Marketing
SumUp works with a strong network of renowned partners across Europe, including UBS, Tupperware, DHL and many more. Also, a major part of its marketing campaign is its affiliate program, which aims to help it boost air card reader sales. Those that sign up for its affiliate program earn up to €30 per paid air card reader. Also, SumUp pay members €20 for every paid order and €10 on top of every order whenever a member refers at least 10 orders within a given week.
SumUp is straightforward and transparent about its affiliate and referral programs. It lists those it already works with and there are not a bunch of disclosures tied to these promotions.Its traditional advertising and online marketing and promotions appears honest and clear.
Honesty
Nothing about SumUp’s website or promotional materials appear to be dishonest or suspicious in any way. All of its pricing, features, and policies are direct and clear. Also, we could not find any complaints about SumUp failing disclose pricing or other details.
Support
SumUp can be reached by phone, contact form, and email. Customer support is available weekdays between from 8 am until 7 pm and on Saturdays from 8 am to 5 pm. It does not have any support on Sundays, as well as no live chat option.
Staff Responsiveness
SumUp could definitely be more responsive. It took five days to get a response to the inquiry submitted via its contact form. It took three days to get a response to an email we sent. However, we were pleasantly surprised to get an answer to the question we submitted via email. We were never able to reach anyone via the phone.
Staff Interaction
Email was the quickest and most effective way to reach SumUp. The brief interactions we had via email were helpful and clear. However, all pertinent information can be found in SumUp’s support section. It explains details about pricing, setting up machines, and other valuable information. The information we received in the email was consistent with what we found in other places on its site.
Pricing
SumUp charges a 1.69% transaction fee for UK transactions completed with the SumUp Air Card Reader. The rate is 2.75% for Ireland/Malta transactions. It does not charge a monthly fee, and there are no additional charges for delivery, a dashboard and reporting, telephone and email support, or to processing payments from mobile apps, like Google Pay and Apple Pay. For virtual terminal transactions, merchants are charged 2.95% plus £0.25 per transaction. Payments are deposited into a merchant’s account within two to three business days.
Most importantly, merchants only pay for successful transactions, therefore, merchants don’t pay for cash payments or declined credit card transactions.
Hardware Costs
SumUp is running a promotion in which new account holders can get one SumUp Air card reader for £19, which is £10 cheaper than the regular retail price. It comes up with a 30-day money back guarantee and a one-year hardware warranty.
Early Termination Fees
Merchants do not have to sign a contract. Therefore, an early termination fee is not an issue.
Complaints
SumUp has a four-star out of five rating on TrustPilot UK. Of the 345 reviews, 68% are excellent. Reviewer say the hardware is easy to set up and simple to use. Some also said they liked that they received their money quickly, often funds are deposited into accounts within a day or two. Approximately 20% of those who reviews were bad, mainly because of frozen funds, difficulties get refunds, and poor customer service. The cases of frozen funds were due mostly to merchants that were using SumUp for prohibited business activities.
Restricted Business Activities
Since SumUp operates under strict requirements imposed by the financial regulator, the card schemes, and its acquiring bank, it cannot support all business models.
- Changes can be made to this list at any time. Currently, SumUp restricts businesses that sell:
- Adult entertainment and content, including videos, escort services, live streams
- Bail bond services
- Bankruptcy legal services
- Bidding fee auctions, including penny auctions
- Occult services
- Business seminars
- Buyer’s clubs/membership clubs
- Collection agencies, refinancing of debt/factoring, mortgage, brokers/reduction services/refinancing, payday loans
- Commodity trading or security trading
- Credit counseling or credit repair services
- Credit protection or identity theft protection services
- Currency exchanges or dealers
- Debt elimination
- Digital wallet or prepaid companies
- Direct marketing for inbound telemarketing and continuity and subscription services
- Discount coupon merchants
- Discount medical or dental plans, including discount insurance
- Distressed property sales and/or marketing/real estate flipping
- Drug paraphernalia
- e-Cigarettes
- Firearms and ammunition
- Fortune tellers
- Gambling, including lotteries, internet gaming, contests, sweepstakes, or offering of prizes as an inducement to purchase goods or services
- High interest rate non-bank consumer lending, including payday lending and title loans
- Infomercial merchants
- Internet pharmacies
- Marijuana dispensaries and related products or services
- Marketing activities that require “pay only for shipping” and/or “free trial” periods
- Merchants utilizing renewal, or continuity subscription practice
- Money transfer, wire transfers, money orders, transmitters, and check cashing
- Non-licensed counseling services, such as debt and financial, marriage and family counselling, alcohol/drug abuse, and other personal counseling
- Multi-level marketing/pyramid schemes
- Outbound telemarketers and telecom merchants
- Pawn shops
- “Doubtful efficiency” products, including weight loss supplements and hair growth and physical performance boosting products
- Nutraceuticals
- Rebate-based sales
- Mobile minute/phone card sales
- Social media activity sales
- Sports forecasting or betting
- Substances designed to imitate illegal drugs
- Timeshares, including resales and related marketing
- Virtual currency or credits that can be monetized, re-sold, or converted to physical or digital goods or services
- New or used cars, motorbikes, or yachts
Additionally, SumUp does not work with any merchant that:
- Accepts transactions on behalf of another entity
- Sells goods or services that represent a violation of any law, statute, or regulation, specifically including any brand that promotes, encourages, or engages in bestiality, child pornography, or mail order brides
- Sells products that infringe on the intellectual property rights of others, including counterfeit goods or any product or service that infringes on the copyright, trademark, or trade secrets of any third party
Finally, SumUp cannot support merchants that operate what it considers as “future business.” Situations in which the delay between processing a card transaction and handing out the product/service should be no longer than seven days. If the delay is more than seven days, SumUp would consider a merchant to fall under the restricted “future business” category. Examples of these merchants would be concert and show tickets, airline tickets, and hotel and excursion bookings.
