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Discover Hidden Costs In Payment Processing and Maximize Revenue

payment processing

Samantha Chen

Research Lead

The Hidden Mathematics of Payment Processing: What Your Bank Statement Isn’t Telling You And How To Keep Your Revenue

Every business owner knows the feeling. It’s the end of the month, and you’re reviewing your bank statements. The sales numbers look good – until you spot those processing fees eating away at your bottom line. 

If you’re like most business owners, you might be losing thousands of dollars each year without even realizing it!

Let’s pull back the curtain on what’s really happening with your payment processing fees.

The Real Cost Behind Every Swipe

Think about your last $100 sale. While it might look like a clean $100 in revenue, the reality is quite different. With traditional payment processing, you’re typically paying between 2% to 3.5% on every transaction. 

That means on that $100 sale, you’re actually only keeping $96.50 – or even less.

Now multiply that by hundreds or thousands of transactions per month. Starting to see the bigger picture?

Breaking Down the Numbers They Try To Hide From You

Here’s what most banks won’t tell you upfront:

  • Base processing fees (typically 1.5-2%)
  • Card brand fees (0.1-0.2%)
  • Assessment fees (variable)
  • Monthly statement fees
  • Terminal rental fees
  • PCI compliance fees

And these are just the fees they tell you about. 

There’s often a whole layer of hidden costs buried in the fine print of your merchant agreement.

The Math That’s Costing You Big Time

Let’s put this into perspective. For a business processing $50,000 monthly in credit card sales:

  • Traditional processing fees (3%): $1,500 monthly
  • Annual cost: $18,000
  • Five-year cost: $90,000

That’s $90,000 that could have been reinvested in your business, used to hire new staff, or simply added to your bottom line.

The Solution You Might Want To Hear About

Here’s where things get interesting. While these fees have long been considered just “the cost of doing business,” there’s actually a better way. 

Modern payment solutions, like Rescue’s surcharge service, can help you recapture nearly all of these fees.

How does it work? 

Instead of absorbing these costs yourself, you can legally pass them on to customers who choose to pay by credit card. 

Customers who prefer to pay by debit or cash don’t pay any extra fees.

But Wait – Won’t This Upset My Customers?

This is where the data tells an interesting story. Across thousands of businesses and millions of transactions, the reality might surprise you:

  • 99.9% of customers proceed with their purchase as normal
  • Many customers switch to debit (which saves you money anyway)
  • Most understand it’s a standard business practice

In fact, out of every 1,000 businesses using surcharge programs, analyzing over 1 million transactions, only 1-2 customers ever raise concerns. 

That’s a staggeringly low 0.0002% objection rate.

The Smart Way To Increase Profits

The key to success is transparency and proper implementation. 

This means:

  • Clear signage explaining the program
  • Well-trained staff who can answer questions
  • Multiple payment options for customers
  • Professional, compliant implementation

Taking Control of Your Payment Processing Costs

Think of it this way: you wouldn’t let any other vendor overcharge you by thousands of dollars each year. 

Why accept it from your payment processor?

With Rescue’s surcharge service, you can:

  • Reduce processing fees by up to 99.7%
  • Maintain competitive pricing
  • Offer customers payment choices
  • Keep more of your hard-earned revenue
  • Reinvest in your business growth

Ready to Stop the Hidden Math from Eating Your Profits?

The numbers don’t lie – traditional payment processing is costing you more than you might realize. But you don’t have to accept it as “just the cost of doing business.” 

With the right solution, you can take control of your processing costs while maintaining great customer relationships.

Want to see exactly how much you could save? 

Let’s do the math together. Contact Rescue today for a free analysis of your current processing costs and see how much you could be saving.

The future of payment processing is here – and it’s time your business took advantage of it.

Want advice on setting up a surcharge program?

We host weekly live trainings teaching you how to get the most out of your surcharge program, and if you want to get learning right now, you can download our Surcharge Canada Guide.

Download the Surcharge Canada Guide
Surcharge Canada Guide