Wholesale Payments Reviews and Complaints
Overview
In this comprehensive article, we delve into the operations of Wholesale Payments, a merchant account provider known for its wide range of payment processing services, including options for retail, mobile, e-commerce, and more. Boasting a significant market presence, the company has garnered mixed reviews from its clientele. We'll explore the various aspects of Wholesale Payments' offerings, from rates and fees to contract terms, as well as dive into common complaints and industry ratings.
Key issues such as misleading sales tactics, higher-than-expected fees, and difficulties with customer support are examined in detail, alongside insights into the company's marketing strategies and user reviews. We also take a closer look at Wholesale Payments' products and services, including their payment processing capabilities and additional services like payment gateway, virtual terminal, POS systems, and more.
Notably, we'll discuss the company's legal challenges, including a class-action lawsuit, and shed light on both the positive and negative aspects of client experiences. This article aims to provide a balanced view, highlighting the company's strengths in efficient processing and customer support, as well as the challenges it faces, such as complex contract terms and issues with transparency. Whether you're a potential client or simply interested in the payment processing industry, this article offers a detailed and nuanced perspective on Wholesale Payments.
About Wholesale Payments
Headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, Wholesale Payments is a merchant account provider that offers retail, mobile, e-commerce, restaurant, and petroleum payment processing. The company was originally founded in 2006 under the name “Lubbock Credit Wholesale” and then changed its name to Wholesale Payments in 2007. It also operates under the name “Credit Wholesale Company,” and some merchants have suggested that the company's agents will sometimes identify themselves as working for “Whole Payments,” “Merchant Accounts,” or “Merchant Services.” Wholesale Payments should not be confused with Wholesale Banc or Wholesale Merchant Processing, which are separate and unaffiliated businesses.
Wholesale Payments Products and Services
Payment Processing
Wholesale Payments primary business is providing credit card processing services and related point of sale hardware to small and medium sized businesses in the United States. The company provides payment-processing services enabling businesses to accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, Diners Club, JCB, ATM, debit cards, EBT state and government cards, electronic gift, and loyalty cards. Wholesale Payments markets its services to all avenues of commerce, currently serving retail stores, restaurants, mail order & telephone order, e-commerce, Internet, home-based, petroleum, supermarket, and lodging merchants. The company also offers merchant cash advance loans.
| Additional Services | |
|---|---|
| Payment Gateway | Payment gateway services enable businesses to accept credit and debit card payments securely and easily via their website or integrate with other e-commerce services. |
| Virtual Terminal | Virtual terminal services allow businesses to process credit and debit card payments over the phone or via email, without the need for a physical card reader. This is ideal for businesses that don't have a storefront or need to process payments remotely. |
| POS Systems | Point-of-Sale (POS) Sytems allow business to accept card payments along with numerous options for running and maintaining business operations. |
| Mobile Payment Solutions | Hardware and software that allow businesses to take payments via tranportable hardware or devices such as smartphones and tablets |
| E-commerce Payment Processing | Software and systems that allow businesses to accept payments though online store fronts. |
| Gift and Loyalty Cards | Dedicated card programs for use only within an owner's business to increase loyalty and drive sales. |
| ACH and Check Processing | Enables businesses to accept payments from a customers bank accounts without the use of a card. |
| Fraud Prevention | Various systems and strategies for preventing fraudulent purchases of an business' products or services. |
Location & Ownership
Wholesale Payments is a registered ISO of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Walnut Creek, California, and appears to resell Priority Payment Systems contracts. The company is headquartered at 7602 University Ave, Lubbock, TX, 79423. Mark Hodges is the founder and CEO of Wholesale Payments. Greg Bernstein is the president of Wholesale Payments.
| Pros: | Cons: |
|---|---|
| Lower processing fees. | Complex initial setup. |
| High transaction volume support. | Limited customer support. |
| Simplified pricing structure. | Requires high transaction volume. |
| Enhanced security measures. | Potentially long contract terms. |
| Integration with business systems. | Limited features for small businesses. |
Wholesale Payments Customer Reviews
Here's What Their Clients Say
| Total Online Complaints | 30+ |
|---|---|
| Live Customer Support | Yes |
| Most Common Complaint | Sales Tactics |
| Recent Lawsuits | Yes |
Comprehensive Review of Wholesale Payments’ Customer Feedback
Wholesale Payments, serving diverse sectors like retail and e-commerce, has seen mixed reviews. While offering a range of services, customer experiences have varied, shedding light on areas needing improvement.
Concerns Over Sales Practices and Contract Transparency
A significant issue with Wholesale Payments involves sales practices. Customers have reported misleading information and undisclosed terms leading to unexpected obligations and costs. Transparency and honesty in disclosing contract details are crucial to building trust, especially for small businesses where such surprises can be financially damaging.
Fee Structure Clarity
Unexpected fees have been a sore point for some clients, with hidden charges and rate increases affecting businesses negatively. Clear communication about all possible fees and transparent rate adjustments are essential to prevent financial strain on clients.
Equipment Reliability
Operational efficiency is critical, and reports of faulty equipment from Wholesale Payments have caused concern. Ensuring reliable and functional payment solutions is fundamental to avoid loss of sales and maintain customer satisfaction.
Customer Support and Responsiveness
Effective support is pivotal, yet some clients have faced challenges in getting timely help. Enhancing customer service quality and accessibility can significantly improve client relations and resolve issues more effectively.
A Trustpilot review from August 31, 2023, criticizes the company’s support, highlighting a need for improvement in client assistance and transparency.
Service Cancellation Process
Ease of service cancellation has been another area of discontent, with clients encountering obstacles in ending their services. Simplifying the cancellation process can lead to a more positive end-of-service experience.
