA and saw in some review your initial term is 3 years. I don't like contracts so I have flexibility to change CC providers. I've done so 4 times since we've been in business getting incrementally better rates or in 1 instance I switched because the way they did their statements changed and screwed up how I can reconcile monthly.

For any of the vendors don't get fooled by their base rate or even the monthly fees. What you should be asking is what is the average % after all fees/etc.. There's so many ways the rate they quote you can be different then your effective rate after all surcharges and fees are included, but that's what you care about.

Anyway, that's just my $.02

Be sure with whoever you sign up with it's clear you are a firearm company. You don't want them to "find out" later and lock you out.

Companies like Square, Paypal, etc.. are for sure anti-2a. I use Wells Fargo for my business accounts and they did originally offer me merchant services. However, once I double checked if they have issues with firearm companies they realized the couldn't offer those services to me.

I think a member here at a problem with Citibank or Chase as well.

[HD4Jim]

I have been using EMS for a little over a year, found out about them the same way. I'm home based, and do not use my website for sales so they work well for me. They do not have a contract and the fees are reasonable to me.

[0321 U.S.M.C]

I started off with paysafe. thought it was reasonable at first, then 6 months later came the $75+ monthly PCI compliance fees on top of normal monthly fees, then to top it off cost me over $300 to cancel. maybe someday I'll try EMS but for the time being I take cash or check. I know I should have done my homework better, but I'm still bitter about it.

[XxWoodsHunterxX]

I thought BofA didn't do merchant processing for firearms companies. We use these guys: https://freedomprocessing.us/
Contact: Mike Miller <mmiller@freedomprocessing.us>

Some items to consider based on your own requirements:
1) If you will be doing online and in person
2) How does that show up on billing (effects how you reconcile)
3) Do you have an eCommerce gateway you need to integrate with, will the vendor support it (for example I use ZenCart and Freedom Processing has an authorize.net compatible gateway through EPN)
4) What equipment do they offer or can you use your own (depends on your needs)
5) Do they have a mobile app (if you care)
6) Are you locked in a contract (do you care)?
7) do they charge monthly fees? (know what they are - you may care if you are low volume and the monthly fees exceed the revenue you bring in through CC)
8) any volume limits? I've heard of some companies that got locked out earlier this year because their volume shot up 100% over what their normal volume was and the CC provider locked them out. Know what those are if they exist. I insisted on being with a provider that did not have pre-set (I could ask to set it if I wanted it).
9) do they provide PCI compliance as part of their package? You will need to worry about this. Do you have to pay it separately on your own to remain compliant or is it part of the service you are paying your provider. As a small shop I elect to use the one "provided" one with the vendor. I do see where I pay it as part of my fees, but I'm small enough their provider is sufficient for my requirements.

I briefly looked at BofA and saw in some review your initial term is 3 years. I don't like contracts so I have flexibility to change CC providers. I've done so 4 times since we've been in business getting incrementally better rates or in 1 instance I switched because the way they did their statements changed and screwed up how I can reconcile monthly.

For any of the vendors don't get fooled by their base rate or even the monthly fees. What you should be asking is what is the average % after all fees/etc.. There's so many ways the rate they quote you can be different then your effective rate after all surcharges and fees are included, but that's what you care about.

Anyway, that's just my $.02

Be sure with whoever you sign up with it's clear you are a firearm company. You don't want them to "find out" later and lock you out.

Companies like Square, Paypal, etc.. are for sure anti-2a. I use Wells Fargo for my business accounts and they did originally offer me merchant services. However, once I double checked if they have issues with firearm companies they realized the couldn't offer those services to me.

I think a member here at a problem with Citibank or Chase as well.

What kind of rates did you eat with freedom?


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[weaselfire]

Ignore percentages and transaction fees, those are the cheap costs. PCI compliance fees and cancelation fees will kill you.

Jeff

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[ugimports]

What kind of rates did you eat with freedom?


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I'll check and give the average form my last statement

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[ugimports]

Ignore percentages and transaction fees, those are the cheap costs. PCI compliance fees and cancelation fees will kill you.

Jeff

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I only sign month to month and you should be able to negotiate that too even if the original agreement they give you has a term on it that you are not comfortable with.q

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[ugimports]

After all the different types of fees:
online ~2.3%
retail ~3%

ETA: if anyone decides to look at Freedom Processing this is my rep there:
Michael Miller
C – 859.393.4732
E - mmiller at freedomprocessing dot us

I don't know if I get any credit, but let him know UG Imports referred you in case I do