If your business processes credit cards through Global Payments or one of Global’s subsidiaries, there’s a good chance you’ve seen something called an “Analytics Reputation Management Fee” on your monthly statement.
At roughly $45 monthly, it might not seem like a huge expense. But it’s a perfect example of how processors try to squeeze extra dollars from merchants through questionable fees.
Let’s break down exactly what this fee is, and why you probably shouldn’t be paying it.
What is the Analytics Reputation Management Fee?
The Analytics Reputation Management Fee is a merchant processing fee that’s typically charged at $45 per month, but can vary slightly depending on the merchant account. We find it on statements from Global Payments and companies owned by Global, including:
- TSYS
- Cayan
- OpenEdge
- Heartland
- EVO Payments
While the name itself sounds important (words like “analytics” and “reputation management” are both legitimate business concerns), the fee has absolutely nothing to do with managing your business reputation online. Nor does it provide you with any meaningful analytics about your payment processing.
Is the Analytics Reputation Management Fee Legit?
No, the Analytics Reputation Management Fee is not a legitimate or mandatory cost of accepting credit cards. It’s a processor-imposed markup that’s just another way for them to get more revenue from your account.
In other words, this is a junk fee.
It’s not charged by the card networks like Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express. It’s also not related to interchange or network assessments. Global Payments invented this fee out of thin air, and it’s similar to other junk fees we’ve exposed, like Global’s Settlement Funding Fee and Risk Assessment Fee.
Why This Fee is So Deceptive
Payment processors are really clever when it comes to naming different fees. They make the charges sound sophisticated and legit when they actually mean nothing. Global, in particular, is extremely good at naming fees that not only sound legit but are difficult to verify. Here’s what I mean.
Try running a Google search for “analytics reputation management fee” and then see what comes up. You’ll find pages of results about reputation management companies. These are all businesses that help other businesses manage online reviews, suppress negative search results, and improve the perception of brands online.
This is not a coincidence.
It has absolutely nothing to do with payment processing. So if you see this fee on your statement and try to search for it, you’ll struggle to find anything relevant and probably just let it go because it’s only $45.
We’ve seen this pattern before with Global, including with their settlement funding and risk assessment fees. These names are intentionally vague and flood search results with unrelated information, making it nearly impossible for merchants to find out what they’re actually paying for.
It’s a clever tactic because if merchants can’t easily research the fee, they’re less likely to question things.
What Are You Actually Getting From the Analytics Reputation Management Fee?
The short answer: probably nothing.
Payment processing will argue that these fees cover various operational costs or value-added services. But in reality, businesses will see zero tangible benefit from this charge.
- Detailed transaction analytics should already be part of your basic service (not an upcharge).
- Online reputation monitoring is not something provided by payment processors.
- Processors don’t help you monitor or manage reviews.
- It doesn’t give you access to some type of reputation management software.
This is a phantom charge. You’re paying $540+ per year for absolutely nothing.
When you multiply this across the millions of businesses relying on Global payments, you can do some quick math to estimate how profitable this fee is for them—especially considering they don’t need to provide anything in return. The only “cost” on their end is the work involved with adding the line item to your monthly statement.
Why You Shouldn’t Ignore the Analytics Reputation Management Fee
In the grand scheme of things, an extra $45 monthly charge may not seem like something to lose sleep over. But it’s often just the tip of the iceberg and a red flag that your account has other random fees that are worth closer inspection.
Global Payments (and its subsidiaries like TSYS, Cayan, EVO, Heartland, and OpenEdge) are all notorious for adding bogus fees to merchant accounts.
We’ve seen some of these charges cost merchants thousands and upwards of tens of thousands in bogus charges in a single month.
Many of these overages are extremely difficult to spot, like padded assessment fees. So if you see the Analytics Reputation Management Fee on your statement, there’s a high probability that your account needs to be fully audited for other bogus fees.
Read More: Global Payments Outrageous Fees Exposed
What to do About the Analytics Reputation Management Fee
If you find this charge on your monthly statement, don’t ignore it. Here’s what you need to do:
- Contact your processor and demand it be removed (and ask for a refund).
- Audit your statement for other fees with ambiguous names or anything that doesn’t look right.
- Ask your processor to remove any fee that isn’t a mandatory interchange fee, assessment, or per-transaction markup.
- Negotiate a better rate directly with your processor to lower your effective rate.
This is all easier said than done.
Unfortunately, whoever you call or email will likely tell you that the fee is legit and there’s nothing you can do about it. They’re hoping that will be a sufficient answer, and you’ll just leave them alone.
That’s why it’s so helpful to work with a merchant consultant.
When we call Global on your behalf, they can’t lie to us the same way they lie to you. That’s because we know exactly which fees are legit and which are junk, and we have the statements from other businesses to prove it.
They tell you that you’re getting the lowest possible rate? Let us confirm it.
Reach out to our team here at MCC for a free audit today. We’ll help you save money without switching processors by finding hidden fees and negotiating better terms on your behalf.