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Tell us about your experience with National Discount Merchant Services (NDMS) in the comment section below.
(310) 997-0100
Company Overview
Founded in 2002, National Discount Merchant Services is a Los Angeles-based merchant account provider that serves businesses of all sizes and types. The company claims to be a direct processor and states that it can process payments for international businesses as well as domestic businesses.
National Discount Merchant Services Payment Gateway
National Discount Merchant Services offers a variety of payment gateways through multiple partners, including Authorize.Net, CyberSource, ePay+, PaidYET, Paypal Payflow Pro, NMI, and USAePay. Merchants can use their own computer as a register, view and manage transactions on a merchant console website, add a verified seal to their own website, and use certified shopping cars.
Mobile Payment Solutions by National Discount Merchant Services
Recognizing the need for mobility in contemporary businesses, National Discount Merchant Services offers a comprehensive mobile payment service. This functionality allows businesses, particularly those operating in less traditional or outdoor settings, to accept and process card transactions from a mobile device, promoting greater convenience and accessibility.
E-Commerce Services from National Discount Merchant Services
Aligning with the growing preference for online shopping, National Discount Merchant Services provides a secure e-commerce payment processing service. Their reliable online payment gateway allows businesses to manage online transactions safely and efficiently, catering to the increasing demand for digital commerce.
Virtual Terminal Services of National Discount Merchant Services
For businesses that manage orders via mail or over the phone, National Discount Merchant Services’ virtual terminal service is an invaluable tool. It facilitates the manual entry of card information into a secure web-based system, providing a practical solution for remote payment processing.
Integrated Business Solutions from National Discount Merchant Services
In addition to payment processing, National Discount Merchant Services offers integrated software solutions that streamline various aspects of business operations. These tools cover a range of functionalities, from payment processing to inventory management, CRM, and data analytics, helping businesses improve their overall operational efficiency.
Location & Ownership
NDMS is headquartered at 1140 Highland Ave #193, Manhattan Beach, California 90266, and is a registered ISO/MSP of Elavon and of Chesapeake Bank, Kilmarnock, Virginia. Todd Eichner is the founder and CEO of NDMS.
Table of Contents
- Costs & Contract: Appears to offer three standard pricing plans that may…
- Complaints & Service: Has received fewer than 10…
- BBB Rating: Does not have a profile with…
- Sales & Marketing: Appears to hire independent sales agents and has received…
National Discount Merchant Services (NDMS) Reviews and Complaints
Here's What Their Clients Say
Complaint Summary
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Total Online Complaints
<10
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Live Customer Support
Yes
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Most Common Complaint
N/A
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Recent Lawsuits
No
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Low Complaint Total
We are currently able to locate only a few negative National Discount Merchant Services reviews, which is a strong indication that the company is not a ripoff or a scam. NDMS does not appear to have any other business names that could be absorbing complaints, and there is no evidence that NDMS complaints are being mistakenly funneled to the company’s acquiring bank. The two available complaints cite irritating marketing efforts from the company and hidden fees for low-volume businesses. If you have your own National Discount Merchant Services review to make, please do so in the comments below.
National Discount Merchant Services Lawsuits and Fines
We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against National Discount Merchant Services. Dissatisfied clients who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.
National Discount Merchant Services Customer Support Options
NDMS provides phone and email contact information on its website, but it’s unclear whether these channels lead directly to in-house customer support. These options are fairly standard and do not merit placement among the top-rated payment processors for great customer service.
National Discount Merchant Services Customer Service Number
- (310) 997-0100 – Local Office
Other Support Options
- Customer support form
- Customer service email address at [email protected]
Given the company’s generally clean complaint record, we have assigned it an “A” in this section.
National Discount Merchant Services (NDMS) BBB Rating and Report
Our Better Business Bureau Profile Assessment
No Profile Available
The Better Business Bureau does not maintain a profile for National Discount Merchant Services at this time. We will therefore not factor a BBB rating into this review.
