As you might guess from the name, this merchant account provider is a division of Sam’s Club, the membership-only retail warehouse club chain owned by Walmart. Read on for everything you need to know about Sam’s Club Merchant Services.
Processing Services
Just about every product and service offered by Sam’s Club Merchant Services are branded by First Data. Sam’s Club covers all the basics that a retail or eCommerce merchant would need for their business. That includes the following:
- In-Person Processing. Accept payments in person by using traditional point-of-sale (POS) equipment. Sam’s Club offers a variety of compatible terminals and devices for retail processing. Some can do more than process traditional credit and debit cards, they can also process contactless payments and checks too.
- Online Processing. Global Gateway from First Data is what you’ll get for online processing. It hosts checkout and web API options. The hosted checkout works with a wide range of popular shopping carts and supports all major credit cards.
- The web service API lets you or your developer fully integrate the Global Gateway and customize payment acceptance. It’s compatible with multiple programming languages and can also be integrated with a variety of shopping carts.
- With web service API, you can customize payment pages to coordinate with your website’s look and feel. The global gateway API accepts traditional credit cards as well as checks, PayPal, Google Checkout, Amazon Payments and more.
- Mobile Device Processing. Sam’s Club offers mobile processing with Pogo, a free downloadable app. It also offers card readers for purchase. These readers connect directly to a smartphone or tablet for swiped transactions. Keep in mind, swiped transactions usually carry lower processing rates than keyed-in transactions.
- Phone & Mail Processing. You can also accept payment if there is no physical credit card present. It works with a virtual terminal that allows you to process payment from any computer connected to the internet. You won’t need any special equipment for this kind of processing. The terminal accepts credit cards, debit cards, and checks, and comes with automatic tax calculation, reporting options and fraud prevention tools. You can also set up recurring billing and customize receipts.
Equipment
Sam’s Club Merchant Services offers equipment for sale and for lease. Features vary from model to model but may include things like check acceptance, wireless connectivity, and integrated PIN pads. You also have your pick of accessory devices, including check readers. All equipment offered is branded by First Data.
| Features | Station | Mini | Flex | FD130 | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credit & Debit Cards | X | X | – | X | X |
| Gift Cards | X | X | – | X | X |
| Checks | X | X | – | X | X |
| Contactless | – | X | X | X | X |
| EMV | X | X | X | X | X |
| Handheld | – | – | X | – | X |
| Wireless | – | – | X | – | X |
| Peripherals | X | X | – | – | – |
A full-featured system, the popular Clover Station was designed to make it easy for merchants by putting everything into one system. It not only lets you accept payment, but it also tracks inventory, manages employees and much more.
But please keep in mind, Clover Stations cannot be reprogrammed. This means that you cannot use the hardware with another processor if you want to switch from Sam’s Club to another provider in the future.
Although it comes in a relatively small package, the Clover Mini delivers a powerful punch. It’s ready to use, right out of the box, with multiple ways to process payment in a sleek, small set up.
This POS system is a new smart payment and business management device that fits into the palm of your hand. It integrates a printer, a camera and a QR scanner with a powerful touchscreen. Keep the Clover Flex on the counter, or use it on the go with its 3G and WiFi capabilities.
A combination of a POS terminal, printer, PIN pad and contactless and EMV chip reader, this compact unit is the most popular Sam’s Club POS systems ever.
This mobile credit card reader and mobile POS lets your customers pay using their mobile wallet. It’s simple, sleep, and pairs with your mobile device through a Bluetooth connection.
Customer Satisfaction
Sam’s Club Merchant Services offers telephone support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, provided by First Data through the Clover division. You also have the option to use the live chat feature, which is available during the following times:
| Day(s) of the Week | Time (EST) |
|---|---|
| Monday – Thursday | 8:00am to 9:30pm |
| Friday | 8:00am to 7:30pm |
| Saturday – Sunday | 9:00am to 7:30pm |
First Data has a bad reputation regarding its customer service, so be prepared to speak to rude or incompetent representatives. Your self-help options are also limited with just a link to Clover’s knowledgebase. If you have a technical problem with a Clover product, the knowledge base should help. But if you have a more serious issue, like a billing problem or an account freeze, you’ll most likely want to talk to a company representative.
Contract & Closing
Sam’s Club Merchant Services offers the same contract as First Data, which comes with a standard term of four years with an automatic renewal clause. Not only is the term of four years above the industry average of three years, but it is also becoming more and more the standard for providers to offer month-to-month agreements.
As with any contract, you’ll want to go through the document word-for-word before signing on the dotted line. Make sure to note all the fees associated with your account and how to terminate properly.
My Impressions
Because the two are inextricably linked, you should also research First Data if you’re thinking of signing up with Sam’s Club Merchant Services. In contrast to First Data, Sam’s Club Merchant Services is marketed towards small businesses. However, the two services offer essentially the same thing.
If you’re a low volume provider, Square is a good alternative being a good mobile credit card processor. For direct processing, take a look at Chase Payment Solutions.
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