Dharma Merchant Services Reviews & Complaints
Company Overview
Founded in 2007, Dharma Merchant Services is a merchant account provider based in San Francisco, California. A certified green eco-friendly business, the company advertises that it donates a percentage of its net profits to non-profit organizations. Dharma Merchant Services is a low-cost payment processing option for the healthcare industry, including for hospitals, EMS, rehab clinics, walk-in clinics, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and veterinarians. The company prominently advertises interchange-plus pricing and Level 2 and 3 processing.
Dharma Merchant Services Payment Processing
Dharma Merchant Services has recently partnered with Clover to provide mobile phone processing and tablet-based POS options for merchants. Dharma is offering the Clover Mini station for a purchase price of $499 and a monthly fee of $10, which includes Clover's PRO software set. The company also resells the flagship Clover POS solution at $1,349 per device, which includes a full cash drawer, built-in fingerprint scanner, and high-speed printer. For mobile EMV payments, Dharma is offering Clover Flex. Dharma’s preferred EMV terminal solution is the FD-130 terminal, which allows EMV processing, Chip-and-PIN acceptance, tip adjustment, and PIN bypass.
Point of Sale Systems
The company offers point-of-sale systems tailored for both retail and restaurant environments. These systems allow businesses to manage sales, inventory, and customer information.
Virtual Terminal
Dharma Merchant Services' virtual terminal enables merchants to process credit card payments without the need for physical equipment. This is particularly suitable for phone or mail order transactions.
Mobile Payments
With their mobile payment solutions, Dharma Merchant Services allows businesses to accept payments through mobile devices, giving flexibility to merchants who operate in various locations.
Merchant Cash Advances
Dharma Merchant Services offers merchant cash advances, providing immediate funding to businesses based on their credit card sales.
E-Commerce Solutions
Dharma provides e-commerce solutions designed to make online sales seamless. This includes integration with popular shopping carts and secure payment gateway options.
Non-Profit Discounts
The company has a specific focus on offering services to non-profit organizations, providing them with special rates and tailored solutions to suit their unique needs.
B2B Processing
Dharma Merchant Services also specializes in Business-to-Business (B2B) processing, offering specific solutions to facilitate payments between businesses.
Reduced Rates For Restaurants
Dharma also recently lowered its rates for restaurants, bars, and quick-service restaurants. In order to meet the needs of these low-average-ticket businesses, Dharma is now offering a rate of interchange plus 0.15% plus $0.07 to this particular industry type.
Location & Ownership
Dharma Merchant Services is a registered ISO/MSP with Synovus Bank, Columbus, Georgia. The company itself is headquartered at 3739 Balboa Street #105 San Francisco, CA 94121. Jeff Marcous is the co-founder and CEO of Dharma Merchant Services.
Dharma Merchant Services Customer Reviews
Here's What Their Clients Say
Total Online Complaints | <10 |
---|---|
Live Customer Support | Yes |
Most Common Complaint | N/A |
Recent Lawsuits | No |
Low Complaint Volume
We have located only one Dharma Merchant Services review that accuses the company of being a ripoff or a scam. Across various consumer protection websites, there are only a handful of complaints against the company, most of which either state that their applications were rejected by Dharma or vaguely describe “bad” experiences. The majority of online reviews about Dharma are positive testimonials. If you have your own review of Dharma Merchant Services to share, please do so in the comments below.
Dharma Merchant Services Lawsuits and Fines
We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against Dharma Merchant Services. Dissatisfied clients who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting their concerns to relevant supervisory organizations.
Dharma Merchant Services Customer Support
This generally spotless complaint record is likely a result of the company’s transparent marketing and rate structure, along with an effective customer support staff. Dharma’s website provides an email form and designated local and toll-free customer support phone numbers. These channels appear to efficiently handle issues, even when compared with top-rated credit card processors for customer service.
Dharma Merchant Services Customer Service Number
- (866) 615-5157 – Toll-Free Customer Support
Other Support Options
- Customer support email addresses
- [email protected] – Support
- [email protected] – Sales
- [email protected] – Other
Dharma Merchant Services Online Ratings
Here's How They Rate Online
BBB Reports | 2 |
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No BBB Complaints
Dharma Merchant Services has been an accredited business of the Better Business Bureau since 2010 and has an “A+” rating as of this review. The company has had 2 complaints through the BBB in the past 36 months. 1 complaint was resolved to the satisfaction of the client. The other complaint was resolved to the dissatisfaction of the client or received no final communication.