Legal Concerns
A 2021 class-action lawsuit involving Wholesale Payments and allegations of unethical sign-up practices for Priority Payment Systems LLC accounts has raised concerns about the company’s practices.
Despite these challenges, Wholesale Payments has also received positive feedback:
Efficient Transaction Processing
Some reviews praise the company’s processing speed and next-day fund availability, highlighting the operational benefits for businesses needing swift transaction handling.
Praise for Customer Support
Contrasting negative feedback, some reviews commend the customer support for its helpfulness and professionalism, indicating areas where the company excels.
Positive Workplace Environment
Employee reviews offer insight into Wholesale Payments as a workplace, noting it as a positive and growth-oriented environment.
Leadership and Company Culture
The company’s leadership, particularly CEO Mark Hodges, has received high approval ratings, reflecting positively on the company culture and management.
User Reviews and Experiences
Over 30 user comments on this article reflect a broad spectrum of experiences with Wholesale Payments. These insights are invaluable for assessing the company’s performance and areas for improvement.
Wholesale Payments shows potential but must address the concerns around sales practices, fee transparency, equipment reliability, customer support, and ease of service cancellation to enhance its customer experience fully. Positive aspects like efficient processing and commendable support indicate strengths the company can build upon.
Wholesale Payments Online Ratings
Here's How They Rate Online
| BBB Rating | 3.93 |
|---|---|
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.1 |
| Average Rating | 4.02 |
BBB Rating Analysis for Wholesale Payments
Wholesale Payments (as Credit Wholesale Company) has a BBB rating of “C-“. The company has an average customer review rating of 3.93/5 stars based on 30 customer reviews. There are 21 complaints closed in the last 3 years, with 3 complaints closed in the last 12 months. Common themes in customer reviews and complaints include issues with product/service, billing and collection disputes, and dissatisfaction with customer service.
Negative Feedback
Sales person [redacted] contacted me and we agreed on the equipment lease for $210/month. I paid him $420 during installation as first and last months rent. He mentioned that I pay him every month directly. Next thing, the company took $345 from my bank account and also Clover charged me $54 which was not disclosed to me. When I mentioned it to the sales [redacted], he acted all surprised and said that he will give me a credit. They credited me $300 and stopped paying me the sales dollars. A month later the company charged me again $345 saying that is the actual monthly rental and not the $210 and sent me the contract that was altered without my consent. I sent them the original contract asking why it was altered without my consent there was no response from the company. They stopped paying me my sales dollars and accounted them towards the monthly charges while the whole time they said they were working on releasing the funds. They want to talk only on phone and don’t want anything documented. Due to various issues such as fraudulent activities (altering the contract without my consent), deceptive billing practices, non-disclosure of fees, unauthorized charges, I sent them an email saying that I am not willing to do any further business with them and to return my money $770.11 and take their equipment for which they never responded till date. Unfortunately, I had to put stop payment on them as they were charging me without paying me. The sales guy also stopped responding and now I am stuck with their equipment assuming that they are trying to get extra dollars from me in the name of monthly fees. Attached is the original contract I signed.
– Complaint from October 11, 2023
Positive Feedback
Wholesale Payments have taken good care of me. I think it’s more about the sales person hearing what I need. Great client services…
– Review from October 24, 2023
Source: BBB
Trustpilot Rating Analysis of Wholesale Payments
Wholesale Payments has an average customer review rating of 4.1 stars on Trustpilot based on 228 customer reviews. The reviews indicate a high level of satisfaction, with 86% of the reviews being 5-star. However, there are some negative experiences shared by customers, primarily focusing on issues related to customer service and contract terms.
Negative Feedback
Dishonest business. So we were signed up on a contract of 45 dollars a month with the option of waiving the disconnect fee if we terminated early because we are a seasonal business and never know how much we will need the service. It went good for a couple of months and then they charged our bank 3x what they were supposed to and told us it was because our tax ID didn’t match up. When we tried to terminate the service now that we are at the end of our season, they informed us that we would have to pay the termination fee despite what we was told when we signed up. This is one of the worst services like this in our area. I will be spreading my story around. I hate to see other small businesses get taken advantage of like this. – Review from October 24, 2023
Smart A** Salesmen. I suggest when you send unsolicited salesmen to the my business door, that they not be rude or smart***es when they are told that we are not interested. At least they left a card so I know who to never deal with. – Review from October 18, 2023
Positive Feedback
Thank you, Katelyn Rosson, with your help answering questions for us at Newman Chiropractic on our new account and terminal fees. – Review from November 16, 2023
Rent City- Bill. According to a customer’s bank app, we thought we may have had a double charge on a customer’s card, but our ‘batch out’ said otherwise. Support agent Katelyn R. with customer care took the time required to make sure everything was correct. This allowed us to have a fact-based, constructive conversation with our customer on what happened and what to expect next. Being on the same page is all anyone can ask for. – Review from November 27, 2022
Source: Trustpilot
Wholesale Payments Fees, Rates & Costs
A Closer Look at The Contract
| Cancellation Penalties | Yes |
|---|---|
| Monthly & Annual Fees | Yes |
| Processing Rates | 1.00% - 4.99% |
| Equipment Leasing | Yes |
Wholesale Payments: Contract Term Analysis
This analysis aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the company’s contract terms and the general sentiment surrounding them.
Variable Contract Terms
The official documentation for Wholesale Payments’ contract terms is not readily accessible, but customer feedback has highlighted key details. It appears that the typical Wholesale Payments merchant agreement spans three years, with monthly fees ranging from $30 to $72.95. Early termination of the contract may result in a fee of up to $500. Additionally, Wholesale Payments is reported to collaborate with First Data Global Leasing to offer third-party credit card processing equipment leases that are non-cancellable and may extend up to four years.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing
Wholesale Payments also offers virtual terminal and payment gateway services for online transactions. Specific pricing details for these services are not disclosed on the company’s website. Generally, e-commerce services incur additional costs, including gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and various transaction rates. It is essential to fully understand all terms and conditions before committing to these services.
