5 Hidden Fees on Your Processing Statement

By RatesNegotiator Team

Most merchants pay hidden charges on their processing statements without realizing it. These items often appear under vague names and can add hundreds or thousands of dollars to annual processing costs. This article identifies the five most common hidden charges, including PCI non-compliance surcharges, batch processing costs, statement surcharges, monthly minimum charges, and interchange padding.

Understanding what each charge is, why it appears on a statement, and whether it can be negotiated or removed is essential to reducing overall processing costs. Many of these charges are added by the processor and are not required by the card networks.

How to Identify and Remove Hidden Charges

Start by reviewing every line item on your monthly statement. Look for charges that are not clearly tied to a specific transaction or card network requirement. PCI non-compliance surcharges, for example, can often be eliminated by completing your annual PCI self-assessment questionnaire. Batch processing costs may be reduced by adjusting the time of day your terminal settles. Statement delivery surcharges can sometimes be waived by opting for electronic delivery. The key is knowing which items are negotiable and which are mandated by the card networks, because the difference can save a business hundreds or thousands of dollars annually. If you are not sure which charges on your statement are removable, upload it for a free analysis and our system will flag every reducible line item automatically.