Vendmerce Review

Name: Vendmerce
Item: Vendmerce
Rating: 4.5
Author: Phillip Parker

By Phillip Parker

Last Updated: February 27, 2019

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Vendmerce Rating

4.5/5

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UPDATE 2/27/19: The Vendmerce website is currently unavailable and appears to have been inactive since early 2016. We are unable to find any new DBAs for the company, and all signs indicate that it is no longer an operational business. We will therefore no longer update this review. If you have any information about Vendmerce’s current status, please share it in the comment section below this review.

Based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Vendmerce (vendmerce.com) is a merchant account provider that serves standard-risk and high-risk merchant types in the United States. The company does not list a backend processor or acquiring bank on its website, but it probably resells the services of a larger credit card processor. Vendmerce also does not not disclose the names of its executive leaders or owners, but it does share an physical address with a web hosting company called “Vaultem” (vaultem.com). Alex Woodstock is the CEO and co-founder of Vaultem, and this Manta profile seems to suggest that both companies are owned by the same entity. Alex Woodstock is also the CEO of a company called “ShopPay” (myshoppay.com), which describes itself as “a Vendmerce platform.” A commenter named Robert Scifo has stated that his family owns both Vendmerce and Vaultem, but we are unable to independently verify this claim. Vendmerce was founded in 2014 and lists headquarters at 1275 Glenlivet Drive, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18106.

Vendmerce Customer Reviews

Here's What Their Clients Say

Key Points
Total Online Complaints	<10
Live Customer Support	Yes
Most Common Complaint	N/A

We cannot find any negative Vendmerce reviews, and there is no evidence suggesting that the company is a ripoff or a scam. This clean complaint record is partly due to the fact that the company has only been in operation since 2014, but it also indicates that there are no major problems with its service. Vendmerce’s affiliated businesses of Vaultem and ShopPay also are not showing any complaints online. Vendmerce offers live phone support to all of its merchants, although its possible that it outsources after-hours support to its backend processor.

Vendmerce Online Ratings

Here's How They Rate Online

The Better Business Bureau does not maintain a profile for Vendmerce at this time. We therefore will not factor a BBB rating into this review.

Vendmerce Fees, Rates & Costs

A Closer Look at The Contract

Key Points
Swiped Rate	Variable
Keyed-in Rate	Variable
Early Termination Fee	Variable
PCI Compliance Fee	Variable
Equipment Lease Terms	Variable

There is very little publicly available information about the standard Vendmerce contract. The company does not share its contract terms on its website, stating only that it offers rates “as low as 0.29%,” “no long term contracts,” and “free equipment.” Vendmerce does not disclose the identity of its backend processor, so it’s unclear which company might provide this equipment. We cannot find any complaints about Vendmerce’s pricing and fees, which suggests that most of the company’s users are satisfied with the rates they pay. We will therefore assign the company an “A” in this category for the time being. If you have any specific knowledge of the standard Vendmerce contract (including any early termination fees, PCI compliance fees, monthly minimum fees, or equipment lease terms), please share that information in the comment section below this review.

Vendmerce Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs

Should You Work For Them?

Key Points
Employs Independent Resellers	Yes
Advertises Deceptive Rates	Yes
Discloses All Important Terms	No

Vendmerce appears to primarily market its services through an ISO/agent program, strategic partnerships, and its own technology platforms. There is no evidence that the company employs a large number of independently contracted sales agents at this time, and we cannot find any Vendmerce complaints that accuse the company’s marketing team of unethical conduct. The same is true of Vaultem and ShopPay.

The Vendmerce website quotes rates “as low as 0.29% per transaction.” This rate is likely the company’s “Qualified” debit rate, and there is no mention of the higher “Mid-Qualified” and “Non-Qualified” rates that merchants will pay on the majority of transactions. We consider this type of rate quote to be deceptive because it could give merchants an unrealistic expectation of the rates they will pay. We have slightly lowered Vendmerce’s rating in this section as a result.

Our Vendmerce Review Summary

Our Final Thoughts

We are withholding an overall rating for Vendmerce for now due to the short period of time that the company has been in operation. However, we have not found any major red flags regarding this company. Vendmerce is not showing any complaints and appears to offer industry-standard pricing. Merchants are encouraged to request and review all documentation, even when dealing with highly rated providers.

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About The Author

Phillip Parker

Phillip Parker is an independent card payment expert specializing U.S. and Canadian point-of-sale, e-commerce, and mobile payment acceptance. He has nearly two decades of experience in credit card processing as a journalist and consultant. Phillip is the creator of this website and has written over 1,500 articles covering numerous payment acceptance topics. He has also published critical reviews about most merchant services providers currently in operation.

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Phillip has consulted businesses of all sizes from mom-and-pop shops processing $10K per month to enterprise level organizations processing in excess of $300MM annually. His specialties include:

– Merchant Account Statement Auditing
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Phillip has researched and reviewed over 1,000 merchant services providers over the last 15 years. He also owns multiple businesses that accept credit card payments. If you are looking for an ethical credit card processor that doesn’t hide fees or lock you into expensive contracts, see Phillip’s merchant account picks here.

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