Trinity Merchant Group Review

Trinity Merchant Group is a merchant account provider based in Fort Worth, Texas. It appears that Trinity Merchant Group is either a sub-ISO or a subsidiary of First American Payment Systems, a company with a long list of similar aliases. Like other members of the First American network of companies, Trinity appears to offer merchants equipment leases with Merimac Capital, which may simply be the equipment leasing arm of First American Payment Systems.

Payment Processing

Trinity Merchant Group handles payment processing for all major debit and credit cards across various business types. Their services include a check guarantee program, online reporting, an e-commerce gateway, gift cards, equipment leasing, ACH and EBT processing, POS systems and terminals, mobile payment solutions, e-commerce solutions with payment gateways and shopping carts, virtual terminals, recurring billing, fraud detection, customer information management, B2B Level 2 processing, non-profit donation acceptance, and cash advances. They also offer TMGVets, a payment processing service specifically for veterinarians.

Check Guarantee Program

Trinity Merchant Group provides a check guarantee program to offer additional security for check payments, to mitigate the risks associated with check acceptance.

Online Reporting and E-commerce Gateway

The company offers online reporting tools and an e-commerce gateway to facilitate online transactions and enhance data management for businesses.

Gift Cards and Equipment Leasing

Trinity Merchant Group supports businesses with gift card services and equipment leasing options, aiming to improve and expand their operational capabilities.

ACH and EBT Processing

The company provides Automated Clearing House (ACH) and Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) processing, offering alternative payment methods beyond traditional credit and debit cards.

Mobile Payments

Trinity Merchant Group enables merchants to process credit card payments via mobile devices, compatible with iPhone, iPad, and Android systems.

Virtual Terminal

A virtual terminal is available for secure and efficient transactions, catering to businesses that require a reliable solution for processing payments without physical card swipes.

Business-to-Business Solutions

Trinity Merchant Group offers customized B2B credit card processing solutions, including Level 2 processing and PCI compliance, tailored to meet the needs of business-to-business transactions.

Nonprofit Solutions

The company provides payment processing solutions for nonprofits, schools, and other fundraising organizations for them to accept and manage donations.

Working Capital

Trinity Merchant Group offers working capital through cash advance partners, providing businesses with immediate funding to meet their financial needs.

Assessment of Trinity Merchant Group Reviews

We have discovered approximately 10 Trinity Merchant Group (TMG) reviews on our platform, along with additional feedback on various non-BBB consumer protection sites. Despite the relatively low number of complaints, we exercise caution before endorsing TMG’s customer support capabilities. The majority of public complaints against Trinity Merchant Group highlight challenges in contacting company representatives. We invite you to contribute your personal Trinity Merchant Group experiences in the comments section below.

Evaluating Trinity Merchant Group’s Customer Support

TMG advertises a specific support hotline and an email for customer inquiries on its website. It appears that customer support may be managed by a partner within the First American network of companies, which includes First American Payment Systems. Comparatively, this network does not rank alongside the industry leaders in customer service according to our evaluations. Given the modest volume of complaints and their nature, TMG receives a “B” rating in this category.

PaymentPop Rating for Trinity Merchant Group

Negative Feedback

There are no negative reviews published about Trinity Merchant Group on the PaymentPop website.

Trinity Merchant Group BBB Rating

As of this review, the BBB awards an “A+” rating to Trinity Merchant Group and does not show accreditation for the company. Trinity has had 0 complaints filed against it in the last 36 months. At the time of a previous update, the BBB also included language from the company’s standard contract on its main report page, which indicated that the cancellation fee is a source of confusion for many BBB complainants. This notice has since been removed.

Trinity Merchant Group currently has no informal reviews on its BBB profile. However, at the time of a last update, the company had received 1 informal negative review. This review described poor customer service:

Clients who are frustrated by their customer support should make sure that they avoid customer support scams.

An “A” Performance

Considering the low complaint total, we agree with the BBB’s rating at this time.

