Electronic Merchant Systems — Local services in Lower Merion Township

Terrible Experience with EMS – Avoid at All Costs

I’ve been a loyal customer of Electronic Merchant Systems (EMS) for some time, but my recent experience has been beyond frustrating and unacceptable. EMS is withholding a substantial batch of payments, claiming they need to verify a customer’s transaction. My customer went above and beyond to confirm the payment, providing proof via phone, email, and even a picture of their debit card. Despite this, EMS demanded the customer contact their bank with EMS on the line, which made my customer uncomfortable and strained our business relationship.

What’s even worse is that EMS not only withheld my funds but transferred the funds from my client’s credit card into a bank account I don’t have access to. Where did these funds go? This is extremely alarming and feels like EMS is using my money as an interest-free loan for their own benefit while leaving me in financial distress.

This issue has come up during the Christmas holidays, a critical time for small businesses. I’ve never had issues with EMS before, but now, during the holidays, they choose to hold my funds. They know this is a difficult time, and they are fully aware that I have zero chargebacks, disputes, or prior issues. Yet, they continue to hold my money without justification.

To make matters worse, EMS continues to charge me their fees while withholding my funds. How am I supposed to pay these fees when they have my money? This behavior is deeply unethical. It’s harming my business, my ability to provide for my family, and my reputation with my clients.

After researching EMS, I found that many others have faced similar issues. Complaints on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website reveal a pattern of EMS withholding funds and transferring money without clear explanation. Other payment processors don’t operate this way, making EMS’s actions seem intentional and exploitative.

I have consulted with my attorney, and we both believe this behavior raises serious legal and ethical concerns. Holding funds unnecessarily, transferring money to unknown accounts, and continuing to charge fees while withholding funds are practices that could potentially violate fair business practices and laws.

To any business considering EMS, I strongly advise against it. Their actions have caused me financial hardship, strained my client relationships, and made it impossible to operate my business effectively. Their management team is aware of the situation, knows it’s the holidays, and still refuses to release my funds.

EMS needs to immediately release my money, stop these harmful practices, and treat small business owners with fairness and respect. Until then, I wouldn’t recommend them to...

Pete Russo Pete Russo, Inc. 65 Airport Rd., Pottstown, PA 19464

I highly recommend doing a rate review with Joe at Electronic Merchant Systems, because it’s not just a question of if they can save you money, but how much money do you want to save? After Joe stopped by on a cold call and left his card and emailed the office, I had our office manager Roseann, investigate to see if EMS could indeed save my business money. We discovered that the best way to save the most money was to switch from doing regular processing to doing dual pricing with EMS. We are now able to save hundreds of dollars per month on debit and credit card payments. We were using card readers that had to be plugged into our tablets and now we have each of our plumbers use Swipe Simple card readers which connect via Bluetooth and are a fully operational POS through their phones and our backend office! Roseann can see the daily activity on the html portal for Swipe Simple and transfer that activity to Quickbooks. Do yourself a favor and get a free, no obligation quote from Joe at EMS. It could be one of the best financial decisions you make for your business!

Pete...

I decided to switch my retail business's existing credit card processing company, and went with EMS in my local-(Phila.PA area). My EMS representative is a fellow named "Jim Mathews" who made the transition extremely seamless, in that he came and installed the new terminal, as well as coached me in contactacting my previous processing company in order to inform "them" that their services were no longer needed, and how to amically end my contract with "them"! I cannot say enough great things about this EMS rep, also, because he additionally helped me with other issues that I was having with a couple of other electronic devices in my office, where this new EMS terminal is located!..I will definitely recommend this EMS credit card processing company to any and all of my other personal contacts within the retail envirnment who accept credit card payment! Sincerely..Alan Dubin Route...