Review the contract you actually have
Most merchants have never re-read their merchant services agreement. Rates drift upward through annual adjustments, and terminal rental often continues on contracts that ended years ago.
- Request a full fee schedule including all ancillary charges
- Check terminal rental end dates and auto-renewal terms
- Challenge PCI non-compliance fees — they are avoidable by completing the SAQ
- Consolidate multiple providers onto one agreement for volume pricing
Operational changes that move the needle
Encouraging contactless for low-value sales reduces authorisation time and, in some pricing models, cost. Making sure staff never key in card details manually avoids the far higher card-not-present rate.
Surcharging and minimum spends
Surcharging consumer debit and credit cards is banned in the UK. A minimum card spend is legal but risks losing sales. Adjusting pricing is usually the better route to protecting margin on small transactions.
Want this reviewed for your business?
Send us a recent bill and a consultant from our Cardiff office will tell you, honestly, whether you are paying more than you need to.