TAPLocal Credit Card Processing 2023: Reviews & Complaints
(888) 882-7996 Company Overview
Short for Transactions and Promotions, TAPLocal Now is a marketing firm that also provides merchant accounts and point-of-sale equipment to most standard-risk business types. Also known as TAPLocal Marketing, the company is a dba of Paradigm Services, Inc. TAPLocal operates as a reseller of First Data (now Fiserv) products and services, such as Clover POS. The company offers a price-match guarantee and the choice between flat rate and customized pricing. It appears TAPLocal is also going by the name Transaction and Promotions Inc., though there is almost no mention of this name outside of their BBB profile.
Article Summary
Before we dive in, here’s a short summary of what we’ll cover:
- TAPLocal’s various payment processing services.
- TAPLocal has not received many complaints online.
- TAPLocal’s current rates aren’t listed online, but from past information, it is likely that they are very expensive. This is partly due to the fact that they are bundled with marketing services, but businesses can likely get much cheaper processing in general.
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TAPLocal Payment Processing
TAPLocal offers payment processing services, aiming to simplify the process for businesses to receive payments. They also provide tools to help businesses manage their online presence, including listing services on various online platforms such as Google, Yelp, and Facebook.
Customer Engagement and Reviews
The company emphasizes the importance of customer reviews and offers reputation management services to help businesses generate and respond to reviews. They also provide a business text messaging service to engage customers and encourage repeat purchases.
Web Design and Marketing
TAPLocal offers web design services to help businesses establish an online storefront, which can potentially drive more customer interactions and sales. Additionally, they provide marketing services aimed at acquiring high-quality customers through platforms like Google, Facebook, Instagram, and Bing.
Location & Ownership
Blake Zinke is the COO of TAPLocal, and Shaun Zinke is the company’s owner and co-founder. Blake Zinke is also the former COO of Allied Commercial Financial and a former employee of Paradigm Direct, Entrust Bankcard, and MobiSquad. TAPLocal recreates the business model of several of these other brands by offering a combined package of digital marketing and payment processing.
TAPLocal and Allied Commercial Financial are both headquartered at 2150 S Country Club Dr #18, Mesa, Arizona 85210. The Allied Commercial Financial website also lists another address at 345 St Peter St #705, St Paul, Minnesota 55102, which the company describes as its Minnesota processing center. The TAPLocal headquarters is actually the address of Paradigm Services, Inc. TAPLocal is a registered ISO of Wells Fargo Bank NA, Concord, CA.
Table of Contents
- Costs & Contract: Offers a one-year contract with a flat monthly fee and…
- Complaints & Service: Complaints number fewer than 10 on…
- BBB Rating: Currently has an “A+” rating with the Better Business Bureau and has received…
- Sales & Marketing: Appears to hire outside sales agents and has received some complaints about…
TAPLocal Now Customer Reviews
Here's What Their Clients Say
Key Points |
|
|---|---|
| Total Online Complaints | <10 |
| Live Customer Support | Yes |
| Most Common Complaint | N/A |
| Recent Lawsuits | No |
Low Complaint Total
We are currently able to locate fewer than 10 negative TAPLocal reviews, some of which accuse the company of being a scam. These complaints are mostly related to the company’s advertising efforts, with most citing shoddy advertisements, unimpressive marketing metrics, and poor customer service. As noted above, there is also a large number of complaints filed against Allied Commercial Financial and its affiliated companies. If you have your own TAPLocal review to make, please do so in the comments below.
TAPLocal Lawsuits and Fines
We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against TAPLocal. Dissatisfied clients who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.
TAPLocal Customer Support Options
TAPLocal Now offers live phone support and email support to all of its clients.
TAPLocal Customer Service Numbers
- (844) 899-8559 – Toll-Free Customer Support
- (888) 882-7996 – Sales
Other Support Options
- Live chat
- Customer service email addresses
- [email protected] – Customer Support
- [email protected] – Sales
This meets our expectations for top-rated payment processors for great customer service, which may explain its lower complaint total relative to Allied Commercial Financial.
TAPLocal Now Online Ratings
Here's How They Rate Online
Online Ratings Summary |
|
|---|---|
| BBB Reports | 0 |
Low Complaint Total
The Better Business Bureau currently assigns an “A+” rating to TAPLocal (as Transaction and Promotions Inc.). It is worth noting that Allied Commercial Financial previously had an “F” rating with the BBB and now has an “A+”. TAPLocal has received 0 complaints in the past 36 months.
An “A” Performance
Given TAPLocal’s resolution effort and its corporate history, we see no reason to adjust the BBB’s rating at this time.
TAPLocal Now Fees, Rates & Costs
A Closer Look at The Contract
Key Points |
|
|---|---|
| Cancellation Penalties | Probable |
| Monthly & Annual Fees | Yes |
| Processing Rates | Variable |
| Equipment Leasing | Yes |
TAPLocal Contract Terms
TAPLocal offers five all-in-one pricing packages. All packages include both the company’s marketing services and its payment processing services for an all-inclusive, fixed monthly fee, and they each increase in price based on 2% of the business’ monthly sales volume. The company may also offer à la carte marketing or payment products that are not part of these plans, but TAPLocal rates for these services are not listed on its website.
TAPLocal Pricing Plans
TAPLocal offers three plans, Entry Level, Growth Stage, and Biz Booster. Each plan can either be just marketing or marketing and payments. Costs are not listed on these plans.
