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October 2025 • Issue 25:11:01
What do merchants really want? Part 1
This article contains Part 1 of their responses, featuring in-
sights from Cindy Dahlberg of Gratis Payment Processing;
Nick Cucci, C.F.E., of Fluid Pay; Elie Katz of National Re-
tail Solutions; Anita Meeks of Allure Payments; and Green
Sheet Advisory Board member Mark Dunn of Field Guide
Enterprises and Transactional Services Inc. Together, they
highlight the issues merchants are raising most urgently—
from rising costs and chargebacks to the growing need for
simpler technology, clearer reporting, and reliable support.
We will present additional industry leaders’ perspectives
in upcoming issues.
1. What payment-related challenges are your
merchants talking about most often right now?
Cindy Dahlberg, vice president of sales at Gratis Payment
Processing, mentioned that in today's rapidly evolving pay-
e recently reached out to members of The ments landscape, merchants face an increasingly complex
Green Sheet Advisory Board, along with a web of challenges that extend far beyond simply accepting
range of payments professionals who work a credit card.
W closely with merchants day in and day out.
They hear firsthand what frustrates merchants and what "From mounting interchange and compliance costs to the
their customers are asking for at checkout. We wanted to confusion of chargebacks, disputes, and shifting regula-
find out what merchants are telling them. Are merchants tions, payment processing has become both a vital neces-
and their customers clamoring for real-time payments? sity and a growing pain point for businesses of every size,"
Crypto acceptance? Fast-moving innovations? Or are other she said.
things top of mind for them?
Here are the questions we presented: Meanwhile, she noted, shoppers expect seamless, tap-and-
go convenience without a second thought—placing even
1. What payment-related challenges are your mer- more pressure on merchants to deliver reliability without
chants talking about most often right now? added cost or friction.
2. Are shoppers asking for faster payments or new
options at the point of sale, or are other issues more
pressing? Contributed articles inside by:
3. How do merchant concerns differ depending on
their size or vertical market?
4. Beyond speed and payment options, what im- Allen Kopelman .....................................................................................18
provements would make the biggest difference for Elie Y. Katz ...............................................................................................28
your merchants (e.g., lower costs, fewer disputes,
easier integrations, better service)? Andrii Shevchuk ....................................................................................30
5. If you could name one thing merchants wish the Aaron Stephens .....................................................................................32
industry would fix, what would it be? Adam Gray ..............................................................................................34
Continued on page 23
