Cardsave - are there any benefits?

[Matt1959]

Carsdave.net have been on the phone today trying to flog me a merchants account facility. I've already made enquiries with Streamline and as a member of the FSB theres no set up fee and I was going to use them. Cardsave say they can save me money of phone line rental, and numerous other benefits and in fact they seem to mirror what the FSB can offer for its members.

Has anyone joined Cardsave and are there any advantages that you don't get through the Federation of Small Businesses - doesn't look like it to me.............

 

[Ricardo Snehpets]

Stick to the FSB, I am with Cardsave and also a member of the FSB. I was with Cardsave before joining the FSB. The benefits Cardsave offer are't worth if. Firstly if you use the parcel service, ANC wont setup an account unless you can guarantee 25 parcels a month, I find parcel force and the post office perfect. The insurance benefits are better with the FSB, Cardsave don't arrange or support any of the bolt ons they sell they just leave you the details and it's up to you to do the run around. With the FSB they have people you can contact regarding their services, trust me Cardsave don't provide that quality service level.

Also what I found out with Cardsave when I tried to switch is that you are tied to a rolling contract that doesn't lapse after 12mths like normal. In order to give them back their equipment you need to pay almost £200.

Be carefull.

Richard
SENet Trading Ltd

 

[ukmsst]

To be honest Cardsave have been brilliant - you may see that these old quotes are 2006, so a bit old, but as for now Cardsave have been excellent in saving set up and transactional costs and the additional benefits far outweight the approach and costs of other providers.

If any of the reps call you, you should let them show you what they can save you.

I would highly recommend them.

UKMSST

 

[mona-lita baglioni]

To be honest Cardsave have been brilliant - you may see that these old quotes are 2006, so a bit old, but as for now Cardsave have been excellent in saving set up and transactional costs and the additional benefits far outweight the approach and costs of other providers.

If any of the reps call you, you should let them show you what they can save you.

I would highly recommend them.

UKMSST

I disagree, Cardsave staff seem only interested in their commission. Customer service is poor, there is no log of correspondence so when you ring with a problem you have to go through the fiasco of explaining it again and again. I set a new business up and used Cardsave to provide my pdq services, rates seemed ok but it seems most providers will negotiate. My application wasn't processed for weeks that resulted in me unable to process card payments in my first weeks of trading. This was weeks ago and they blamed the post strike that didn't start until today! A member of their own staff told me my application had sat in someones desk drawer while they were on holiday..........

 

[rdunn1]

I first registered with Cardsave in 1999. One of the terms of business stated that if you cancelled within 4 years you would face a contract cancellation fee of £120.00 + VAT. Fair enough.
In 2003 they say sent me a new contract as they were finishing with Hypercom and using a new service provider.Last week I notified them that I was changing my processing company to my own bank HSBC. Today I received an invoice from them for £120.00 + VAT, the cancellation charge! They say that on the rear of the replacement contract Clause 7 makes it clear this charge will be levied. I have asked to see a copy of this contract, as I can't find it in my file, although I had no problem finding the 1999 contract.
So be warned, if you sign up with Cardsave, no matter how long you stay with them you will be charged an exit fee. In view of this questionable tactic to deter users from getting a better deal elsewhere I for one would never consider using them again. Can you imagine the outcry if utility providers tried this method of customer restraint?

 

[rdunn1]

Sure enough, I did sign a new contract (Which was only necessary because they changed service providers), and there was the clause, on the back, in small print, one of approximately 60 clauses! So beware, you have been warned. Once they have you, you can't get away unless you pay to do so. It shows how confident they are that they can retain your business in the face of competition from other card processing companies by the value of their service alone.

 

[annab1274]

I am also with Cardsave, have been since Jan 2008, I switched to them for my retail premises with my Ltd company. I have been trying to get them to change my bank details for over a clander month, but some bright spark there decided to set my account up as a Partnership, so they now know that we're a Ltd company they have decided after me querying the delays for 2 weeks that I will have to complete a new application, then Streamline will have to give me a new merchant account. It will take over 2 working weeks! All because my Ltd company name was too long to fit on a cheque and the account name ended in the middle of the word company!
The amount of Cardsave staff I have had to retell my problem to so far is 6, and still no-none can sort it out. I will be leaving them, and yes I will have to pay them £120+VAT for the privilege
FSB deal with Streamline, so I would recommend using them, I have joined FSB after Cardsave, but must admit I didn't realise that Cardsave weren't the actual providers when I signed up, it was organised through my bank.
I also have NO idea who to talk to about complaining about Cardsave.

 

[PixelsCode]

I have had Cardsave on the phone recently - and I got the impression they were a Merchant Gateway and a rival to PayPal.

Nothing like FSB, what's going on?

 

[MASSEY]

I have had Cardsave on the phone recently - and I got the impression they were a Merchant Gateway and a rival to PayPal.

Nothing like FSB, what's going on?

Well this thread was started in 2006.