Previously, the company offered different plans with listed costs, which may be useful to readers. The “Starter” plan cost $299.99 per month and was intended for clients who process up to $5,000 per month. It included a free mobile reader, reputation management, review generation, a custom website, text message advertising, and over 60 online listings. The Builder plan cost $399.99 per month, was intended for businesses who process up to $10,000 per month, and included the same features as the Starter plan. The Standard plan cost $499.99 per month, was intended for clients that process up to $15,000 per month, and included the same features as the Builder plan but with a Clover POS system rather than a mobile reader and 100 custom gift cards. The Professional plan cost $599.99 per month, was intended for businesses that process up to $20,000 per month, and included the same features as the Standard plan. The Ultimate plan cost $699.99 per month, was intended for businesses that process up to $25,000 per month, and included the same features as the Professional plan.
Allied Commercial Financial Contract Terms
It’s possible that clients that purchase TAPLocal’s payment processing services outside of an all-in-one package may receive pricing similar to Allied Commercial Financial’s pricing. According to client complaints, the standard Allied Commercial Financial contract is a multi-year agreement with a variable early termination fee and a long-term, non-cancellable equipment lease. Other TAPLocal fees appear to be built into the contract, but the available complaints do not specify the exact costs of PCI compliance fees, monthly minimum fees, statement fees, and per-transaction fees.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing
In addition to its storefront payment processing services, TapLocal also dedicates a portion of its website to advertising its virtual terminal and payment gateway services. However, pricing for those services is built into the monthly plans offered by the company.
Allied Commercial Financial “Program Costs”
Business owners also state that Allied Commercial Financial sales reps will typically claim to offer locked-in low rates in exchange for a fixed monthly “program cost” of up to $79. One independent informant who contacted us regarding the company has stated that this is Allied Commercial Financial’s standard sales approach. Complainants state that this TAPLocal Now fee is in fact a non-cancellable lease for credit card processing equipment, and they further claim that they see an increase in fees rather than the savings that were promised. One complaint (found here) describes TAPLocal COO Blake Zinke using this exact tactic while working as a sales representative for Paradigm Direct and Entrust Bankcard.
Expensive Contract Terms
TAPLocal’s flat-rate pricing plan is simpler than many of its competitors, but this does not mean it is cheaper. While the company advertises that its flat-rate processing begins at just $0 per month, businesses that process over $20,000 per month should be able to pay far less than $499.99 per month for payment processing through a budget-friendly merchant account provider. It’s possible that TAPLocal’s included marketing services help justify its higher cost, but some negative reviews indicate that these services aren’t especially valuable. We encourage readers to check out our list of the providers of the best merchant services.
TAPLocal offers virtual terminals and payment gateways along with other services
TAPLocal Now Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs
Should You Work For Them?
Key Points |
|
|---|---|
| Uses Independent Resellers | Yes |
| Telemarketing | Yes |
| Misleading Marketing | No |
| Discloses All Important Terms | No |
Inside/Outside Sales Team
TAPLocal appears to primarily use a combination of inside and outside sales reps to market its services. The use of outside reps is commonly linked to elevated complaint rates within the credit card processing industry, and we have found a few TAPLocal reviews that cite misleading tactics or undisclosed terms. These TAPLocal complaints are related to TAPLocal’s marketing services rather than its payment processing products, with most of them describing lackluster advertising efforts and high monthly costs for the services delivered. This trend may indicate that the company does not use the same merchant-services sales approach as Allied Commercial Financial. This does not compare favorably to our list of best credit card processors.
Allied Commercial Financial Complaint Details
It is worth mentioning Allied Commercial Financial’s sales approach because both companies are operated by the same people. Allied Commercial Financial complaints describe a sales procedure that is typical of the industry: persistent, unwanted telephone calls trying to set up a “qualified” appointment, which are then followed by a visit from a sales rep who promotes a monthly “program cost” that is in fact a long-term, non-cancellable equipment lease. A company representative has stated that these sales agents are “direct employees” of the company rather than independent contractors.
Complaints Under Other Names
It is worth noting that these complaints bear strong similarities to complaints filed against Paradigm Direct, Entrust Bankcard, and MobiSquad, all of which are Arizona-based businesses that are linked to current or former employees of Allied Commercial Financial by client complaints. It is unclear at this time whether TAPLocal has an active relationship with Paradigm Direct, Entrust Bankcard, or MobiSquad, but the overlap of current and former employees suggests that the sales tactics used at Entrust, Paradigm Direct, and MobiSquad could have been adopted by TAPLocal. In any case, the company’s marketing practices have yet to attract the same complaints as its affiliated companies. If you suspect that TAPLocal has misled you about your merchant account pricing, you can double-check your monthly bill with a third-party statement audit.
Our TAPLocal Now Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts
TAPLocal rates as an average credit card processing provider according to all available information. The company is affiliated with a number of poorly rated merchant account providers and appears to offer industry-average contract terms. Our rating for TAPLocal Now may be subject to change as the company continues to operate and develop a reputation within the industry, but businesses should be sure to compare the company’s pricing to that offered by top-rated merchant accounts.
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Avery harper
Mr. Randell Wright was very professional and helpful in every way and also very informative
Jeannette Garcia
During this new business venture and with this uncertainty in the world i procrastinate alot when making decisions but Tanner Craig over @ TapLocal was above and beyond professional and such a sweetheart while helping me really bring my new business full circle…
I am very happy that i was able to speak with someone who made me feel comfortable and not like i was just another sale. Very positive attitude and super knowledgeable of services provided..
TapLocal is very lucky to have that young man on their team as well as myself.
Thank you Tanner :)