Anonymous

Beaters,lyiers, misleading, untruthful company

Over charged my account for 49.50 more than what they was suppose to then gave several date that they was suppose to crdit my money plback every time I call they move the date hatmy money is supposed to go back into my account two to three day more to wait then it went from two to three day to the next day to not at all I warning everyone don't sign with this company they are to high the customer service is very bad they take out money that they are no suppose to take then don't want to refund it. ....... WARNING .......DO NOT SIGN WITH THIS COMPANY..... LOOK At other companies such as the SQUARE or REVAL let total merchant services be your last result,,..,.
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Reason of review:
Problems with payment
1 comment
Guest

This looks like a case of mistaken identity- if a mistake is made- we definitely fix it. If you feel that you have the correct company (Total Merchant Concepts- please feel free to contact us for a resolution!My name is Cheri and I am the owner of the company- I can be reached at the office: 1-88*-***-****

Anonymous
map-marker Eugene, Oregon

Stay away from

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I tried to sign up with this company though my credit union. I never received a swipe card and it took a lot of communication and phone calls to even get the sign up process moving. I've now cancelled the sign up process. This company appears very flaky. In fact, I may switch banks. I've reported my concerns about TMC to my credit union, and they don't seem to be too concerned. So I will most likely be switching my business banking to another bank vs. my credit union. Anyway, I would recommend Square over TMC. I've been happy with the reliability and efficiency of Square.
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Cons:
  • Disorganized
  • No customer service
Reason of review:
Problem with delivery
Anonymous
map-marker Columbus, Ohio

Positive

I have only positive commments about TMC. Try to process through a bank's processor- night and day! They are not predatory and overcharging. I am cancelling my service at the end of the month (for a separate reason) and with 30 days notice- no fees. PCI fees, etc are industry standard- not specifric to them. they consistently notified me of deadlines so that I could avaoid fees. This is the place in Vancouver, WA. I mention it because there are many similar names for businesses and maybe some of these reviews are for other companies. I will always recommend their services. If you want to use square, fine. You will still be paying the fees, they are just not as visible because the fees are wrapped in the flat % fee that may or may not be better than the other fees. The monthly fees, etc. billed by TMC are minimal compared to most processors.
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1 comment
Guest

That has been our experience exactly, we are starting our company again,, and I did not consider any other group. Wells Fargo was our previous merchant service before TMC, and it was terrible and we paid more then 10 x the fees.

They were a nightmare. I hope TMC is still as good as was !

Carmin Gwq

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Verified Reviewer

Cancellation fees for the naive, loyal client of 5 years.

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I was 23 and admittedly very dumb when I started an IT business. I followed my bank's recommendation and applied for credit processing services through TMC in 2009. I read through the documentation to the best of my ability then, seeing a $250 cancelation fee for closing services without 30-days notice. We have grown substantially over 5 years and have been made many offers for credit processing rates MUCH lower than that of TMC, but they were our first, pleasant to deal with and I liked the company. We received an offer to sell our business, and within a 2-week window, everything was transferred to the new owner. I called TMC to cancel our services and was told we would have a cancelation fee of $250 or MORE. Maybe 5 years of service is piddly squat to TMC. We were a fairly small company and paid roughly $85-$160 in fees every month. We are by no means a rich business, and after 5 loyal years, I feel like we're being smacked on the back for a time of absence. I understand a cancelation charge for terminating early. Like a cell phone plan, if you cancel within a given time, you are penalized. What I did not realize is that there was never a time frame for this contract that I signed. I was naïve in assuming 2-3 years obligation, but without being explicitly stated, this fee would linger indefinitely. We were planning to use TMC for our future processors, but with lack of consideration on their part, we will not make the same decision. For our future business, and for the new business owner of our store, I cannot recommend your services. We were offered to be refunded our cancellation fee if we re-sign with our new business. Simply No.
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Loss:
$250
Reason of review:
Cancelation terms

Preferred solution: There is no time period (1-3 years) of obligation, only 30-days notice on the cancelation terms. 5 years of loyalty broken and our future businesses will not be with them. I don't expect a solution.

