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.
Note: As of 2022, the website for National Card Solutions is down. We believe the company is out of business. (https://editorialrm.com/) We will no longer be updating this profile.
An Organization With Many Names
Headquartered in Sacramento, California, National Card Solutions is a merchant account provider that serves standard-risk business types across the United States. National Card Solutions appears to share ownership or to be otherwise affiliated with three other credit card processors called Performance Merchant Alliance, United Card Solutions, and Direct Processors. All four companies have similar websites and promotional language, and all four appear to be represented by Jeff Easter, an online reputation management specialist.
Merchant account provider reviews reflect that National Card Solutions is a DBA of Prestige Payment Systems. That affiliation would explain the company’s connection to Easter, as Prestige Payment Systems is ripe with negative reviews and allegations of unethical business practices among merchants. United Card Solutions and Direct Processors are also both confirmed DBAs of Prestige Payment Systems.
Our own independent research has revealed a number of potential links between Performance Merchant Alliance, Prestige Payment Systems, and a company called National Paymentech. Merchants are advised to inquire as to whether National Card Solutions has any previous or current affiliation with Prestige Payment Systems, and specifically what Jeff Easter’s role is in all of the companies that have been identified in this review.
National Card Solutions Payment Processing
Prestige Payment Systems appears to process most major debit and credit cards. Their website gives little info on what exactly services they offer, but if the websites of their DBAs are any indication, we can assume that the company offers POS solutions including mobile readers and countertop terminals, e-commerce solutions, telephone payments through a virtual terminal, PCI compliance, EMV, and gift card options for merchants.
The Jeff Easter Connection
It is unclear at this time whether Jeff Easter is the owner of these companies, an employee of these companies, or a PR representative hired by these companies, but he is listed as the primary contact in three separate press releases about each organization. The Better Business Bureau also lists him as the principal of Performance Merchant Alliance. We have found some evidence that National Card Solutions was at one point partnered with BlueSquare Resolutions.
Location & Ownership
National Card Solutions is a reseller of First Data (now Fiserv) products and services through i3 Verticals, LLC, and therefore utilizes Wells Fargo as its acquiring bank. National Card Solutions appears to have been launched in August 2015 and is located at 111 SW 5th Ave #2675, Portland, OR 97204.
Table of Contents
Costs & Contract: Resells three-year agreements with First Data (Fiserv) that include…
BBB Rating: Has no rating with the Better Business Bureau and has received 0 complaints and 0 reviews in…
Sales & Marketing: Does not appear to hire independently contracted agents but has…
National Card Solutions offers standard payment processing services
Customer Reviews & Sentiment
Over 25 Complaints
We are currently able to locate over 25 negative National Card Solutions reviews, some of which state that the company is a scam or a ripoff. Common complaints center around misrepresentation of rates, nondisclosure of contract terms, exorbitant leasing costs, and poor customer service. Many of the National Card Solutions complaints refer to a sales agent named Jon Erickson, but it’s unclear what his role is at National Card Solutions. National Card Solutions has received fewer complaints than United Card Solutions and Direct Processors, but the complaints have been tonally similar to those other companies and have been posted at a steady rate. If you have your own National Card Solutions review to make, please do so in the comments below.
National Card Solutions Lawsuits and Fines
We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against National Card Solutions. Dissatisfied merchants who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.
National Card Solutions Customer Service Options
We have assigned National Card Solutions a “D” rating in this section due to the fact that there may be no substantive difference between the service provided by National Card Solutions and the service provided by its related companies.
We have located a single National Card Solutions customer service number:
(844) 838-3091 – Toll-Free General Customer Service
National Card Solutions also offers a customer support form on its website.
The National Card Solutions website states that the company offers 24/7 customer support by phone, but this number does not appear to do a good job of resolving merchant issues in-house. We therefore do not consider National Card Solutions to be a top-rated merchant account provider for customer service.
Industry Scores & User Ratings
Online Ratings Summary
Total Complaints
0
Resolved Complaints
0
Note: We have adjusted this company’s BBB rating according to our own standards. To better understand why we adjust BBB ratings, please see our Rating Criteria.
A Clean Profile
National Card Solutions currently has no rating with the Better Business Bureau and is not BBB-accredited. The company has received 0 complaints in the last 36 months. Previously the company had received 2 complaints: 1 complaint related to product or service problems and 1 other related to an advertising or sales issue. National Card Solutions has responded to both complaints, however, the complaints were not resolved to the merchant’s satisfaction or did not receive a final response from the merchant.
What Merchants Say
National Card Solutions has also received 1 informal negative review previously. The review warns merchants considering the company not to trust them:
No, do not trust these people. You will be disappointed. There is nothing up and up about them.
It appears that this merchant may benefit from taking the proper steps to find a reputable service provider.
A “D” Performance Overall
In light of the company’s complaint total, resolution efforts, and corporate affiliations, we have adjusted the company’s rating to a “D” at this time.
Processing Rates & Fees
Three-Year Contract
Information on National Card Solutions’ pricing structure is sparse. The company’s website offers little insight into the company’s rates and fees despite offering several different First Data (Fiserv) program guides as a point of reference. Since National Card Solutions is a DBA of Presti[pge Payments, this review will rely on information from its pricing structure.
Prestige Payment Systems offers three-tiered pricing for qualified, mid-qualified, and non-qualified merchants with rates as high as 3.25% plus $0.09. The agreement includes a PCI compliance fee of $150, which is billed annually. Merchant reviews reflect other fees from these contracts, including a $50 annual fee, a $15 monthly “help desk” fee, and a $10 monthly statement fee. Some merchant complaints state that the company’s standard early termination fee is $250.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing
In addition to its storefront payment processing services, National Card Solutions also dedicates a portion of its website to advertising its virtual terminal and payment gateway. The company utilizes Payeezy, the First Data (Fiserv) payment gateway, for its e-commerce platform. Payeezy offers two types of plans to merchants, the Basic Plan and the Pro Plan. The Basic Plan charges no gateway fee but imposes a rate of 2.90% plus $0.30 per transaction. The Pro Plan charges a gateway fee of $19.95 per month but a transaction rate of 1.89% plus $0.23.
Beware Equipment Leases
National Card Solutions, like Prestige Payments, also appears to lease terminals through First Data Global Leasing, which typically offers 48-month, non-cancellable leases that cost up to $77 per month. As a general rule, we do not advise merchants to enter into contracts that include long-term, non-cancellable equipment leases. This is because most credit card processing equipment can be purchased in full for a one-time cost of under $500, while most equipment leases cost thousands of dollars over four years. Accordingly, we do not consider the company’s contract terms to be even remotely competitive with the cheapest merchant accounts available.
National Card Solutions rates as a substandard merchant account provider according to our rating criteria. The company has not received the same volume of negative feedback as its affiliated businesses, but the available complaints paint a very familiar picture. Merchants should not assume that National Card Solutions will offer better service or lower rates than United Card Solutions, Direct Processors, Prestige Payment Systems, National Paymentech, or Performance Merchant Alliance. Like its affiliated companies, National Card Solutions is on pace to make our list of the worst merchant account providers in the industry.
