Home > Processor Research > Velocity Merchant Services

What to Expect from Velocity Merchant Services: Everything You Need to Know

We take our role in providing guidance and education regarding the card payment industry very seriously. At our own expense, we have vigorously defended our right to continue expose unethical and predatory practices in the industry, successfully defeating every attempt to silence us. However, fending off frivolous lawsuits is costly. To sustain these efforts, one of the ways we generate revenue is through affiliate partnerships with ethical providers. This means that some of our outgoing links connect business owners to trustworthy, low-cost payment processors, which is what most of our readers seek. We see this revenue channel as a win-win-win for everyone involved. Business owners find good processors, processors get good clients, and we are able to continue to provide a valuable service to the small business community. We also recommend and link to many services that do not compensate us. Our priority is to guide you to the best solutions for your needs, regardless of potential revenue. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us.

All mentions of rate and fee costs are estimations based on publicly available information and client feedback. Actual costs may vary based on a variety of factors unique to your business.

Velocity Merchant Services

Rating
D
2.8/5
full starfull starempty starempty starempty star

Pros and Cons of Velocity Merchant Services

Pros

Transparent pricing
Next-day funding
Comprehensive solution

Cons

Three year contract
Potential cancellation fees
Annual fees possible
Equipment costs
Service issue complaints

Overview

In this review of Velocity Merchant Services, we provide a detailed look at their offerings, starting with rates, fees, and contract terms to outline the financial commitments for clients. We examine common customer complaints, industry ratings, and employee reviews to present both external and internal perspectives on the company’s reputation and practices. Our analysis covers Velocity’s marketing strategies, user feedback, and sales approaches, as well as their payment processing capabilities across different transaction types. We also discuss recent developments such as the Visa and MasterCard lawsuit, customer support quality, and processing costs to give a complete view of their operations. Finally, we weigh the pros and cons of working with Velocity Merchant Services to help businesses decide whether this provider is the right fit for their needs.

About Velocity Merchant Services

Screen Capture of Velocity Merchant Services Homepage
Velocity Merchant Services Homepage

Velocity Merchant Services, founded in 1998, is a merchant account provider located in Downers Grove, Illinois. Velocity claims to have a merchant portfolio numbering in the thousands and appears to resell the services of First Data (Fiserv) and EVO Payments International.

Products & Merchant Services

Payment Processing

Velocity Merchant Services offers processing for most major debit and credit cards across various business types.

POS Solutions

Velocity Merchant offers point-of-sale (POS) systems through Clover, providing businesses with an integrated solution for managing transactions.

Mobile Payments

For businesses looking to accept payments on the go, Velocity Merchant provides mobile payment solutions. These tools allow merchants to process transactions via smartphones or tablets.

Virtual Terminals

Virtual terminals from Velocity enable businesses to process payments remotely. This service is ideal for companies that handle orders over the phone or by mail, allowing for secure payment acceptance without the need for physical card readers.

e-Commerce Solutions

Velocity Merchant’s e-commerce offerings support online businesses by integrating secure payment gateways.

EMV Card Readers and Swipers

Velocity Merchant equips businesses with EMV card readers and swipers to comply with chip-card technology standards.

Business Credit Cards

Velocity Merchant offers business credit card solutions. These cards provide companies with a line of credit for managing operational expenses, with the flexibility to make purchases and track business spending.

Customer Reviews & Sentiment

Moderate Complaint Total

Velocity shows an average number of non-BBB complaints considering its size and time in business. However, several negative reviews raise concerns, suggesting Velocity Merchant Services may engage in questionable practices. Since our initial review, the comment section has accumulated nearly 40 complaints, with a few directly addressed by a company representative. These complaints often highlight Velocity’s sales tactics as the primary issue, alongside complaints about undisclosed fees.

Cause For Concern

We found approximately 25 negative Velocity Merchant Services reviews on other consumer protection websites, some filed by former employees. These complaints indicate troubling patterns, alleging that deceptive sales strategies are part of the company’s formal agent training. One complaint describes salespeople misrepresenting themselves as financial consultants and making false claims about rates and services.

Velocity Merchant Services Customer Service Options

Velocity’s website offers live chat, a support ticket system, and a dedicated customer service line. However, over ten complaints across various review websites mention long customer service wait times and interactions with rude or unhelpful representatives. This supports our decision not to include Velocity in our list of the best-rated merchant accounts for customer support.

Industry Scores & User Ratings

Online Ratings Summary
PaymentPop1
BBB Rating1.11
Google Maps4.7
Yelp Rating2
Our Rating2.8
Average Rating2.65

PaymentPop Rating for Velocity Merchant Services

Negative Feedback

if I could give the negative star I would give it right away. Customer service is rude and terrible. His name is Jay Key. VMS will not let you cancel your service without paying $495.00- $1500.00 fee.

They would not tell you anything about it when you first sign up for application. You only find out when you try to cancel their service. So before you want to use their service, you should know you would have to pay $450-1500 service fee anyway. Rude customer service when they know I want to leave them. Stay far away and I will report on all platforms to let people stay far away from this shady business

Positive Feedback

There are no positive reviews published about Velocity Merchant Services on the PaymentPop website.

Velocity Merchant Services BBB Rating

Velocity Merchant Services has an average customer review rating of 1.11/5 stars on BBB based on 9 customer reviews. The company has received 16 customer complaints in the last 3 years, with 6 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

Negative Feedback

I felt scammed. I was lied to about the fee structure when signing up and lied to about the cancellation fee. Before they tell you they will be charging you $500 to cancel, they withdraw it from your bank account first. I called customer support and they advised it would only be $35. In addition to that they have lots of hidden fees then make you end up paying WAY more than if you were to use literally any other processor ive ever seen.

