Frequently Asked Questions
All guidelines set forth by the Credit Card ASSOCIATIONS are followed and adheres to all state and local regulations.
For retail merchants and restaurants who currently process cards with a countertop credit card machine or any of the trades that manually enter transactions using a virtual terminal, phone app, or uses a BlueTooth moblie card reader, there is absolutely no out of pocket cost to get started with Zeeke Payment Solutions.
We provide a state of the art counter top loaner terminal for FREE to all our customers to use! We also will include a virtual terminal and a merchant portal which provides clients access to their batch history, bank deposits, monthly statements and chargeback notifications. Additionally, each merchant will receive additional analytic data which provides useful information.
If our merchant clients desire to upgrade to a point of sale system, at our cost, with no additional markup, we have options available that have the functionality to support Zeeke’s National Auto Repair Shop Merchant Services Program, Customer Cash Incentive Program, and our Legacy processing solution. Our featured point of sale systems include Clover and Exatouch; however, we may integrate with others.
****For new clients in certain targeted market verticals, we currently have a promotion for the use of an Exatouch POS System with NO EQUIPMENT COST. Read below:
EXATOUCH TARGETED VERTICALS PROGRAM
Take advantage of ZERO hardware fees for new merchants in specific verticals who are needing a point-of-sale system! That’s a truly free loaner POS system with no upfront costs.
Any new Zeeke Payment Solutions’ merchant that falls under one of the following categories below is eligible for a free loaner Exatouch POS bundle*:
-Liquor Stores (Beer/Wine/Spirits) (MCC-5921)
-Butchers & Meat Markets (MCC-5422)
-Convenience Stores (Non-Branded Gas) & Delis (MCC-5499 & MCC-5411)
-QSRs & Fast Food (MCC-5814)
-CBD/Tobacco/Vape Shops
MCC-5993 (tobacco)
MCC-5977 (CBD topicals for cosmetic purposes)**
MCC-5499 (C-stores and merchants selling CBD products)**
-Adult-themed Retail (MCC-various)
**CBD merchants are those who derive MORE THAN 10% of their sales from CBD products. Merchants selling a nominal amount of legal CBD products (less than 10% of total product sales,) such as convenience stores with a small rack of CBD products, are considered standard retail merchants under their traditional MCC.
ELIGIBILITY
To determine eligibility, merchants must participate in a virtual Exatouch demonstration to ascertain fit, hardware needs, etc. Please reach out to ralph@zeekepaymentsolutions.com to schedule your free demo.
*The Exatouch Point of Sale Targeted Verticals Program is valid for “new” Zeeke Payment Solutions merchants while the promotion lasts. Standard monthly Software and Support Fee applies per station.
– National Auto Repair Merchant Services Program:
For those Automotive Repair Shops participating in Zeeke’s “National Auto Repair Merchant Services Program“, fees will vary; however, our 2024 year-to-date VERIFIED Average Rate for all participating auto repair shops, collectively, has been a very impressive 1.29% and this is without passing any fees to the merchant’s customers, thus enhancing the customer experience.
– Customer Cash Incentive:
For those retail clients, auto repair shops, restaurants and salons who want to offset processing fees, their customers who pay with a “true” credit card would be a assessed small service fee between 2.5% to 3%. If the customers pay the merchant with a “debit” card, the customer would not be assessed any fees, but instead, the merchant would pay a super low rate between 0.75% and 1%.
For any business that accepts tips and the tip amount is adjusted after the transaction has been completed, then the merchant will be responsible for the customer’s service fee for the “tip amount” only. This will still create a huge savings for the business owner.
– Legacy Processing:
Here’s a breakdown of this approach in layman’s terms:
Absorption of Fees by Merchant: In this model, the merchant does not add any additional fees to the customer for using a credit or debit card. Instead, they take on the costs associated with card processing.
Actual Card Fees: The fees charged are based on the actual costs imposed by the credit & debit card associations, which depend on factors such as:
Card Type: Premium or rewards cards often come with higher processing fees than basic debit cards.
Card Present vs. Card Not Present: In-person (card-present) transactions usually incur lower fees compared to online (card-not-present) transactions, which can involve additional risk factors.
