Start Merchant Services failed to provide clear communication, a timeline, or resolution. account is still not active Salt Lake City Utah

Let me make this crystal clear for any small business owner considering Start Merchant Services or Zank Payments: run the other way. These companies wasted my time, stalled my business launch, cost me money, and still haven’t delivered the service they promised.

I applied for a merchant account on June 10, 2025. I submitted everything they asked for — all the required documents, banking information, product verification, fulfillment details, registration paperwork — and signed their agreement by June 12.

After that?
Silence. Excuses. Lies. And no results.

They kept blaming third parties like PayFacto and People’s Trust (their so-called underwriting bank), saying they were “backed up” and that I was “next in line.” I heard that exact line for over 30 days. I had to follow up constantly just to get the same generic responses. They even asked for impossible documents that don't exist in a typical Shopify dropshipping setup — clearly just stalling.

It’s now July 10, 2025 — and I still have no merchant account, no way to process payments, and no clear answer. Just a broken onboarding pipeline and total disregard for my time and business.

Let me be clear:
This is not just bad customer service. This is negligence. This is a ripoff.

These companies are unprofessional, disorganized, and have no control over their own process. They take on merchants they can't support, then leave them hanging while blaming everyone else.

If you'can, stay away.

I’ve already filed complaints with the BBB, FTC, and other review sites, and I hope this serves as a warning to others:
Do not trust Start Merchant Services or Zank Payments with your business.