“Free” Processing
A promotional video once featured on the Wholesale Payments homepage discussed the company’s cash discount program, which purportedly allows merchants to process payments at no cost by implementing a 3.5% service fee on all non-cash transactions, transferring the cost of credit card acceptance to customers. Although this approach can reduce payment processing fees, Wholesale Payments may still apply other monthly and incidental fees, meaning the service may not be completely free as suggested.
Wholesale Payments Hidden Fees
Negative reviews frequently point to the company’s sales tactics, particularly regarding undisclosed terms and hidden fees. Common complaints from businesses include difficulties in accessing complete contract terms prior to signing up, undisclosed leasing agreements with third-party providers, and unexpected costs not covered in the initial savings projections provided by sales agents.
Potentially Costly Terms
The data available on Wholesale Payments’ contracts indicates that their pricing could be higher than average within the industry, contradicting the savings promoted by the company. Many clients have expressed dissatisfaction regarding both the cost and duration of their contracts. Due to ongoing concerns about the company’s sales practices, caution is recommended when considering their services. Those interested should also review other options, such as the most affordable merchant accounts for potentially better terms.
Wholesale Payments Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs
Should You Work For Them?
| Hires Independent Resellers | Yes |
|---|---|
| Hire Telemarketers | Yes |
| Pay & Salary | Undisclosed |
| Eithical Marketing Issues | Yes |
Wholesale Payments: Employee Review Summary
Indeed Reviews
- Overall Rating: The company has an average rating of approximately 3.6 out of 5 based on 15 reviews.
- Work-Life Balance: Employees have rated the work-life balance at 3.6.
- Pay & Benefits: The pay and benefits at Wholesale Payments have been rated at 3.3.
- Job Security & Advancement: The job security and opportunities for advancement received a score of 3.2.
- Management: The management at the company has been rated at 3.4.
- Culture: The company culture received a score of 3.4.
Glassdoor Reviews
- Overall Rating: Wholesale Payments has an average rating of 3.9 out of 5.
- CEO Approval: 98% of the employees approve of the CEO, Mark Hodges.
Employee Reviews of Wholesale Payments on Indeed
Positive Feedback Examples
Safe place and fun fast way to move up in the company. – Cashier, Odessa, TX
High paced, challenging and highly rewarding $$$$… I’m truly thankful I made the decision to join the ranks WPI… Mark Hodges and Greg Bernstein, two owners, have been extremely gracious, genuine… I’ve experienced 6 figure residual buyouts… Pays extremely well, flexible hours, time off whenever needed. – National Sales Director, Corporate Trainer, Lubbock, TX
Great place to work and super lucrative… I have been with the company almost 13 years… I tripled the amount of money that I was making with my past employers in the same industry… Also, on a different note, I qualified and won a 2020 Corvette this year. – Sales Director, San Antonio, TX
Negative Feedback
This company sucks… Training by the managers and supporting you are horrible… They tell you one thing so you tell your customers, then you found out it’s illegal. – Account Sales Manager, Dallas, TX
Please research carefully… I was told that there was a 5k signing on commission bonus, never saw it… I traveled many miles to make appointments and signed on new clients… Many of the leads were bogus. – Account Manager, Orlando, FL
Lacked training… The problem with many of these credit card companies is the lack of sales training… This job would be best for someone who has outside business to business sales experience. They are okay to work for… I did not appeal to the type of work and the clients they required… The constant cold calling, closing business in a short period is not my method. – Direct Processing Agent, Columbus, OH
General Feedback
From the reviews, it’s evident that while some employees have had positive experiences with Wholesale Payments, praising the company’s lucrative opportunities and supportive environment, others have expressed concerns about training, sales tactics, and unfulfilled promises regarding pay and benefits.
Wholesale Payments Pay and Salary
We were unable to locate any specific information regarding salaries at Wholesale Payments. However, it appears that the company likely offers commission-only sales positions with promises of large bonuses and residual payouts based on the processing of the businesses they successfully bring on as clients. As a general rule, only a small percentage of sales representation actually achieve high commissions in such positions
Telemarketing and Outside Sales
Wholesale Payments appears to primarily sell its services via a large team of appointment setting telemarketers and independently contracted sales agents. This sales approach tends to generate high complaint totals, and Wholesale Payments is no exception. We are currently able to locate more than 20 Wholesale Payments reviews that describe persistent sales calls, undisclosed contract terms, higher-than-expected fees, and unprofessional sales agents. This does not compare favorably to our list of best credit card processors.
“Slamming” Allegations
Some of the complaints that have been posted about Wholesale Payments describe tactics that amount to “slamming,” or the practice of posing as a client’s current processor in order to deceive them into signing a second merchant agreement with your company. Here is one such complaint from a Google reviewer:
Markey Valdez lied to our company. Claimed to be OUR merchant services provider which is a lie. Told us we had to change machines. Then charged 5% or more to process our CC transactions. When we figured out it was a scam we have to pay BIG $$$ to get out of the contract
And here is another example from a Better Business Bureau reviewer:
They called pretending to be my credit card processing company and told me we needed to update the system..odd thing was that I hadn’t been able to process credit cards the day before. So they send me to a website to put the information in to set up the system “so I wont have to do that when it arrives”. Then sent me a form that I needed to sign for the equipment to be sent out. Which was apparently a “three year contract” that was also not discussed with me either. When I get the equipment is when I see their name on the box and they go by several of them, DBA, Wholesale Payments, Whole Payments, Credit Wholesale, Merchant Accounts, Merchant Services. Was on hold most of the day, only to be hung up on by ****** in the retention department because I mentioned that the they obtained my information fraudulently. When I called back and was on hold an additional 45 minutes and spoke to “the only ****** in the retention department” but of course it wasn’t her I spoke to or that hung up on me because “she’s been at lunch”. At 5 o’clock…Right! Anyway she’s sending out a form by mail that I need to sign to return the equipment. The other “******” (that doesn’t exist, I guess) was going to send it to me by email. But we will see how this turns out. The whole experience has been bad! This company is trouble, hang up when they call! Do NOT trust them! I have also filed a report with the Federal Trade Commission and would encourage others to do so as well.