Fee Collection and Distribution: The fees are collected by the payment processor and sent directly to the respective card associations, ensuring that the merchant only pays the exact fees they are assessed by the card issuer. This structure is often seen in the “interchange-plus” pricing model, where the merchant pays the actual interchange fees (the fees set by the card networks), plus a small markup from the payment processor for their services.
Key Benefits for Merchants:
Transparency: Merchants know exactly what they’re paying for and can track the fees back to the specific card types and transaction methods.
No Hidden Fees for Customers: By not passing fees onto customers, the merchant can avoid customer dissatisfaction or confusion around additional charges they must pay, thus enhancing the customer experience.
Simplified Billing: This approach avoids complex surcharge structures and keeps things straightforward for both the merchant and customer.
At Zeeke Payments Solution, we are committed to providing exceptional service and transparency to our clients.
To cover the cost of processing credit and debit card payments, providing a 24/7 all-U.S.-based technical support team to meet the demands of maintaining sophisticated processing equipment, and ensuring our clients have a knowledgeable, efficient, and friendly Customer Support Team experience, we add a small, transparent markup to our services. This allows us to deliver these highest quality levels of support without having to hide or add any unnecessary fees that many other processors are notorious for charging.
We believe in being upfront and fair at all times, positioning Zeeke Payment Solutions as the relationship of choice by our clients for their merchant services needs and the company others in the industry don’t like. In our opinion, this is actually a good thing, and it’s how we maintain a strong, trust-based relationships with our clients.
There are many merchants saving big with the Customer Cash Incentive Program and the numbers continue to increase.
Zeeke Payment Solutions does not believe in making customers sign lengthy agreements. of service. If for any reason you choose to return to your previous processor, there are no termination penalties. All we ask is that you return any of the loaner equipment we provided for your use and we will part ways, wishing you continued success. It is and always will be Zeeke Payment Solutions’ philosophy – If we are not earning your business every day, then we do not deserve to keep your business.
Zeeke Payment Solutions operates on a high-volume, low-margin business model, where the revenue per individual account is modest, but the overall revenue grows significantly due to a large number of accounts who have embraced our reputation in pricing, service, and solutions. By offering a highly competitive fee structure and providing added value to merchants, Zeeke Payment Solutions attracts and retains a steady client base.
Depending on the time you settle your daily batch, the vast majority of our clients receive their deposits the following morning (Friday, Saturday & Sunday’s batches generally are seen in the merchant’s accounts on Monday). If you batch out after the next day funding cut off time, the deposits will be the day after. In special cases, we have same day funding options available, without additional fees added.
For those merchants who wish to pass a service fee through to their customers who pay with a “true” credit” as their payment of choice, our state of the art loaner terminals, provided for free, (or if you to a point of sale system) will know automatically if the card used is a credit or debit card. If the card of choice used by your customer is a credit card, the terminal will be preprogrammed to calculate the small service fee that is to be added and it automatically will be displayed on the receipt for the customer to sign. No Employee Math required.
For merchants who wish to pass a service fee through to their customers who use a credit card as their payment of choice, we will work with your employees on exactly what and how to share this program with your customers, should the customer ask questions. We will also provide your employees with our phone number to give to any customer who might want to know more about the Customer Cash Incentive Program. Lastly, will provide a simple sign which needs to be posted sharing the program details.
Whenever the terminal is batched or settled, the small service fee assessed when a customer chooses to pay with a true credit card will be deducted from each batch. If the customer’s payment choice is a debit card, no fees are passed to the customer and the merchant would only pay between 0.75% to 1% at month’s end, for debit card usage only.
In fact, the concept has been around for decades in some fashion, but initially, only selected industries were granted permission to access an additional fee for card payments. The gas industry has been using a similar program in the U.S. for many, many years. Many national, state and local governments including the DMV, Secretary of State Offices, Schools, Courts, and other Government entities have all had access to similar programs before merchants were allowed the same luxuries.
In order to correctly implement the Customer Cash Incentive program, you don’t need to change any of your prices – you simply post the signage we provide stating that all credit card transactions now carry a service charge. Our state of the art processing terminals or point of sale systems will do all the calculations at the time of a credit card transaction. Should your customer choose to take advantage of the Customer Cash Incentive and pay with cash or a debit card, there is no service fee assessed to the customer.
“IT IS ALL ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR CLIENTS AND HELPING THEM SAVE AS MUCH OF THEIR WELL DESERVED, HARD EARNED MONEY AS POSSIBLE!”