Positive Feedback

There are no positive reviews published about Velocity Merchant Services on the BBB website.

Google Maps Rating for Velocity Merchant Services

Velocity Merchant Services has a 4.7 out of 5 star rating based on 1,804 user reviews on Google Maps.

Positive Feedback

Great customer service, with outstanding representatives. Was a pleasure dealing with them. Had an excellent experience through out the whole process.

Negative Feedback

If I could give zero stars I would. Unprofessional and racist company. Poor management is the root of the issue.

Yelp Rating for Velocity Merchant Services

Velocity Merchant Services has a 2 out of 5 star rating based on 40 user reviews on Yelp.

Positive Feedback

Amazing company they follow through with what they say. Glad to have great support team when we need it

Negative Feedback

Worse Company you could do business with. Terrible customer service. Terrible people.

Processing Rates & Fees

Three-Year Agreement

The standard Velocity Merchant Services contract operates through EVO Payments International. It entails a three-year contract with automatic renewal for one-year terms and an early termination fee of $395. The standard EVO PCI compliance fee amounts to $120 annually. Although some complaints suggest a 48-month agreement with an early termination fee ranging from $495 to $700, these reports are less reliable than the contract’s actual terms.

Beware Long-Term Leases

Prior to October 2014, Velocity collaborated with Northern Leasing for equipment leases, which sometimes led to confusion among merchants who unknowingly signed separate agreements with Northern Leasing. Presently, the company leases terminals and POS equipment through First Data Global Leasing. Recently, a merchant reported a $35 monthly lease for a 48-month term, aligning with standard long-term lease rates. It’s important to note that most credit card terminals can be bought for under $500. Long-term leases, which are non-cancellable, can lead to substantial costs, making them unfavorable contract terms. We recommend merchants explore our list of the best merchant services.

Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing

Besides its in-store payment processing, Velocity Merchant Services promotes its virtual terminal and payment gateway services on its website without disclosing pricing. Additional rates and fees, including gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and additional transaction rates are typically applicable to these e-commerce services.

Velocity Merchant Services Contract Terms

While specific documentation regarding Velocity’s rate structure is limited, available figures suggest they are slightly less competitive within the industry. Therefore, we rate Velocity as “C” in this category. Merchants might find more savings with a top budget merchant account provider. If you possess specific knowledge about Velocity’s contract terms, kindly share it in the comment section of this review. Refer to the Velocity Merchant Services Merchant Agreement.

Velocity Merchant Services virtual terminal
Velocity Merchant Services offers multiple e-commerce solutions, including a virtual terminal

Lawsuits & Legal History

We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints against Velocity Merchant Services.

However, records show that Velocity Merchant Services faced a fine of $19,007 in 2019 for wage and hour violations.

Merchants unhappy with Velocity Merchant Services who prefer non-litigious recourse should consider reporting their concerns to relevant supervisory organizations.

Employee Reviews & Sales Practices

Telemarketing and Outside Sales Agents

Velocity Merchant Services appears to hire independent sales agents in addition to an in-house telemarketing team to market its services. The use of independent sales agents is a common practice within the card processing industry that often produces a team of untrained, unregulated sales agents. In the case of Velocity Merchant Services, a large number of complaints cite agents’ nondisclosure of contract terms, aggressive sales tactics, and misrepresentation of rates. This does not compare favorably to our list ofbest credit card processors.

Evidence of Slamming

In addition, some Velocity Merchant Services complaints filed by former employees suggest that the company trains its telemarketing agents to present themselves as representatives of Visa and MasterCard, possibly in a bid to convince merchants that Velocity agents are agents of their current providers and get them to unwittingly switch to Velocity (a tactic known as “slamming“).

Sales Complaints

The sheer amount of complaints that mention the credit card processor’s sales tactics are significant enough to lower its score to a “C” in this section. If you suspect that you have had undisclosed fees added to your Velocity Merchant Services contract, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to eliminate hidden fees.

Velocity Merchant Services Competitors

Compare Velocity Merchant Services to competitors that earned top marks.

Bottom Line

Velocity Merchant Services ranks as an average merchant services provider by our assessment. The company’s overall rating is primarily hindered by a troubling pattern of nondisclosure and misrepresentation reported among its sales agents. Complaints often cite a lack of transparency and unexpected fees, resulting in a higher volume of dissatisfaction that impacts Velocity’s credibility. This pattern highlights an area where the company could significantly improve, as stronger oversight of its sales practices and clear communication with prospective clients would foster greater trust.

To enhance its rating, Velocity Merchant Services should exercise stricter control over its sales agents, ensuring they convey accurate and comprehensive information to clients. Additionally, offering more competitive contract terms would make the company a more appealing choice for businesses. At this time, merchants considering Velocity are advised to compare its pricing and terms with those of top-rated merchant accounts. By securing a more favorable deal, businesses can better align their processing needs with a provider that prioritizes transparency and client satisfaction.

Read Actual User Reviews

All user reviews have been moved to our partner, PaymentPop.com

Contact Velocity Merchant Services

Contact & Customer Support
CEODanoush Khairkhah
Founder and PresidentDema Barakat
Headquarters3051 Oak Grove Road, 2nd floor, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515
General Customer Support(801) 876-8998
Fax(630) 708-6005
Additional Support ChannelsOnline Contact Form and Live Chat
Websitegetvms.com