CDGCommerce Review

CDGcommerce aims to not lose sight of its client’s names in place of numbers. In this CDGcommerce profile and review, we will look at what the company offers and if those purported values are fact or fiction.

• What can CDG commerce do for you?
  • Swipe
  • Online
  • Mobile
  • Reporting
• What security features does CDGcommerce have?
• What about the equipment?
• How’s CDG’s customer service?
• CDGCommerce Rates and Contracts
• CDGCommerce Reviews and Reputation

What can CDG commerce do for you?

CDGcommerce offers swipe, online, and mobile payment processing options. As a client you would be eligible for a payment gateway program, merchant portal, and tools for security and reporting. They also offer a 1-step approach to PCI compliance.

Swipe
Starting from scratch? CDGcommerce offers a very simplified approach to your card swiping needs. The benefit is that you get free PCI compliant equipment ($79 annual service fee applies) as part of its Terminal Placement Program. They promise the following features:

• Free replacement in the event of breakage
• Apple Pay compatibility
• Fast transaction processing via dial-up or Ethernet
• Built-in PIN pad for debit
• EMV Smart Card compatibility
• Google Wallet compatibility
• NFC (Visa PayWave, MasterCard PayPass, Discover Zip) compatibility
• Easy drop-in loading for thermal receipt rolls

Wireless terminals are available but are subject to additional fees.

They state that in an ever evolving industry, it does not make sense to buy, lease, or rent equipment that could be made obsolete before you have gotten your money’s worth. The downside to this approach is that it does limit you to the equipment they have deemed the best. Currently they are offering the Verifone vx520 Terminal plus a Verifone vx805 Customer Facing Reader/PIN Pad.

It’s also worth noting that “free” equipment usually costs you money somewhere, whether it’s in service charges or higher pricing for processing. Check out our article on free credit card processing equipment for more information.

Already have equipment? CDGcommerce has two options for you:

Free USB Card Reader
If you currently handle your point-of-sale functions on a computer, CDGcommerce can provide a free USB card reader that is compatible with computers. The card reader allows you to use your internet connection to log in and process payments through its Quantum Gateway.

Free Terminal Reprogramming
CDGcommerce offers free reprogramming for almost all existing terminals. Terminals must not be proprietary and must meet PCI standards. CDGcommerce offers free PIN pad swaps as well.

Online
CDGcommerce offers Quantum Gateway free of charge with no monthly fee and no per-transaction fee. Quantum Gateway is compatible with most shopping carts and billing applications, and has an Authorize.Net emulator for integration. The Quantum Gateway features:

• Advanced fraud protection
• Recurring billing
• Tokenized payments
• Hosted payment page
• Authorize.Net emulator
• Developer APIs
• Electronic Check acceptance (some fees may apply)

If you would rather use Authorize.Net, CDGcommerce also provides Authorize.Net activations free of charge. After the free set up though, Authorize.Net accounts are subject to costs of $15/month + $0.05 per transaction.

Mobile
For mobile processing, CDGcommerce will give you a free card reader and the ProcessNow app. The card reader is not specified but will be compatible with iPhones, iPads, and Android devices. The ProcessNow app offers the following features:

• Single Screen Payment Entry
• Automatic Tip Calculation
• E-mailed Receipts
• Bank-Level Security
• Inventory Management
• Bluetooth Printer Capability
• Fast Transaction Processing

CDGcommerce also has a wireless mobile terminal option for delivery businesses, kiosks, and other businesses that need portable payment processing. The terminal includes a built-in PIN pad for debit card payments and a built-in printer for receipts. The wireless terminal costs $20/month + $0.05 per transaction.

Reporting
Worried about keeping track of all your data and transactions? CDGcommerce has a Merchant Portal with the following features:

• Detailed reports on transactions and batches
• Analytics to track sales trends
• Risk management to reduce fraud and manage chargebacks
• Automated alters to be notified of suspicious activity or account changes
• Quickbooks compatibility

What security features does CDGcommerce have?

CDGcommerce boasts a proprietary fraud protection system to help protect you from fraudulent activity. Features include:

High-risk order detection
MaxMind integration uses a database of known fraud to help identify high-risk transactions and alert you to review them.

Dialverify phone order verification
Add a 20-30 second automated phone verification to your checkout process to reduce fraudulent orders.

Cardholder authentication
Utilize Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode for added protection and security for online orders.

Chargeback defender
Receive email notification of chargebacks to take action.

FDIC security
Only FDIC-insured banks handle your money.

CDGcommerce has a security package called the cdg360 that you can opt into for an additional fee. The bundle includes:

• $100,000 Breach Protection Plan
• Staff Security Awareness Training
• Vulnerability Scanning
• Customized Security Alerts
• Certified Merchant Trust Seal
• SAQ Wizard

CDGcommerce also provides “how to” PCI compliance information in the 1-Step PCI Compliance section of its website.

What about the equipment?

If you do not already own equipment, or are looking to upgrade, CDGcommerce limits you to the option they are currently providing. Please see the section on “What can CDGcommerce do for you?” for more details.

How’s CDG’s customer service?

The company has a 24/7/365 call center along with live chat and email options targeted at what answers you need.

CDGCommerce Rates and Contracts

CDGcommerce offers month-to-month contracts with no early termination fees. As for rates, different rates apply for the different services available. All the services (swipe, online, and mobile) have the same basic fees, as follows:

Setup fee: $0
Early termination fee: $0
Monthly minimum: $0
Annual Fee: $0
Monthly support: $10
CDG360 security (optional): $15

Beyond that CDGCommerce charges on a tiered pricing model. Tiered pricing is prohibited at CardFellow due to its opacity and likelihood of higher costs. When considering a processor that uses tiered pricing, remember that the published rates are likely lower than what you’ll actually end up paying.

CDGCommerce’s published tiered rates are as follows:

Swipe
Qualified transaction rate: 1.70% + $0.25 per transaction
Non-qualified transaction rate: 2.90% + $0.30

Online
Qualified transaction rate: 1.90% + $0.30 per transaction
Non-qualified transaction rate: 2.90% + $0.30

Mobile
Qualified transaction rate: 1.70% + $0.25 per transaction
Non-qualified transaction rate: 2.90% + $0.30

Non-qualified transactions include keyed sales, international cards, and premium cards.

You can see how CDGcommerce’s rates compare with other companies by requesting a quote through CardFellow. Our free service allows you to quickly see and compare costs without the hassle of sales people. Also, at no additional cost to you, when you select a company through us you will be assured of no cancellation fees and transparent rates and contracts. Learn more about what we do!

CDGCommerce Review and Reputation

Of course the testimonials on CDG’s website are glowing reviews of knowledgeable and friendly customer service, great rates, and fantastic products, but what does the rest of the internet have to say?

Not much, but what is out there is good.

There is nothing on Ripoff Report. A lonely 5 star review on Yelp praises them for customer service and quality of product, though some of the review seems suspiciously lifted from what CDG says about itself. You never can tell.

Still, they have been accredited with the Better Business Bureau since 2007 and have an A+ rating. They have 5 complaints closed with the BBB in the last 3 years, and 1 in the last 12 months. Details of the complaints are not available, but 3 complaints are listed in the category "Billing/Collection Issues", 1 complaint in the category "Problems with Product/Service", and the last in “Sales and Advertising Issues.”  Complaints are either listed as resolved with assistance from the BBB or that the BBB determined CDGcommerce made a good faith effort to resolve the issue.