National Discount Merchant Services (NDMS) Fees and Rates
A Closer Look at the Contract
Cost Summary
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Cancellation Penalties
Yes
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Monthly & Annual Fees
Yes
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Processing Rates
Interchange-Plus
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Equipment Leasing
Yes
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Tiered or Interchange Pricing
National Discount Merchant Services does not provide its contract documentation on its website. The company does offer tiered and interchange-plus pricing options and assesses a $5 monthly fee. NDMS also offers interchange-plus pricing for high-volume businesses. It is unclear whether NDMS enforces a multi-year contract or charges an early termination fee or a PCI compliance fee, so clients should be sure to inquire about these potential terms. One client in the comment section below this review claims to have been charged a $25 account deactivation fee.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing
In addition to its storefront payment processing services, NDMS also dedicates a portion of its website to advertising its virtual terminal and payment gateway services. The company advertises Authorize.Net, CyberSource, ePay+, PaidYET, Paypal, NMI, and USAePay for its payment gateway partners. However, pricing will depend on which payment gateway partner a business utilizes. Additional rates and fees, including gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and additional transaction rates typically apply to these e-commerce services.
Few Contract Complaints
In general, the NDMS contract terms do not appear to be too expensive, but they don’t compete with the cheapest merchant account providers. There is no evidence that the company sells locked equipment leases, and there is only one public complaint that mentions unexpected or excessive fees through the company. We therefore will assume for the time being that most NDMS clients are satisfied with the rates and fees they pay.
We encourage you to check out our list of the providers of the best merchant accounts.
National Discount Merchant Services (NDMS) Jobs and Employment
Hiring Standards and Ethical Marketing Assessment
Key Points
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Uses Independent Resellers
Yes
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Telemarketing
Likely
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Misleading Marketing
Yes
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Discloses All Important Terms
No
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Inside/Outside Sales Team
National Discount Merchant Services appears to primarily market its services through a combination of independent sales agents, ISOs, referrals, and strategic partnerships. The use of independent sales agents is commonly linked to elevated complaint rates within the credit card processing industry, but we have not found any NDMS reviews that accuse the company’s sales staff of deceptive tactics. This suggests that the company maintains a higher-than-average degree of control over its sales agents’ conduct.
This also compares favorably to our list of best credit card processors.
However, if you suspect that you are being overcharged, you can seek a third-party statement audit to find and eliminate hidden fees.
NDMS Rate Quotes
The NDMS website features a number of advertised pricing plans for merchants. These plans include a card-present rate of 1.39% plus a $5 monthly fee and a card-not-present rate of 1.79% plus $5 per month. The company notes in very small text that these quotes only apply to Qualified swiped transactions and keyed transactions with successful address verification, while transactions that don’t meet these requirements will receive a Mid-Qualified surcharge of 0.75% or a Non-Qualified downgrade fee of 1.50%. Despite the fact that these downgrade fees are technically disclosed, merchants could potentially sign up for service with an unrealistic expectation of the rates they will pay. We have accordingly lowered the company’s score in this section.
National Discount Merchant Services (NDMS) Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts and Opinions
National Discount Merchant Services rates as a reliable credit card processing provider according to all available information. The company has not received many public complaints and appears to offer industry-standard contract terms. Our rating for NDMS may be subject to change once the BBB establishes a profile for the company. For now, business owners are encouraged to compare NDMS’s pricing to that offered by top-rated credit card processors in order to obtain the best possible deal.
If you found this article helpful, please share it!
Scott Harris
If you are a low volume merchant, be very careful of NDMS. They are chock full of fees. Ever time you look they are hitting you with some additional charge. I closed my account in February and they kept it open until April 1 – guess what, another bunch of monthly fees. They deduct their fees automatically from you checking account – yikes, no time to stop that…more fees. I just paid a $25 deactivation fee – yep, automatically deducted from my account.
Darren Watson
Ok, these are by far the least professional marketers I have ever encountered. They use antiquated marketing tactics of harassing auto-dialing calls and random selection call lists. As a result, their online reputation is terrible. Their card service quality doesn’t mean anything if their bulldog method of selling it is so sub-par.
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