Straight answers, no sales fog.
These are the questions merchants really ask us. We answer them the way we would across a counter. Every answer links deeper if you want the long version.
Working with a broker
So what does a payment broker do?
We shop your processing across many processors and push them for a better rate. An insurance broker shops carriers the same way. You get bid rates, not one company's list price. And you get a local person, not a 1-800 queue. The processor pays us a slice of what you already pay. Brokers win by making that number smaller and keeping you for the long haul.
Read more →What does the rate analysis cost?
Nothing, and there's no obligation. You send one recent statement, we read it line by line and show you your real effective rate, the junk fees, and what we'd bid for the same volume. Plenty of merchants just learn something and stay put.
Read more →Are you local or a call center?
Local. Our office is in Federal Way. We work with merchants from Seattle to Olympia in person. When something breaks on a Saturday, you text a person whose name you know.
How long has Northwest Payment Brokers been around?
We have been working card rates down for Northwest firms since 2010.
Dual pricing & surcharging
So what sets dual pricing apart from a surcharge?
Dual pricing shows two real prices, cash and card. The customer picks. A surcharge adds a fee you tell them about, and it can go on credit cards only. Dual pricing works on every card, debit too. A surcharge is not allowed to touch debit. Which one fits comes down to your card mix and your customers.
Read more →Is it legal to do dual pricing in Washington?
Yes. Showing a cash price and a card price is legal in all 50 states. Surcharging is legal here too. You have to tell people, sign up with the card brands, stay under the cap the networks set, and never do it on debit.
Read more →Will my customers get mad about card pricing?
Handled right, very few do. The sign, the receipt and the register flow all have to be clean. That is exactly what we set up. Gas stations have run two prices for years. Your customers have seen this before.
What's a cash discount program then?
Mostly it is an older name for the same idea. The term has drawn heat when a shop runs it as a hidden markup. We set it up as true dual pricing. Two prices you can see, and no surprise on the receipt.
Read more →Rates & fees
What should card processing cost me?
Card networks publish interchange, the wholesale cost everyone pays. What varies is the markup on top. On interchange plus pricing the markup is disclosed in basis points; on flat-rate apps it's hidden in the spread. Most healthy merchants we audit should be in the 2 to 2.5% effective range on traditional pricing, or near 0% card cost on dual pricing.
Read more →What's an effective rate and how do I find mine?
Total fees divided by total card volume on one statement. Under 1.5% with volume: leave it alone, it's good. Between 1.5% and 2.5%: typical but usually improvable. Over 2.5%: you're funding someone's boat. Our statement guide walks the math.
Read more →Why did my flat-rate app get so pricey?
Flat-rate pricing subsidizes tiny merchants with big ones. The famous 2.6% + 10¢ is fine when you're just starting out and quietly the most expensive option in the building past $20,000 a month. If your volume grew, you outgrew the pricing.
Read more →Are there contracts and termination fees?
The accounts we bid stay clear of long lock-ins and junk exit fees. That is part of what we bid for. If a deal needs a term to hit a rate, we put it in front of you in plain words and you decide.
Equipment & setup
Is the equipment really free?
We place terminals free on accounts we open. No lease, no rental line on your bill. Leasing a $300 terminal for $80 a month is the oldest trick in this trade. We do not play it.
Read more →Which POS systems can you set up?
Clover, Exatouch, KORONA, SkyTab-class systems and a dozen more. We match the system to your trade, not to what is on the truck. Every system we carry has its own page. Each one says where it fits and where it falls short.
Read more →Can I take payments on just my phone?
Yes. Tap to Pay on iPhone needs no hardware at all. A small Bluetooth reader adds chip and swipe. Same account we bid for you underneath, not app-store pricing.
Read more →How fast can I be live?
Simple accounts: same week, often within days. POS installs with menu builds take longer, and we tell you the real timeline before anything is signed.
Read more →Switching
How bad is it to switch processors?
Less than you fear. We run the new account in parallel, reprogram or replace the equipment, and you flip when everything works. Most switches lose zero processing days.
I'm mid-contract. Am I stuck?
Often not. We read the contract and weigh the exit cost against what you save. Sometimes the new setup covers the exit fee. Worst case, you know the date your contract dies and we are ready that morning.
Do I have to change banks?
No. Your money still goes to the same business bank account you use now.
Question not here?
Call or text 253-799-0640. A broker answers, not a phone tree.