Anonymous
map-marker Knoxville, Tennessee

Secretly Debits Money From Bank Account without notification & accepted payment from my customer and did not deposit the funds, but kept the money.

This credit card processor did not make me aware that a charge back from a buyer was sent to them. Instead, without notifying me, they took the $158 the customer charged out of my bank account, and froze all deposits from our paying customers!!! In essence, they are keeping money that does not belong to them, and I have to provide the merchandise to the customers who paid for it, without getting paid by the credit card processor! It should also be noted, that this was done, prior to me being able to respond to the claim of the customer that ripped us off for the $158! DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!! I am calling the Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau today!!! $308 loss, plus my time as an appraiser/dealer at $75 hr, which so far has come to about 10 hrs.
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Loss:
$1008
2 comments
Maedell Qma

Dear Anonymous (wish I knew who you were!!)- As the owner of Total Merchant Concepts, I wanted to respond to your post. Chargebacks are an unfortunate part of the credit card acceptance puzzle and I could not agree with you more- there are some consumers out there who know exactly how to steal from businesses!

When a customer disputes your work or the charge you placed on their card, they have the right to stop the payment; a chargeback. It is important to note that the processing companies never give you notice before taking the money back out of your account- many businesses would make sure they did not have the money in the account- if that was the process. Even if you do everything right as a business owner, you can lose these chargebacks and when you do- the money is debited from your account by the processor. You are notified by mail and we make our assistance available to all of our merchants.

When a chargeback is lost, it is best to proceed with legal action against the person who is trying to steal from you and if all of your paperwork is in order, you have a great chance of winning in small claims court. When you are approved for a merchant account, you are approved based on your ability to withstand 6 months of chargebacks- because they are a very real part of accepting plastic. Credit Cards are not the same as cash.

If I knew the name of your business, I would gladly review the account to verify that my team took the very best care of you as possible. We wish you best and hope you were able to recover your money.

Guest

This nonsense doesn't even merit a response!! Anyone in business knows this is BS

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Hellen Fqq
map-marker Camas, Washington

Total Merchant Concepts - Beware

Month to Month contract does not matter cause they will issue an early termination fee regardles of whether you give them notice. I was with them for 4 years. When gave notice that we were going to switch next month they charged me $367.00. There is nothing you can do since they have the ability to debit from your account. Thank god for social media, let your friends know this company scams! I'd recommend a different processor if your considering credit cards. Cherri Perry with the company sent me the email 10 days after they debited my card that they were issuing a fee against early termination - they will debit your account without notice.
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Loss:
$367
2 comments
Maedell Qma

Dear Gabby2014- after 4 years of excellent service and a good partnership, it is unfortunate that we could not end the partnership on a more positive note. We negotiate the contractual terms with several different processors and one of the BEST parts of being a TMC merchant is the fact that you can EASILY exit our agreement with just 30 days' written notice BEFORE leaving for another processor.

If those terms are not met- the processor automatically debits the cancellation fee. In your case, it was $250- the difference between the $367 you mentioned and $250 are actual processing fees for the month prior to you giving your notice and leaving TMC. When you gave your notice, you had already switched processors and from that point forward- our hands were tied. As I mentioned when I reached out to you- I was disappointed not only to have lost you as a customer, but that you were assessed a fee that was so easy to avoid.

We DO NOT charge fees just to line our pockets- that would make it difficult to maintain a partnership for the 4 years you were with us- especially since we do not have a long term agreement. To your continued success- no matter who you are processing with.

Guest

WOW! Are you for real?

