PRICING PROGRAM REVIEW
A pricing program has to work on the statement and at the counter.
The label is not the decision. Compare the full cost, customer presentation, equipment, contract and operating requirements before choosing standard processing, a dual-pricing or cash-discount structure, or a surcharge program.
See How the Review Works
HOW THE COST APPEARS
Follow the cost from customer presentation to the monthly statement.
Rates, assessments, equipment, software, monthly fees and exception costs need one comparison that uses the same volume and card-mix assumptions.
WHAT MUST NOT BREAKA lower headline number should not hide a customer-experience problem, a rule the business cannot operate or a fee that appears elsewhere.
THREE PRICING STRUCTURES
Merchant-paid, dual-pricing and surcharge structures change both cost and customer presentation.
Merchant-paid structure
A conventional structure reviewed for transparent total cost, contract terms and operating fit.
Two-price or discount structure
Requires clear presentation, compatible equipment and program-specific review before use.
Eligible credit-card transactions
Requires card-brand, legal, registration, disclosure, receipt and configuration review.
THE STRESS TEST
Put every proposal through the same month.
Normalize sales volume, average ticket, card mix, refunds and equipment. Then compare the customer-facing experience and the full statement—not a single quoted rate.
VOLUMESame month and ticket mix
COSTEvery recurring and transaction fee
RULESEligibility and presentation
EXCEPTIONSRefunds, debit, tips and downtime
WHERE THE DECISION BREAKS
Catch the fee, disclosure or receipt mismatch before changing programs.
Rate-only comparison
A quoted rate looks lower while monthly, gateway, equipment or exception costs move elsewhere.
Program-label confusion
The team uses dual pricing, cash discount and surcharge as if the requirements were interchangeable.
Counter-to-statement gap
The customer sees one price while the receipt, batch or statement tells a different story.
WHAT A REVIEW COVERS
Put one month under every proposed pricing program.
MERCHANT INPUT
Put one month under every program
Bring the statement, contract, equipment list, average ticket, refund activity and customer presentation.
DATA ONE WORK
Compare programs against identical sales facts
Apply the same volume, card mix, equipment, contract and customer experience to every program being compared.
NEXT STEP
Choose with requirements visible
List cost assumptions, day-to-day obligations and unresolved eligibility or compliance questions without promising savings.
You leave with comparable cost assumptions and the rules that still need review. Savings, eligibility and legal compliance are not promised.
QUESTIONS BEFORE DECISIONS
A fair pricing comparison should explain these six points.
Which pricing program is cheapest?
There is no universally cheapest structure. Compare the full statement, card mix, average ticket, customer presentation, equipment, rules and operating cost before deciding.
Are dual pricing and cash discount the same?
The terms are sometimes used loosely, but program structure, presentation and requirements can differ. Review the exact program rather than relying on the label alone.
Can every business add a surcharge?
No. Card-brand rules, applicable law, registration, disclosures, card type, geography and configuration must be reviewed before use. This page is not legal advice.
Will a pricing change guarantee savings?
No. A review can compare current and proposed costs using stated assumptions, but volume, card mix, fees, customer behavior and provider terms can change the result.
What should be compared besides the headline rate?
Compare authorization, assessment, processor, gateway, equipment, software, PCI, monthly, exception and contract costs, plus the work required to explain and operate the program.
What should we bring to a pricing review?
Bring recent complete statements, the agreement, equipment and software list, average ticket, sales mix, refund pattern and any current customer-facing pricing language.
A clear next step