We consider slamming to be one of the most unethical tactics that a salesperson can use to land a new account. These reports are a major factor in the low rating that we assign to Wholesale Payments in this section.
Significant Concerns
The sales team at Wholesale Payments has generated most of the company’s public complaints, including negative reports from current and former sales agents. The available reports do not support an initial rating higher than a “D” in this section. If you suspect that Wholesale Payments is charging you undisclosed or excessive fees, we recommend seeking an independent, third-party statement audit.
Our Wholesale Payments Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts
Wholesale Payments offers a range of payment processing services, including retail, mobile, e-commerce, and more. However, the company has faced a mix of feedback from its clientele. A significant portion of the negative Wholesale Payment reviews revolve around misleading sales tactics, undisclosed contract terms, and hidden fees. Customers have reported feeling misled by the company’s representatives, leading to financial implications due to undisclosed contract terms and unexpected costs.
The company’s contract terms, while not entirely transparent, seem to suggest a three-year agreement with monthly fees ranging between $30 and $72.95. An early termination could result in a fee of up to $500. Additionally, there are reports of the company collaborating with First Data Global Leasing for equipment leases, which are non-cancellable and can last up to four years.
While Wholesale Payments promotes a “cash discount program” that claims to allow merchants to process payments for free, it’s essential to note that the company might still impose other monthly and incidental fees. This means that the service isn’t entirely free, contrary to what a promotional video suggests.
Furthermore, the company’s pricing might be on the higher side compared to industry standards, leading to dissatisfaction among clients regarding the amount they pay and the duration of their contracts. Given the prevalent negative feedback about the company’s sales team, potential clients are advised to exercise caution when considering their services.
Overall, while Wholesale Payments offers a range of services catering to various sectors, potential clients should be aware of the concerns raised by existing or past clients, especially regarding sales tactics, contract terms, and fees.
If you found this article helpful, please share it!
susan
The sales rep walked in and presented Wholesale Payments could do everything our current service did and save us money on the monthly cost. The day he came in to set up the system, multiple phone calls were made to tech support by the sales rep and it was stated that Wholesale Payments could not set up low inventory alerts nor could we use our computers when there are multiple customers to process sales transactions unless we manually figured the sales tax and put it on the invoice ourselves. Since the system was not going to be able to do what our current one did, I called the sales rep and office to cancel on the same day as it was set up and repackaged the system. I received a call from the rep supervisor after business hours and despite calling back the next few days I never could make a connection. I called the office again and was told they haven’t made contact with the rep but was concerned about the equipment being returned. I informed them the sales rep had already picked up the equipment. Another few days and I reached out again and was told I needed to fill out a cancellation form that would be sent out to my email..2-3 days later I received it and sent it back immediately. This week I received an email stating the account was closed but charges were on the account. I emailed stating that I disputed any charges as it was a product that could not provided the services that was represented. Yesterday I was emailed that the charges would stay on because I was given options to make the system work and chose to cancel instead. Since I was not given alternative options I requested that the list of options be sent to me as stated from the company. Instead I received a response that the account was closed. If I wanted to know the options I would have to contact the sales rep and sign up with Wholesale Payments…I am a school teacher, a RN, and I have operated businesses that require communication and listening skills with a great attitude. I have never had so much difficulty to gettin a resolution from a company..which explains the mixed reviews. I am not sure it is the lack of training for the sales rep, or a company that does not care about the customer. Wholesale payment stated their product could provide the same services for my business that I was currently receiving; and when it could not it should have acknowledge it and refunded money charged for services that never could be provided.
Teresa Skiver
Wholesale payments charged me an amount that is illegal to charge in fees. They have terrible customer service and never answer the phone. I only used them 2 months before switching. Their claim that they ship free paper is also a farce. Save yourself time and hassle, go somewhere else unless you want to give them a lot of money.
Michael Notini
I was promised a 30 day risk free trial by the account representative during which it was decided not to use this service due to technical reasons. However the rep set up the account anyway and I was charged over $300 for services that the company did not provide. My requests for a refund have been ignored by their customer service department. Based on other reviews on this page this seems to be how this company does business. Very unethical.
tony
DON’T sign up with this company, they are the WORST, they lie about no fees,as you will see once you sign up. Terrible customer service and the best part is they don’t care. They held my deposits for a month while they were “checking” on it,16 thousand dollars. Now i want to cancel because every month its another fee, even though i had switched to their cash discount program. So now the big jerk around is on, draqging out the cancellation so they can add more fees, they just charged me a yearly $95.00 fee on their no fee program.This company is a joke, don’t believe the good reviews ,they are phony!YOU WILL BE SORRY IF YOU SIGN UP !THEY ARE TOTAL LIARS! READ THE OTHER BAD REVIEWS ON HERE AND YOU WILL GET A REAL GLIMPSE OF THIS COMPANY<THEY WILL STICK IT TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AND NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT!
Jill
I was approached by a sales manager to process credit cards. The payments that were processed never went into my bank account. Then, money was withdrawn from my account. I was told there were no contracts necessary, but when I called wholesale payments I was told I had signed a contract. The sales rep was fraud and took money from me. I have filed a police report. I have been dealing with this since December of 2021. Wholesale payments now have reported me to the credit reporting agencies. I’ve spoken to several people and sent multiple emails and they say the account managers are 3rd parties and they have no responsibilities to them. They cannot tell me why I owe money. They refuse to remove the collections from the collections agency regardless of the fact that it was a representative of the company that committed the crime. I do believe the company is aware and is committing fraud and hiding behind the account manager.
