09/02/2026
A machine shop owner believed they were paying 2.9% to process credit cards. When I audited their statement, their effective rate was 9.75%.
This didn't happen overnight. They signed up less than a year ago at what looked like a competitive rate. Then the increases began, month after month, quietly. New fees appeared. Existing fees went up. Charges that, in my opinion, were nothing more than money grabs. In under 10 months, their processing costs had nearly tripled.
The owner had no idea. They knew their monthly total. They didn't know what was buried inside it.
I understand that costs change. Interchange moves. Networks make adjustments. Processors are businesses too. But there is a significant difference between reasonable pricing adjustments and steadily raising a merchant's costs because you're counting on them not to notice.
That distinction matters. And it's exactly what gives this industry a bad reputation.
Business owners shouldn't have to hold an accounting degree just to understand what's being taken out of their revenue. They shouldn't sign an agreement at one rate and find themselves paying something dramatically different a year later without explanation.
If you want a quick gut check, take your total processing fees and divide them by your total processing volume. That number, your effective rate, tells a more complete story than anything on the first page of your statement.
If you're not sure what you're looking at, send me your statement. I'll audit it, walk you through every charge, and tell you exactly what you're paying and where your money is going. No sales pitch before that conversation is done.
Business owners deserve transparency. Those of us in this industry should demand it.
(757)683-0123 or send us a message here to get started.
