How the Processing Relationship Works

FPS's role

FPS operates as an independent sales and service organization for merchant-processing opportunities. FPS may collect business information, prepare a merchant file, coordinate statement and pricing review, introduce or support an acquiring or processing relationship, and provide ongoing service. FPS is not a bank, card network, or government agency and does not issue cards or make claims about a merchant's products.

The exact contracting parties and FPS's approved program role are identified in the merchant application, processing agreement, program guide, or related disclosure supplied before acceptance. A network registration, where applicable, is not an endorsement by that network.

Underwriting and final authority

An acquiring institution or its authorized processor makes the final underwriting decision. Approval may be conditioned on documents, website or product changes, limits, delayed delivery controls, monitoring, reserves, personal guarantees, pricing, or other risk terms. No FPS employee, site estimate, or preliminary conversation changes the final written agreement.

Pricing, reserves, funding, and equipment

• Advertised examples and calculators are estimates, not quotes. Final fees appear in the approved agreement and program guide.
• A reserve is restricted merchant funding, not automatically a fee. Its amount, release, and adjustment rights are governed by the final agreement.
• Funding timing may change because of weekends, holidays, reviews, returns, chargebacks, suspicious activity, or contract rights.
• Any equipment or technology credit is conditional, may require minimum processing or term commitments, and is not earned until the written offer's requirements are satisfied.

Merchant responsibilities

• Accurately describe the business, products, claims, fulfillment, sales channels, descriptor, owners, processing history, and transaction practices.
• Maintain all licenses, registrations, substantiation, website disclosures, refund and shipping policies, privacy notices, and customer authorizations required for the business.
• Use the account only for the approved legal entity, products, channels, and transactions; do not launder transactions or process for another business.
• Monitor refunds, disputes, fraud, fulfillment, customer service, and ratios required by the processing agreement and card-network rules.
• Notify the applicable processing parties before material changes to ownership, products, websites, volume, average ticket, fulfillment, or business model.

PCI DSS and cardholder data

Merchants and service providers that store, process, transmit, or can affect the security of cardholder data must comply with the PCI Data Security Standard to the extent applicable to their role. FPS's public website and Fit Check are not payment-entry channels. Never submit card numbers, security codes, magnetic-stripe or chip data, PIN data, passwords, or bank credentials here.

The applicable merchant agreement identifies the approved gateway, equipment, validation process, and allocation of PCI responsibilities. A merchant remains responsible for its own environment and for monitoring the compliance of service providers it engages.

Network names and marks

Card-network names and marks may be used only as authorized by the applicable network and sponsor institution and may not imply endorsement. FPS does not display card-network marks on this site. Program-specific sponsor and registration disclosures must be used exactly as approved on any material that requires them.

No guarantee of uninterrupted processing

FPS builds for stability, but no ISO, processor, bank, or platform can guarantee permanent or uninterrupted processing. Accounts remain subject to law, network rules, monitoring, underwriting, contract rights, and changes in the merchant's business or risk profile. FPS will not market an account as immune from holds, reserves, review, suspension, or termination.