Niki
Do not ever work for this company. If u don’t hit your leads per week they start writing u up and threatening u that u will be terminating they do everything in their power to u when they qa your calls to deny with they are good calls . There qa mgr Nicole Martinez is a bully when she listens to your calls she sits there playing on her phone acting like she doesn’t want to be there . Pam Zuniga is the director she says she trains u but doesn’t you could read word by word of the script but if u say certain words u will get the call denied. Pam had a lady that came from prison do the training she fired a couple of people today a few days before thanksgiving intentionally right after lunch hope she is happy and her holiday is miserable . All she thinks about is drinking at gatherings.
Madhavi Gali
I was contacted by Joey Alaniz end of April 2023 as I was opening a physical retail store. I explained him my needs for POS and we agreed on $210/ month all inclusive. I signed the contract that had basic information and we scheduled time for him to come install the equipment first week of June. Right after installation I paid him $420 through venmo as first and last months rental. He mentioned that I pay him every month $210 via venmo. As I have not started running business yet, he said he will give me one month free of charge. One week later I noticed a withdrawl from my bank account for the amount of $345 followed by Clover charging me $54. The withdrawl reference/ description did not refer to the wholesale payments company name instead it said Bank Card, and also the amount didn’t match with the agreed rental fee, so by default I assumed it was a fradulent transaction and I reported it. I called Joey and asked why Clover charged me when he said $210 was all inclusive. Without giving me a straight answer he looped around the conversation and finally yelled at me stating that I pay for the software and there is no way around it. During the same conversation he also mentioned that the company will withdraw $ from my account but he will credit them back and I asked him if its through Bank Card and he said may be. I then got a credit of $300. Fast forward, when I started running by business, they failed to send me my sales dollars. After a lot of back and forth they said its because I put a stop payment on the account. I opened another account and gave Joey the new bank account details. It was mid-august and no refunds and/or sales deposits were made by the company. I followed up with Joey several times with no luck. When he finally called me and talked, the company sent me some amount stating that they deducted $345 and deposited the rest. It was an ongoing back and forth on why the price was hiked from 210 to 345 and they keep saying that I ordered additonal equipment which was not the truth. I asked them to send me the contract, after asking several times they finally sent me the contract. I was shocked to see that they altered the original contract without my consent and put random amounts over there. No where the details of the equipment were mentioned nor the rental dates and the monthly rental. I called them out on altering the contract, the support lady was extremely rude and said that she don’t have anymore time to talk to me and disconnected the call. No one called me back with an explanation of the altered contract. They stopped paying my sales money but were still deducting small amounts. As Joey was not responding I called the company line again, and they said there was ACH issue and were looking into it. No one bothered to call me back to update the status or fixed the issue but kept deducting $ from my account. I sent an email saying I can’t do business with them anymore as – 1. they were not paying me my sales dollars but charging me 2. hiked up rental amount with no reason and my consent 3. altered the contract without my consent; asked them to cancel, pay my money back and take their equipment. Ever since then no response from them. They say one thing on the phone and their actions are completely opposite, they don’t want anything written or documented so I was not willing to call them any further.
It was such a disasspointment and stressful especially being a new small business owner. Wholesale payments lacks integrity, their business processes are fradulant, people have no ethics. Its a shame that they loot business owners by doing shady things as outlined.
Unfortunately, I still have their equipment as they have not responded to my cancellation request. I bet they want to play this game for a few more months and charge me the rental amount.
Rachel McCartney
Local sales rep Joey Alaniz came into my shop and told me he would provide FREE equipment with Apple Pay and tap etc. if I switched to Wholesale Payments. I emphasized how important it was that I do not accrue anymore expenses since it is my first year in business and the beginning of summer in a seasonal college town. (I already had a register that worked perfectly fine) He assured me it would save me money to switch so I agreed. They then billed me for the equipment and a service fee before I even used the new register. I called Joey to refund my money and he pretended like he didnt know what was going on. He told me hed look into it then days would pass with no follow up. I always had to call or text him and he always had an excuse for why he needed more time to fix the issue. I asked for a copy of my contract that was never provided to me.. it took 2 months and being pushy before I received it! Joey also told me not to contact my old processor to cancel with them and that he would handle all of that. They continued to bill me for my cash register so during summer I was billed twice by Clover and paying an additional $225 a month for the equipment he said would be free. He made me jump thru ridiculous hoops at my bank to try to put stop payment on the other company.. which also cost money. He caused my small business a lot of headache and stress.. I spent hours on hold with clover and wholesale payments, etc. instead of focusing on my business. I called him weekly to fix the issues and he began to gaslight me and tell me to calm down, wouldn’t return calls, and even started to yell at me and talk over me any time I spoke to him on the phone. I finally received a copy of the contract and they added a page that I never saw or signed that stated I would be paying for equipment and also had an early termination fee that was not stated anywhere else in the contract. Do not use this company by any means!! Terrible customer service and they will lie to you and take your money as long as they have access to your bank account. Every person I ever spoke to with this company is trained to gaslight you and give you the run around until you give up, including the national sales manager, Walker Hall.
richard dabrowski
Everything the salesman j.s said have been false. 3 months still can’t get billing right. Charged for thing not agreed on. Got nothing but lip service from all I talked to
David
Yep bunch of lies and NO ONE WILL TALK TO YOU. THEY ALL HIDE BE HINE THE ENAIL S ..T. THE SAKEMAN WAD THE BIGGEST ONE OF ALL. THEY EVEN BRICHED THE AGREEMENT .
