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Independent retailers are overpaying by $1,890/year on processing. We find every dollar.

On a 2%-margin independent retailer, half a percentage point of processing markup is 25% of your net profit, every year, forever. Bundled pricing is designed to hide where the markup lives. Our audit unbundles it.

  • $500 Guarantee
  • Free, no commitment
  • Independent audit firm
  • Report in 24-48 hours
By the numbers

What we find auditing retail.

  • $1,890

    Median annual overcharge across audited retailers

  • 15 to 35%

    Typical overpayment range, retail verticals

  • 0.4 to 0.8 ppt

    Bundled-pricing markup hiding inside the headline rate

  • 4 minutes

    To upload your statement, decide later

Common patterns

How it shows up in independent retail

Four overcharge patterns we find on nearly every retail statement. The bundled rate quoted at signup is rarely the rate the merchant ends up paying. The audit unbundles it.

  1. 01

    What does 'bundled pricing' actually mean for my statement?

    Bundled pricing quotes a single rate (e.g., 2.4%) that combines actual interchange, set by Visa and Mastercard and not negotiable, with the processor's markup. The merchant cannot see what portion is interchange and what is margin. Independent retailers paying 2.4% bundled often have 0.4 to 0.8 percentage points of pure markup hiding inside.

  2. 02

    Why am I paying a gateway fee on top of processing?

    Gateway fees, typically $10 to $25 per month, are charged for the technical pipe that routes transactions. Many merchants pay both a processor fee and a separate gateway fee for what is effectively the same service. The audit flags overlap and benchmarks against bundled-gateway pricing options.

  3. 03

    What's the monthly minimum and is it costing me?

    Monthly minimums require a floor of processing volume each month, regardless of actual sales. Slow months get charged the minimum (typically $25 to $50) on top of normal fees. Seasonal retailers and lower-volume locations get hit hardest. The fee shows up labeled vaguely on the statement, not as a minimum.

  4. 04

    I have a 'free terminal' lease. Is it actually free?

    Free-terminal offers usually pair a no-up-front-cost terminal with a 36 to 60 month lease at $39 to $99 per month. Over the term, the merchant pays $1,400 to $5,940 for hardware that retails for $250 to $400. The lease is buried on the statement. The audit surfaces the cumulative cost.

What we have found

Audit findings across retailers.

Three illustrative composite audits drawn from the structural patterns we surface in this vertical. Specific savings figures reflect the median range of recoverable processing overcharges.

  • Austin TX
    Independent home goods store
    $28,000/month

    Bundled qualified-rate hiding $0.60/transaction markup: $268/mo

    $3,216
    Saved annually
  • Charleston SC
    Apparel boutique
    $14,000/month

    Free-terminal lease at $79/mo on a 48-month contract

    $1,420
    Saved annually
  • Portland OR
    Multi-location bookstore (3 locations)
    $22,000/month

    Monthly minimums charged across 5 slow months: $135/mo cumulative

    $2,180
    Saved annually

Illustrative composite. Drawn from structural patterns Payzium audits surface. Not a real customer case.

Free tools for this vertical

Built to help you read your own statement.

AI Statement Decoder

Upload any statement. Get a plain-English breakdown of every fee in 60 seconds.

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Surcharge Eligibility Checker

Pass the credit-card fee to the customer where the law allows. See where you stand.

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Run your audit

Find your number.

Upload your most recent processing statement. We read every line, benchmark you against retailers we have audited, and send a written report by email. If we cannot lower your costs, we pay you $500.

What happens after you click

Three steps. Roughly four minutes total.

  1. Step 1

    Upload your statement

    PDF, PNG, or JPG. Most merchants take less than 2 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Tell us about your business

    60 seconds. Business name, role, monthly volume range, contact info.

  3. Step 3

    Get your written report

    24-48 hours. Delivered by email. Yours regardless of whether you switch.

Run my free audit

Free. No phone calls. No fine print.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

See also

Related verticals.