I have been doing business with TMC for 4 years and have found them to be the most up front, honest and integrity based company I've had the pleasure of doing business with in years!! Perhaps you did not READ what you were signing? Their cancellation policy doesn't say just give us 30 days notice; it says give us 30 days notice AND CONTINUE TO PROCESS DURING THOSE 30 DAYS.

You think maybe YOU had something to do with your problem? There are no scams here, just people who don't read what they are signing and want someone else to blame.

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Lee Tsg
map-marker Wichita, Kansas

DO NOT USE Total Merchant Concepts

I used Total Merchant Concepts for a credit card processing account for a couple of years, mostly because they were "month to month and you can cancel anytime." They cost me plenty of money because I was so small of a business I often had no charges at all for 4-5 months at a time, for which they billed me a service fee. I finally just finished cancelling their services, for which they charged me a cancellation fee as well. PCI compliance fees, Authorize Net fees, this stuff was ridiculous. If you are a small business, use something like Square or even Paypal. I hate Total Merchant Concepts.
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Loss:
$1000
5 comments
Guest

If you are not processing any volume or are unsure how much you will process, then products similar to Square are not a bad idea. We also have a product for merchants that covers this need.

When your processing volume falls below your expectations- as was the case if you had several months with no activity, then it would be a good idea to contact your processor and find a better solution. Our cancellation policy is simple- give us 30 day's notice, continue processing or let us help you find a new solution. Unfortunately- when the process is not followed, it can make for some hard feelings.

Even though you state that you hate my company - please know that we hope you find great success with both your business and the Square product. Incidentally- as your business grows, be sure to do the math because the % being charged with these types of 'no monthly fee' solutions are higher and at some point it will make sense for you to go back to a traditional merchant account.

Guest

Checking into credit card merchant companies for a new business, so reading the good/bad on recommended companies. On the cancellation fees on this and the previous post, you keep saying "30 day notice to cancel AND keep processing during that time".

But what if your business is slow and you have no transactions during that 30 days? Sounds like that's what happened to the one complaint who had to pay the fees. Gotta hand it to Cherisperry.....she writes a good reply. Little bit of business bs in it, but generally trying to keep her company's rep up.

So my question is, why are you not accredited by BBB? That would have made a difference to me; checking you out would put you top of the list if you were accredited.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-785542

Thank you for the compliment on my reply- I assure you no business BS was present however! We LOVE the businesses we have the honor of serving and it is completely unnecessary for any of our merchants to have to pay any type of cancellation fee- our exit process is very simple.

You say that being accredited by the BBB would have made all the difference to you and I know you are not alone in your thoughts regarding the BBB.

We choose not to pay the BBB for their accreditation because, after much research and several experiences personally, we do not feel that the BBB truly gives you the best picture of the businesses they grade. As a small business owner, we are also very conscious of the money that we spend on all associations and do not feel as if the BBB is a good expense for us. Looks like we missed the opportunity to work with you- which is definitely NOT cool- please feel free to give me a call personally- if you would like to reconsider!

I guarantee that you will have a great experience and you may never have to look for another processor again! Thank you again for taking the time to comment!

Maedell Qma

Artzofacto- As the owner of Total Merchant Concepts, I am sorry that your experience is not what the majority of merchants experience. It is never easy to know if an online approach to selling our products and services will work and when it does not, it can be costly.

The regulations surrounding the processing industry and the attempts to minimize card fraud are mandatory. As consumers, we can both agree that we are thankful for merchants who do what they can to protect us! We are also bound by the agreements we sign and even though we HATE IT, processors do charge our merchants an early cancellation fee if they do not give proper notice. This is why we have that info clearly listed on the agreement (not just in the fine print), your installation checklist and our team makes sure any business calling to cancel services knows how to avoid the fee.

By now, we hope you have found great success in your business and wish you continued success.

Guest

First of all, the PCI fees are mandated by Visa if you are not in compliance to protect your customers. Can't blame that one on TMC!