Coley clark
Love this company. Great approach to charging customers..
David
Had 2 accounts with them on 7-1-2022 we canceled one and on 8-3-2022 we canceled the other one. They are still taking out fees now over 789.28 out of my accounts. And won’t return any of it yet. they wanted to give me another one to replace mine that will not work and lied to me that they could down load all 7600 item form mine to theirs. That will not happen says my POS system soft ware enginers.
David Spry
No body will call on these problems. I canceled these problems. there is a Breach of Contract due to the changing of the date on the contract for the annual fee. Contract has the date of April of 2023 and they took it out in November of 22. they did return one of the fees on one account but did not return it on the other, The rest of the money they took out for the monthly fee they will not return. they will not reply to my emails i guess they call it Ghost me. they said it was taken out for monthly fees. I canceled one 7/1 and they other on 7/8 sent email to Scott my rep. I do have those emails if needed. David Spry [Phone number redacted]
Mark Johnson
I was contacted by a Wholesale Payments representative regarding switching to WHOLESALE PAYMENTS from my current merchant processor. The Sales Person was very polite and knowledgeable and the fees were so low I was ready to sign up!. I filled out the application expecting to provide only the usual standard information to switch over processors…The only information needed would’ve been be a copy of my current merchant statement, ID and a voided company check.
All OF A SUDDEN… they were requesting three months bank statements(all bank accounts) not just for the company that credit card processing will be used for, copies of blank proprietary customer rental agreements, estimated amount of client bookings, proof of Tax ID #, Copy of Assumed name certificate, DOT permit and finally three years of income tax returns!!!! this CRAP was over the top! I wasn’t applying for a bank loan or mortgage! Where do they get off on requesting SO much information for a simple merchant account?? I contacted the main office to talk to the underwriter handling the application to find out WHY this much info was required and the name that was provided to me by the Sales Rep does NOT exist in that office!!!! smells like a SCAM to me! This is supposed to be a NATION WIDE CREDIT CARD PROCESSOR!!!!…BEWARE!….if they start asking for THIS much personal information!! DO NOT GIVE IT TO THEM! You are risking Identity theft!!!!
Carmen
I have been ripped off! Nothing that was disclosed to me in the initial telephone conversation was true. Twenty dollars a month – not true. Integration with QuickBooks, not true. A $499 termination fee, ridiculous. I did not use the service at all and it has cost me $600. This company is unethical and corrupt. Do not use them!
Lecrecia Wilson
I cannot ever praise the gentleman named Abraham at Wholesale Payments. We changed routers and I could not get my credit card machine to process anything; couldn’t get password changed. He was so very, very patient with me and walked me through everything he could think of until we hit on the correct one. He was NEVER impatient nor rude, just extremely polite and kind.
Bill Jones
I rarely write reviews. I have been doing business with Wholesalepayments since the beginning of 2018. I feel for everyone who appears to have been treated unfairly. I to have had horrible experience with credit card companies in the past. However I have had nothing but a great experience with Wholesalepayments. I have made at least 20 calls over the time doing business with them from: being PCI Compliant, Employee spilled soda on terminal (got one next day), changing POS System they ensured their terminal would be compatible by working directly with installer, All departments at Wholesalepayments have returned my calls in a timely manner. My personal experience has been exceptional & worry free. I want to Thank each Department for their excellence service that has been provided to my team. Thanks for all your hard work. Most recently I want to THANK Margie Cortinez & Andrea De Los Santos for being readily available to assist with all my concerns. Once again Thanks for my experience & I hope as your company grows you will be albe to meet the expectations of all those you service. Keep up the good work.
Phillip CPO
Hi Bill, to authenticate your testimonial, please respond to this comment with your business name and location.
Scott
Buyer beware. Their sales rep “Dan” was willing to lie straight to my face in order to get me to sign a merchant services contract. Visited my shop on 4 occasions, promising lower rates, better chargeback protection and more. On top of all of this, they only do month to month contracts. No long term commitments. All of that is lies. When I asked them to define how they were coming up with their savings, they stated their pin debit rates were lower. That’s a lie. They just made up fake numbers.
I had a lengthy conversion about how I have had bad luck in the past with lying merchant services providers and I was assured their contract was only “3 pages long and could be cancelled anytime”. Dan failed to mention the 30+ page contract within the contract that has a 3 year commitment on it. After I did my research and came up with all this information, Dan after spending at least 3 hours in my shop trying to get my business, wasn’t willing to put up even 5 mins of effort to repute any of my claims.
I have full documents, contracts & proof of all of this. I even have recorded video with audio logs of his visits. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. This company SCAMs people into long term contracts they do not realize they are signing. I was lucky enough to read every letter of the contract, but most won’t be. STAY AWAY. Look into pending lawsuits, they have one for just this reason.
John T. Guinan Jr
This company has got to be the most unethical entity I have ever had the misfortune of dealing with. Software was not compatible for integration. After we had to pull the plug on the transition they continued to deduct $65 a month from three of my business accounts. After almost TWO YEARS and countless very heated phone calls they finally agreed to refund my money. NEVER EVER TRUST THEM.
Vernon Graves,
Rep came by and said they had a plan that charged 3% back to the customer for non cash discount and was held out at time of transaction. there would be no other fees or contracts. No fees no sales. So I told him that sounded good. To hook me up. Had trouble with machine from start. Called rep said customer support would call me and he would be out. 3 weeks later still waiting. I called CS to cancel service said I had a 3 year contract and monthly fee which could run as high as $90. Also a termination fee of $250. these people are crooks. Stay away.
BRITANNIA CHAMPION
This company has been a disaster since the day I signed the paperwork. First the rep conveniently forgot that there was a THREE YEAR contract AND a termination fee until the moment I told him I was going to read everything I was signing and I saw it for myself.