An “A” Performance Overall
Considering Dharma’s clean complaint record, we agree with the BBB’s rating at this time. Readers should note, however, that there are good reasons to view the BBB’s information with skepticism.
Dharma Merchant Services Fees, Rates & Costs
A Closer Look at The Contract
Cancellation Penalties | Yes |
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Monthly & Annual Fees | Yes |
Processing Rates | Interchange + |
Equipment Leasing | No |
Fully Transparent Rates
Dharma Merchant Services offers clear interchange-plus pricing with rates of interchange plus 0.15% and $0.07 per in-store transaction, 0.20% plus $0.10 for e-commerce, and 0.15% plus $0.07 for restaurants. The company operates without long-term service agreements and charges a $20 monthly fee, which covers PCI compliance. Upon service termination, there is a $25 account closure fee.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing
For its virtual terminal and payment gateway services, Dharma Merchant Services uses the MX merchant platform, charging interchange plus 0.20% plus $0.10. The platform is free of gateway fees, but other features may incur charges, including $25 monthly for ACH processing, $20 for B2B processing, $10 for recurring billing, and $25 for an account updater. Additional costs, such as technical support and batch fees, may also apply to these e-commerce services.
Level 2 and Level 3 Processing Services
Dharma Merchant Services provides Level 2 and Level 3 processing, specifically for B2B and B2G transactions, which require different interchange rates and technology to handle the necessary data for these transactions. These specialized services are tailored for B2B and B2G purchases.
Ideal For High-Volume Businesses
Dharma Merchant Services is optimally suited for businesses with monthly processing over $10,000, often referring smaller merchants to other providers. Retail merchants processing above $100,000 per month can access particularly low rates, aligning Dharma with enterprise-level processors.
No Contract Complaints
The company’s transparent interchange-plus pricing model, along with its relatively low additional fees, positions Dharma Merchant Services favorably in the industry. The lack of complaints regarding their standard contract terms supports an “A” rating by our assessment criteria.
For more options, readers are recommended to explore our curated list of the best merchant accounts.
Dharma Merchant Services Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs
Should You Work For Them?
Uses Independent Resellers | No |
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Telemarketing | No |
Misleading Marketing | No |
Discloses All Important Terms | Yes |
Complete Pricing Disclosure
Dharma Merchant Services appears to utilize its client network, its website, and community outreach efforts to market its services. There is no indication that the company partners with independent sales entities at this time. Additionally, the Dharma Merchant Services website actively promotes interchange-plus pricing and lists the company’s full fee schedule for anyone to view.
This compares favorably to our list of best credit card processors.
No Red Flags
We cannot find any negative Dharma Merchant Services reviews regarding the company’s sales approach at this time; we therefore award the company an “A” rating in this category. That said, it is always a wise idea to get a professional analysis of your contract with a third-party statement audit.
Our Dharma Merchant Services Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts
According to all available information, Dharma Merchant Services rates as an exemplary credit card processing provider. The company appears to offer transparent pricing and excellent customer service, and its eco-friendly and non-profit initiatives are sure to be appealing to many businesses. Readers are encouraged to read their contracts carefully even when dealing with a highly rated payment processor.
If you found this article helpful, please share it!
Priya Parmar MD
This is a terrible company that lies. Not only do they lie, they lie about your payments due. They are not transparent about how they deposit money and when they deposit to your account.
STAY AWAY
SHANNON HIGHFIELD
I would not recommend Dharma Merchant services as they will say anything to get your account and then when you have any customer charge-back issues they immediately begin holding your funds with no notice or snail mail notice so you have no time to respond! They will send you confirmation that your account is good and then continue holding the funds without explanation. They do not care what effect it has on customers or their business! Very deceptive practices STAY AWAY!
This post will help: Best Merchant Accounts for Legal Services
-Phillip
Pam Elyea
We are very happy with Dharma. The company is easy to work with, it doesn’t demand that we learn how their business works, but rather they accommodate us.
We’re saving lots of money in fees, and I am grateful.
Mark Klug
What a mistake. The worst technical support I have ever dealt with.