Problems with Card Services

anyone experiencing problems since the First Data buyout?

[mattb]

Is anyone else experiencing issues with Card Services? We have processed with them for 7+ years and have had several major issues as of late. Our main concern is batches not being deposited and the lack of timely response to this issue.

[bwnbwn]

Yes I am as well came here to post a question myself. Mine is different but since you started this thread I will as well ask a question related.
I use cart 32 for my ecommerce store since first data took over the charges have gone from authorization to sale this is a serious issue as all orders are now processed before we can check the credit card. If the order a fraud we then have to refund the order costing us 5% of the total.
Contacted cart 32 they say they have done nothing to chage the cart, First Data says it is the cart that has changed for authorization to sale.
Anybody here using cart 32 and First Data and not having this issue please let me know.

[bwnbwn]

Found my error I am using Linkpoint basic I have to change over to Linkpoint API to be able to select authorization and not sale.
Now I have to do a complete setup change on the system to fix this issue. I will look very hard and make sure my batch deposits are deposited correctly.

mattb
Can you tell me when the batches quit going in correctly?

[mattb]

bwnbwn-

We had trouble early September with Discover Card batches. They blamed this on the changeover to reporting Discover and Amex in mymerchantoffice.com reporting. Then on September 19th we had the whole batch not deposited. Still waiting on resolution on that one.

[bwnbwn]

mattb an update on the fastdata fip. They now admit it was a technical glitch on their part. I will have to get up with them on the orders that were processed and batched out without our approval but that will have to wait till I get back from vegas. Trying to call them now is too long a wait as I suspect there were many customers involved in this glitch and the waiting time is to long. Still looking into our deposits. I don't need the API now as orders are being processed as they were before apporved and not sale.

Thanks very much for the heads up on this issue.

[mattb]

Update: Batch from September 19th was deposited today November 11th. Card Services has yet to come up with an explanation as to why this happened.

[Corey Bryant]

Actually First Data bought Cardservice probably seven years ago or so. First Data owned 50% of it before that for a couple of years. And then last year Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) acquired First Data. Of course with this came massive layoffs, around 1,000 I beleive in the Denver, CO area, thus getting rid of thousands of years of individuals' experience in the industry.

If you have some problems, you should also try to contact your agent. He / she should be more than willing to also put in a call or two to help get an appropriate response.

[mattb]

Corey,

Thanks for the clarification. I did not realize First Data has owned them for so long. Our rep did nothing to clarify this either. According to our rep they've been making changes related to rebranding linkpoint.com to firstdata.com. They also combined discover / amex into the mymerchantoffice.com batch settlement reports. They've not been able to pinpoint why these problems occurred. Hopefully these are isolated incidents.