Three-Year Agreement

TMG appears to offer its standard contract through First American Payment Systems for three years, automatically renewing for a one-year term after expiration. Reports indicate an early termination fee of $495, though this may vary. Previous BBB reports have shown language from the standard contract detailing a three-year agreement with automatic renewal and an early termination fee, alongside a liquidated damages clause.

Potentially Significant Fees

A liquidated damages clause can lead to unpredictable and substantial cancellation fees, cautioning against contracts containing such terms. One Trinity Merchant Group review reported an early termination fee exceeding $20,000. Additional fees may include a statement fee, an annual PCI compliance fee of $124.75, and other annual charges totaling $150, along with transaction rates that may not be competitive. A company representative mentioned a choice between a $25 monthly minimum fee or a $90 annual fee for clients on a standard pricing plan, but not both.

Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing

Apart from storefront payment processing, Trinity Merchant Group advertises its virtual terminal and payment gateway services, with undisclosed pricing. Additional TMG rates and fees, such as gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and additional transaction rates, typically apply to these e-commerce services.

Other Contract Considerations

Previously, TMG advertised a service called “TMG Flat,” featuring a flat monthly rate with no hidden fees, which is no longer mentioned on their site. Some TMG clients report contracts bearing the name “Merimac Capital,” likely referring to equipment lease sections. Purchasing equipment is recommended over leasing whenever possible, as TMG’s apparent use of equipment leases may hinder its competitiveness against the cheapest merchant account providers. We also encourage business owners to review our list of the top merchant accounts.

Trinity Merchant Group offers a variety of e-commerce solutions, including a virtual terminal

No current class-action lawsuits or Federal Trade Commission (FTC) complaints have been recorded against Trinity Merchant Group. Clients seeking alternatives to litigation for resolving their disputes are encouraged to engage with relevant supervisory bodies.

Outside Sales Team

Trinity Merchant Group appears to utilize independent sales agents and telemarketing to market its services. This is a common practice within the industry that can often result in an unregulated or untrained sales team. In the comment section of the First American Payment Systems review on our website, two clients left a negative Trinity Merchant Group review detailing encounters with TMG agents who failed to fully disclose undesirable terms at the point of signing and did not adequately follow up on agreements they had previously made. There are also Trinity Merchant Group reviews from businesses in the comment section of this review regarding the nondisclosure of TMG contract terms, but at least one client has retracted his complaint following a good faith effort by TMG. Unfortunately, these Trinity Merchant Group complaints are typical of companies that hire independent sales agents, and this sales strategy appears to be the method of choice among companies within the First American Payment Systems corporate family. This does not compare favorably to our list of best credit card processors.

No Deceptive Quotes

To its credit, Trinity Merchant Group does not list any misleading rate quotes or unrealistic guarantees in its official materials. If you suspect that an agent has misrepresented your pricing to you directly, you can double-check your monthly bill with a third-party statement audit. Trinity Merchant Group enjoys a lower complaint total than its counterparts, but its approach does not appear to differ in any appreciable way. We have therefore assigned it a “C” rating.

Trinity Merchant Group (TMG) is currently rated as an average credit card processing provider, a rating that aligns with those given to other subsidiaries and sub-ISOs of First American Payment Systems. This consistency across related entities indicates that while TMG meets basic standards, there are significant opportunities for improvement that could enhance its standing. Specifically, TMG could benefit from better regulation and oversight of its independent agents to improve sales practices, which are crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction. Additionally, enhancing the customer support experience would help in providing timely and effective solutions to client issues.

TMG should consider revising its standard contract terms to remove any unfavorable clauses that may be seen as punitive or overly restrictive for businesses. Making contracts more favorable could make TMG’s offerings more competitive within the industry. Businesses considering TMG for their credit card processing needs are advised to thoroughly compare TMG’s terms with those of top-rated processors. This comparison is vital to ensure they secure the most beneficial deal, aligning financial and operational objectives with a reliable and ethically sound service provider.