So my guess is, they have evolved their business and are offering more services :|

 

[Mantis]

I just want to tell everyone NOT to use cardsave. They never return calls, when you need help they are not there for you. If you are after using them to get better rates with a merchant account, don’t bother as in most cases you'll be able to get cheaper via the banks directly.

I wanted to cancel as I was disappointed after 3 years, the one time I wanted help they were not there for me.

They would not let me cancel over the phone, then I emailed them which they ignored, finally emailed again while on phone. The woman then said I had to pay £120 cancellation fee for the 2 merchant accounts they opened for me with streamline!!!!

Beware and stay away from CARDSAVE

 

[stomper66]

PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY ..
I have got severe cash flow issues because this company cannot get their act together ,I changed from partenership to ltd status on the 1st april , before this date i completed and returned all paperwork , today some 6WEEKS later i still have not my terminal configerated to my new account , which has meant that i have not been able to accept customers payment for completed work , as the customers paid deposits by chq , i told them by the time the balances would be paid they could do so by card , as cardsave had initially told me configeration would only take a few days ? my outstanding amount that i cant take in is £30 000 .
I have spent hours on the phone to them (at my cost ) , had seven broken promises that i would get sorted , nine broken promises to call me back (including customer services ) . i have been lied to time after time after time, this morning off to my bank to ask for overdraught to tie me over .I have good profitable buisiness , never needed overdraught till i got involved with cardsave . STAY WELL CLEAR .

 

[BenKirkwood]

We have companies switching from Streamline (and others) every day due to cost, service and reliability issues.

Give PaymentSense a call, not only will you save money on your current rates but they can have you setup with a new terminal, installed and fully activated within a few days.

 

[Jonathan Whitfield]

Carsdave.net have been on the phone today trying to flog me a merchants account facility. I've already made enquiries with Streamline and as a member of the FSB theres no set up fee and I was going to use them. Cardsave say they can save me money of phone line rental, and numerous other benefits and in fact they seem to mirror what the FSB can offer for its members.

Has anyone joined Cardsave and are there any advantages that you don't get through the Federation of Small Businesses - doesn't look like it to me.............

My name is Jonathan Whitfield, I am a Territory Sales Manager for Cardsave. I saw your quote and would like to elaborate on why cardsave and not fsb. First thing is FSB are an association that simply ask businesses if they can refer leads into them. In this case fsb refer into streamline. FSB actually takes nothing to do with the merchant and all streamline pay them is a commission for the referral on the basis that the business commits to streamline.

So why cardsave? As of October 2010 cardsave and streamline were both acquired by Worldpay so cardsave and streamline are allied as sister companies. Cardsave supply the payment solution (terminal, support, rates etc) and streamline provide the back end operation of transacting the transactions that take place. Cardsave is a one stop shop, in my experience i was in business myself previously to being with cardsave and completely understand all the pitfalls which come with running your own business.

The merchant services area is an absolute nightmare, a real minefield when it comes to choosing a provider. What I can say is though, that streamline are fantastic (personal point of view). if you like you can send me an email or provide your contact details and without giving you a sales pitch, just give you the advice you need on this area?

Thanks

 

[chalkie99]

My name is Jonathan Whitfield, I am a Territory Sales Manager for Cardsave. I saw your quote and would like to elaborate .......

You are quoting a post which is over 5 years old

Does this reflect your speed of service? :|

 

[printer people]

The worst customer service I've ever had by quite some distance.

Shocking that I'm trusting by business cash flow to these people. I've not been able to take a reliable payment on my card processing terminal for over a month.

I've had two terminals replaced and still today a payment failed to go through the machine.

I've told them I've had enough and want a machine that plugs into a telephone line, the young girl on SUPPORT line has told me that it will cost me to do this which did make me laugh, but she was actually serious. I said forget it I'm cancelling the contract (signed 4 years ago) but I'm apparently on a rolling contract that renews every March - It would be very helpful if i was made aware of this.

I'm cancelling and they can do there best to get a few from me - I'll happily go to court and show the judge my email string and the contract i signed 4 years ago - see what he thinks!

 

[printer people]

The very rude lady you answered my questions like I was a total waster, rang me back after a few carefully placed emails and offered me the kit i requested and that it will plug into my broadband router and save me a load of time....!

Very polite too, I wonder if the call was monitored. Anyways, all sorted - but it can take up to five days to arrive but she will do her best to rush through to me. RESULT, its all I bloody wanted.

The most powerful thing you have in your arsenal is your email string/correspondence (not tel calls). These company no very well that if you do go to court that any small claims judge with proof in front of him will find in your favour.

Well done Cardsave - you have kept a customer.

If the kit doesn't turn up I will report back. If you see nothing them I'm a happy customer.

 

[winsoar]

I use Cardsave and I've been very happy with it.

 

[Tyrefitter]

Hi evryone,im new on here & i'd just like to mention ive just had rep round from cardsave & believe me its better than all the others ive had quotes from,£30pm,12 month contract 2% on credit card,35p on debits & NO monthly fee if i don't use.

Andy.