Authorize Net fees do not go to TMC they go to Authorize Net. Can't blame that one on TMC. Monthly fees are listed on the contract you signed. It is not the fault of TMC that you had slow business.

The cancellation policy for TMC, which I READ AND UNDERSTOOD before I signed my contract clearly states that they require 30 days notice with continued processing in order to avoid the cancellation fee. Perhaps you should have read your paperwork. None of this is TMC's fault!!

How would you like someone to get online and write a bunch of baseless BS about your company?? Think before you write!

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Liz Len
map-marker Portland, Oregon

If you accept credit cards, beware.......

Please bear with me here….in December 2011, I decided I'd try accepting credit cards. I didn't want to pay monthly rent on a card reader, and I didn't want to do it year round. I'm a tax preparer, and I only needed to use this service for 4 months. I dealt with Total Merchant Concepts in Vancouver. They made it sound so easy..So I paid $85 up front to "set up" the account. In February 2012, I had 3 clients use this service for a total of $963. The fee in February was $15.15. In March 2012 (no activity) my account was debited $58.35. In April 2012 (no activity) my account was debited $20, and I was told by Alex at Total Merchant Concepts that unless I wanted to get socked with an early termination fee, I had to do a transaction of $25 from my personal checking account to my business account which I did on April 17th. All this came about because when I saw the whole thing was a useless endeavor, I called to cancel, only to be told I couldn't unless I did this transaction. Now in May 2012, my account has been debited $65.11, for a total of $244. This makes the fees 25% of what I actually took in. If I had known it was going to cost this much, I never would have done it. I am instructing my bank not to accept another one of these things, just in case they try to sneak something ELSE in. I've had it. I would appreciate some sort of adjustment on my account, because, as I say, the costs involved were just not worth it. I took these charges over the internet…nobody had to do anything on my behalf except grab my money. I should say also that not only was Total merchant Concepts in on this, Pay Trace was also dipping in.
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4 comments
Maedell Qma

As the owner of Total Merchant Concepts, it is tough to read these kinds of reviews. It is also heartwarming to read the comments of those who share their positive experiences!

The credit card processing industry has all kinds of solutions and all kinds of fees. We take great care to inform each and every business that works with us, abut those fees. Our month to month agreement is also very basic- give us 30 days notice, while continuing to process- and you are free to leave with no penalties. In an industry with a HUGE MAJORITY of traditional processors locking people into long term contracts, we negotiate the month to month agreement for our merchants- if a merchant does not uphold their end of the agreement- they are charged.

It is unfortunate but DEFINITELY avoidable.

We are sorry you had a bad experience with our company MizLiz- we wish you nothing but success in the future!

Guest

Obviously the people here who have listed these complaints did not follow the first law do contracts.......READ WHAT YOU SIGN!! I have done business with Total Merchant Concepts for over 20 years and find the company extremely integrity based and the most hands-on helpful processing company around.

YES they have fees, ALL processors do. YES they have a 30 day notice and cancellation policy, ALL processors do. If you READ your contract and understand what you are reading you will find that the fault lies with you. They require continued processing within your 30 day notice time.

Process merely 1 transaction after your notice and the fee is gone!!

The contract CLEARLY states ALL your monthly fees. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT YOU SIGN instead of complaining because the company did what their contract stated.

Guest

If this tax man (probably not a CPA) had any sense, he would have asked questions about the fees, which he did not, and also been aware of such companies as authorize.net which is the gateway web site for thousands of businesses like TMC. I have dealt with TMC for upwards of 10 years now.

They are helpful, are up front about the charges, etc. I ask questions, get answers and they are a great intermediary with authorize.net.

Guest

We are a small nonprofit, and made the terrible mistake of trusting Total Merchant Concepts. They have charged fees endlessly without advance notice and depleted our very small funds from contributions with over $500 of "charges" for only one year of services and less than $1500 of contributions. I am extremely unhappy with their service, and wish I had never tried them.

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