THEN, after scheduling a time for the training, the rep calls me 24 hours before saying he has to cancel (this is after giving a timeline to me that would have still allowed him to do his job and get back on the road) because he forgot he scheduled to go to meet the teacher for his children. I let it go and he stated that any other day would work. I corresponded with my employees and came up with a second date. After giving this day, he states that he cannot do that date because its the first day of school and family comes first. At this point im livid and reply that Im ok with another rep completing the training. I was then told that another rep could not. We go back and forth and he continues to try to have me work around his PERSONAL not professional schedule.
At this point I called in to try to fix this issue myself. The first rep did not want to assist, but a second rep reached out to the original trainer’s manager and said I’d get a call back. The manager dodged me for 2 days so I contacted the Retention dept. At this point I reached what I thought was a rep that would make it all better. She upheld the day I requested and said shed do it herself to make sure I was taken care of….IT GETS WORSE
The day of the training, I have my complete staff here and ready and the company’s back office had totally dropped the ball. Needless to say, i stayed on hold for a while, because now i dont have an in person training, its over the phone, and at the end of it all Im told “we’ll figure it out and call you back.” It is now THURSDAY and I have yet to get a call back. I ONCE AGAIN, had to contact someone myself and guess what. Im told, i’ll get back with you.
This is complete trash all the way around. Not to mention i am a business that is TRYING TO OPEN ITS DOORS.
Fordlee
Cancelling their services is a real ordeal. I have repeatedly called, and am getting the same assurances, only to find out no action has been taken.
RICHARD CHAU
NEVER do business with this company. Like another pissed-off customer said, “avoid this company like the plague”!!!!!!!!!!!!
Burt Dalton
Sales representative forged my signature on the contracts and opened an account without my permission and customer service ignored my request for refund for fees for an account that was fraudulently opened.
Anita
The exact same thing is happening to me. And I keep getting the run around. They lied and said they canceled it and the will issue out my refund. And today I check my account and they took out another $240 . I need a corporate number.
Joe Scarpy
806-698-0625
Dose no good, they ended up blocking my number.
***STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY***
Adam Schefield
Great company and have loved their support and assistance for over 7 years. If you want great support and service at an affordable rate then you can’t go wrong with Wholesale.
Dawn Richardson
Very poor service from the local sales rep to the main company. They were not able to give the service they promised and when I cancelled, the local rep said he would come pick up the equipment, he never would and the company kept charging me even though he kept telling me not to mail it back he would come pick it up. They refuse to refund my money. You do not want to use this company
Remain anonymous
I worked as a telemarketer for Wholesale payments while I was incarcerated at FPC Bryan in Texas. There’s also a call center at the Tallahassee federal correctional center. We were trained to be very manipulative and misleading.
Niki
I was recently fired from wholesale because the director only cared about herself. I showed up everyday worked my tail off dialing and attempting to make deals but that didn’t matter u had to have your 10 leads a week or your let go . My rent is due it’s the holidays. The vets who worked there said they were tired of carrying the others who were actually working and they always got to leave early as soon as they hit 8 . You ask for help and get spit on in the face or bullied by qa who likes to deny calls . They don’t care if u have bills hope Pam Zuniga has a good holiday knowing that she put people out of work
rather not have this post haunt me for eternity just want to help someone else avoid the headache
I am a professional working in Merchant Services , I received a email from the CEO of this company that reads “My name is Mark Hodges and your resume was sent to me by our HR Department. During the last 30 days we spent our resources building out a call center to set up qualified appointments for our outside sales team. If you are a top sales closer looking to make a great income by closing our pre-set appointments , please let me know when a good time to speak would be. I would be working with you directly. I am looking to hire industry experience only and willing to start you out with a weekly guarantee of $750 + residuals and a 40x guarantee buyout in December of this year. Looking forward to hearing from you.”
So, I took the bait, desperate to keep my head above water in these covid times, I thought I would give them a shot. I was called back by a mid level manager that told me I would be working for him, [direct contradiction to the email above] and that they typically pay $300 per week, [contradiction 2] or not at all, I had to fight for the same offer I was emailed about , right away, red flags all over the place as the manager spent the entire conversation backpedalling the offer, and the criteria, even insulting me at one point saying, “well, I believe the subject line says “top producers” [after claiming he had never seen the email I was sent][also, in another back pedal motion to side step the fact that I would be receiving “QUALIFIED LEADS” from their “new call center””they spent their resources building out”
here is the funniest part,
I quickly learned the “call center” is actually a womens prison, and these women were calling on business owners setting appointments any which way they could, to receive some type of incentive during their incarceration, i dont know the details on that, but I got allot of misleading comments, and upset merchants that claimed they just slammed them into an appointment without qualifying them.
after the first week, I was told I would not receive my “draw” due to performance, after 5 whole days working at the company! [4 full days after training on monday]
at this point, I was pretty frustrated and ready to say heck with it, and my manager acting like he is doing me some special favor says he “convinced the ceo to pay me” and to make up for the mix up, he would pay me this week, and next week, all at once. that did not happen, I got half the money, then had to wait till the end of hte week to get the rest, broken promises all over the place, yesterday, I was told if I did not turn in a deal by this morning at 11am, I would not receive any further money towards future commissions, [after 2.5 weeks total building my pipeline]
this company is a bunch of monkeys humping a football.
I was also told to tell my merchants there is a “90 day free trial” [there is clearly NOT]
I gave them the benefit of the doubt, being from Texas, I thought people in Texas were bound to some higher level of integrity in my experience, but as they say, these guys are “all hat and no cattle”
AVOID THIS COMPANY , THEY LIE TO THEIR EMPLOYEES, AND THEY LIE TO THEIR MERCHANTS.
