Alfonso Davis

Merchant reviewing processing contract termination fees and auto-renewal terms

Contract Terms August 23, 2026 30 min read

Early Termination Fees, Liquidated Damages, and Auto-Renewal Clauses: Exiting a Processing Contract Without Paying Twice

Merchants often focus on the monthly processing rate when signing a merchant agreement, but some of the most expensive provisions can appear in the termination, renewal, equipment, and notice sections. Canceling a...

Chargeback dispute stages and escalating merchant costs

Contract Terms August 23, 2026 32 min read

Chargeback Fee Schedules: What Each Stage of a Dispute Costs You Beyond the Lost Sale

When a customer disputes a $100 purchase, the merchant’s cost may be much more than $100. The business can lose the revenue, merchandise, shipping expense, original processing costs, dispute fees, staff time,...

March 3, 2026 8 min read

Surcharging vs Cash Discount vs Dual Pricing: Compliance, Signage, Receipts, and Customer Messaging

For many merchants, payment processing fees are an ongoing cost of doing business that affects profitability. Unlike other costs of doing business, such as rent and labor, payment processing fees are not...

Payment Processing October 30, 2025 9 min read

ACH Transfer Limits: What They Are and How They Work

ACH transfers are a cost-effective and secure method of electronically transferring funds between banks. Rather than processing transactions in real time, ACH payments are batched at scheduled intervals, making them a more...

August 20, 2025 9 min read

How to Spot Hidden Fees in Merchant Service Agreements

In today’s fast-paced business environment, where digital payments are commonplace and transactions occur every second, merchant service agreements are essential to how companies receive, handle, and process payments. In order to guarantee...