Frequently Asked Questions

Merchant Interchange Q&A
- What is Interchange?
- How are Interchange rates and fees set?
- What is Fed Regulated Debit Interchange?
- Do MasterCard and Visa publish their Interchange rates?
- What are Dues, Assessments & Access fees?
- Why do I want an Interchange and Assessment pass-through pricing schedule for my merchant account?
- Are all Interchange and Assessment pass-through pricing plans the same?
Merchant Rates Quote Q&A
- Do you have a sample rate quote proposal?
- What are the best merchant rates possible?
- What other fees are involved besides what is shown on the Merchant Rates quote?
- I was quoted a flat rate of 1.x%...why are your rates higher?
- What are the merchant account rates when issuing cardholder credits?
- Where do I find payment solution pricing on the Merchant Rate quote?
- Does Vantage offer American Express merchant services?
- How can I qualify for the lowest corporate card merchant rates?
- What does it cost to accept PIN debit transactions?
- What is the term of the Vantage merchant agreement?
- Are there any Exit fees to terminate?
- I’m currently in a contract, should I wait before making a switch?
- Would your company be willing to pay our current contract cancellation fee?
- How often do your rates increase?
- Where can I find reviews and testimonials on Vantage Card Services?
- How quickly can I be up and running?
Payment Technology Q&A
- Why are some models of credit card terminals selling so cheap online?
- I use an integrated POS system to process my card payments…can Vantage support it?
- Does Vantage give me a free credit card terminal?
- Where do I find terminal recommendations and pricing?
- Can you reprogram my existing PIN Pad?
- What is the difference between a virtual terminal and a payment gateway?
- For wireless card processing, what other service fees can I expect?
General Merchant Account Q&A
- How can I tell if I am paying too much for merchant services?
- How can I avoid accepting non-qualified card payments?
- How can I avoid 'Standard' Interchange downgrades?
- How do I calculate my effective rate (my Real Rate)?
- What can I do to get the best rate on merchant services?
- What is the difference between signature debit and PIN debit?
- What is an ISO/MSP?
- How soon are funds transferred to my bank account?
- Who can waive my merchant account termination fee?
Card Payment Rules Q&A
- What is PCI?
- Is a minimum sale amount allowed on a card payment?
- Can I add a surcharge fee when my customers pay by credit card?
- Can I opt out of accepting credit card transactions and only accept debit cards?
- When is "no signature required" from my customers?
- What are the rules for truncating or masking the numbers on my credit card receipts?
- What is AVS and CVV?