John Doe
Thank you for your reported experiences. I am doing my due diligence after responding to several emails like you. However, the rush to onboard and push me out there before I accepted any offer, sent up serious red flags that you have legitimized.
Jane Doe
BE WARNED
LACK OF CREDIBILITY ETHICS AND INTEGRITY!!
They harass merchants
Their system is unprofessional
Can’t understand why First Data allies for them to process or any provider.
Stay away
Barbara Pierson
Avoid this company like the plague! I signed up in Amarillo with a rep named Braiden Winn. I am a small cleaning company and was thinking of using the service to accept payments for online bookings, which I had not set up yet. I explained to him that it could take several months to set up and that I can’t afford any more payments. I was assured that this was free to me. Then the $65 bill hit my checking account. They needed access to my business checking account to transfer payments into. I called Braiden who told me he would straighten it out, a week later, I called him again and he said he dealt with it and I should be seeing a credit. After another week he started ghosting me. Then I got another charge, I called the company and they sent out a cancellation package which took two weeks to get and I was informed that once they get the package back would take another month to cancel the service….I immediately sent back the equipment and docs, then another charge, I called and they said they did not get equipment yet….bla bla, a total of 5 months of charges. Finally after the last charge I called and they said they did not get the equip, I gave them the tracking number and it had been delivered 5 weeks ago! They refuse to reverse any of the charges, stating I should have read the contract as apposed to believing their lying rep. All my fault!!! They waived an early termination fee which I did not know of but refuse to give me back my 5 months of 65 dollar payment, 325 dollars down the toilet! This company is scandalous, do not do business with them!!!!
James
Horrible company, Rep told me it was only $45 a month + processing fees for customers. I told him I was still using old processing company and will take time to switch over and I can only do month by month for $45 to get started and I do not want to sign up if there are cancelation fees so I have a chance to test out new card processing equipment. He lied and told me there is not cancelation fees and I would only pay $45/month to get started.
Equipment did not work, customer service did not help, manager did not answer my calls or return my voicemail. Tried to cancel and waS told I was now being charged a cancelation fee… I emailed customer service to have the manager call me back and customer service stopped returning my emails.
I cannot believe this type of scam is allowed due to a booklet size contract you would have to hire a lawyer to read through with a fine tooth comb to see if the rep would actually lie to you to sign you up to make money off you.
Contract is one thing, but to have the rep lie to you to sign you up to make money of you screams class action lawsuit and I cannot wait to get it started.
TOTAL SCAM!
Susan Mitchell
I was approached by this company and was told i would LOVE it. It took us only 4 hours to unplug the equipment. We hated it. The company is crooked. The representative never picked up the equipment and so they keep billing us $90 per month. Don’t, I repeat DON”T do business with this company. All lies to get you signed up. The worst credit card company ever!!!
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
-Phillip
Thomas Numan
This company is a honest processor that does what it says. They have options for all types of processing and very efficient terms. They also have the true cash discount program with true merchant savings. I hardly leave reviews but after being a merchant for 25 years I know you can count on Wholesale Payments
CPO
Hi Thomas,
Please reply to this comment with your business name and location in order to authenticate your testimonial. Thanks!
La Wanna Reese
Do not go into a 3 year contract with this company. They did not mention 3 year contract when I signed up. They have no support after the sale and have many hidden fees if you want to utilize software. There is a $45 monthly charge if you want to store customer info or use gift certificates and thats on top of a $90 monthly fee. They charge customers 3.5% on every transaction which cannot be lowered. I won’t go on but RUN from these people. They have given me the run around for over 2 years now. I can’t wait until my contract is up
This post will help: Reduce or Eliminate Hidden Fees In Your Monthly Bill
-Phillip
Therri L Wadel
I wish I had something positive to say about this company but I just don’t. From the beginning their rep lied to me about fees and charged me for a machine that I later found out was free from the company. I chose to stay because they made it right and refunded me HOWEVER not even a year with Whole Sale payments and I am done. I was told I would be charged only $50 a month but was charged more stating they did not have my correct ID number which I sent and resent several times. Then trying to cancel I was charged a HUGE fee stating that they did not receive my Cancel Form so was charge the monthly fee, the ID number fee and then a low charge amount fee (which shouldn’t have been charged since I canceled my service) Extremely frustrated and done with this company
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
-Phillip
Justin
Sales rep Hector Joey Alaniz from San Antonio came into on my business to try to sell credit card service. I was not in and got a call from the store from an employee. This guy was telling me and my staff that he was with my current provider and need to make changes to my POS. Saying I was getting overcharged and that he needs to chage things, when I ask who he was with he said he was my current provider, I ask so you are my current provider and he said yes. I know who my provider/local rep is and he is not my provider. I don’t have any issue with anyone trying to earn my business but be honest. This guy is the reason why credit card processing sales rep have a hard time and everyone hates them.
This post will help: How to Report Bad Credit Card Processors
– Phillip
John Biondo
We were contacted by this company and switched from our original processor. Things were okay for a bit, but then suddenly our deposits to our account were being held an inordinate amount of time. Right now we have over 8k due to us for the last 9 days!!!! This is ridiculous and an unfair practice. When we contacted them, they seemed very uncaring and told us to wait and our payments will eventually be processed. Their machine is unplugged and will stay that way. We’ve gone back to our original processor. These people are crooks.
From The Editor
This Post Might Help: How to Make Your Payment Processor Release Your Money
donna stewart
This company has the WORST customer service. I was on the phone for almost 4 hours going back and forth with agents regarding charges on our account. Spoke to manager and no results. We are being over charged according to our contract. The salespeople do not explain the contract. According to other credit card services, we were taken to the cleaners from this company!! BEWARE when doing business here.
From The Editor
This Post Might Help: Find Hidden Fees in Your Statement and Get Them Renegotiated