Accepting credit/debit cards. Do you?

« **on:** January 14, 2009, 11:19:58 am »

I've been considering taking payment by card for sometime, it would seem as we move forward paying by cheque/cash might become a thing of the past. Does anyone take card payments, cost etc and does it increase the amount customers are prepared to spend? Any info appreciated.

Thanks
Simon

« **Reply #1 on:** January 14, 2009, 01:47:57 pm »

I am waiting for the demand for a credit card machine, In 6/7 months I've had 1 request regarding accepting credit card....

But now I think about it, if advertised correctly that you accept credit/debit card, maybe people might think "Well I haven't got ready cash, my carpet needs cleaned and so and so carpet cleaners accept visa, so I'll just pay it on credit card!" (Buy now worry later!)

I've just talked myself into it now... I'll test the water first and advertise that "We now accept credit/debit card"... If I get enough hits I'll let you know and I'll be in touch with "Streamline" or whatever it's called!!!!

« **Reply #2 on:** January 14, 2009, 02:58:54 pm »

I was thinking along the same lines Colin, the "buy now pay later" scenario.

Ryan

« **Reply #3 on:** January 14, 2009, 03:19:46 pm »

I think this subject has been brought up before and the general consensus was it didn't make a blind bit of difference accepting cards or not.

I can see the advantages. Might make u look more pro if you advertise your now accepting cards as well.

« **Reply #4 on:** January 14, 2009, 03:30:07 pm »

Do a search on CIU - I think it works out quiet expensive.

« **Reply #5 on:** January 14, 2009, 03:42:27 pm »

its about £30 a month plust transaction percentages,
is it worth it? no idea.
derek

« **Reply #6 on:** January 14, 2009, 03:57:56 pm »

Thats too much for me, it would take a lot of transactions to be able to justify that.
and I think I can count on one hand the number of people who have asked "do you take credit card".
and no one when phoning has asked the question.

I like the good ol cash or cheque.

« **Reply #7 on:** January 14, 2009, 04:20:41 pm »

Joe just watch them cheque's don't bounce

John

« **Reply #8 on:** January 14, 2009, 04:26:38 pm »

Maybe something in the future just ask mind you if you have a builder or plumber and they work on the same as us cash and chegues

« **Reply #9 on:** January 14, 2009, 04:29:30 pm »

I think the best thing about accepting cards is what Ryan said previous "buy now pay later." If someone is a bit short they could get the work done and pay for it on their credit card as many people do these days.

« **Reply #10 on:** January 14, 2009, 04:29:49 pm »

joe
i think the query is, do people look at you services and think, yes! he looks like a good cc but i haven't got the money and he doesn't take credit cards, there fore they search for someone that does.
answer, ive no idea. but its something to think about.

derek

« **Reply #11 on:** January 14, 2009, 04:40:14 pm »

This could be of interest to us all...

http://www.adelante.co.uk/mobilepos.html

« **Reply #12 on:** January 14, 2009, 04:41:42 pm »

Opens up the question if the company also is vat reg as that might also come across as a large/good company

« **Reply #13 on:** January 14, 2009, 05:00:23 pm »

Adelante are they kosher?

For a professiomal firm there are 1 or 2 misused or mis-spelt words.
Also for a .co.uk firm there use of the English language is a bit off.
Know it's not much but!!!!!

John

« **Reply #14 on:** January 14, 2009, 05:04:31 pm »

See you've always gotta spoil things haven't you?

lol

« **Reply #15 on:** January 14, 2009, 05:11:45 pm »

« **Reply #16 on:** January 14, 2009, 05:21:07 pm »

perhaps credit cards is like the eco-cleaning, unless you advertise it you won't get asked about it.

I think it will increase trust in your company, after all you never see travellers offering to take credit cards

if I saw a company offered to accept credit cards it would make me think they must be professional or the bank wouldn't trust them with a credit card account.

« **Reply #17 on:** January 14, 2009, 05:26:12 pm »

How much are these card readers to buy , anyone know ?

« **Reply #18 on:** January 14, 2009, 05:33:16 pm »

I think the car reader method will set you back about £30 a month just for rental. Not sure how much a unit costs or maybe you just rent it from the supplier? I still reckon http://www.adelante.co.uk/mobilepos.html are worth a shout. Been looking them up and they do look ok actually

« **Reply #19 on:** January 14, 2009, 05:40:27 pm »

try these as a comparison to sky's.
http://www.chipandpinsolutions.com/?gclid=CIKO74HNjpgCFQHilAod1W3aCQ
derek

« **Reply #20 on:** January 14, 2009, 05:47:11 pm »

They look ok Derek but they use terminals, with the other company you can use your mobile phone

« **Reply #21 on:** January 14, 2009, 06:12:52 pm »

if your a member of the fsb or similar i'm sure they do deals with the big companies and get you discounts, think they will be terminal based as well though, theres also elavon merchant services, last time i contacted them it was £175 reistration fee then £25 per month plus 1.8% per trans visa and 30p per trans debit. depending on anual usage, something like that.
derek

« **Reply #22 on:** January 14, 2009, 06:16:15 pm »

just use paypal.

« **Reply #23 on:** January 14, 2009, 06:18:59 pm »

Just got one through FSB £23.50 a month for a mobile terminal in the process of getting all leaflets,websites and business cards changed to include the fact we accept credit/debit cards.Converted 4 jobs this month as they were going to wait till the end of the month until I said I take credit cards jobs booked.

« **Reply #24 on:** January 14, 2009, 06:22:28 pm »

Quote from: Emclean on January 14, 2009, 06:16:15 pm

just use paypal.

How exactly would that take place?

If I had the plumber round and he asked me to pay him via paypal, I would think that it would be an absolute waste of time.... If he produced a terminal, I pop my card in typed in my pin.... Job done!

Paypal take a good chunk too don't they?

« **Reply #25 on:** January 14, 2009, 06:28:56 pm »

my own personal view.
paypal a bit mickey mouse. just my personal opinion so don't take offence.

think steve has just answered the question in one.

"it works"

time to join the fsb me thinks, and there alliance and leicester based if i remember rightly, "champion"

cheers steve

derek

« **Reply #26 on:** January 14, 2009, 06:38:06 pm »

Steve can you give the full cost details, I'm with the FSB and was thinking of going through them.

« **Reply #27 on:** January 14, 2009, 06:40:36 pm »

2 types of paying by card. One is to authorise it in front of customer. That's the expensive method.

(2 lots of monthly fees as well. Terminal rental and minimum charge for processing transactions.)

Secondly you take their card details and process the transaction when you get back home. The terminal is a lot cheaper but the transaction costs are higher as this is deemed a "card holder not present" transaction" and which are always considered more risky.

Paypal also has it's limitations although I can't remember exactly what they were since I looked into it a few months ago. I think from memory to have a half-decent pay pal account for what you want (eg needs to be in your business name to continue with the idea of looking professional) the costs start to come out about the same as going down on of the major providers of these machines. You also still have the problem of people wondering if you are harvesting their personal information as you will still need to take their info away to process or worse still wait for them to remember to pay you. (And I bet we would all wait for all our wonderful clients to simply pay us!)
Benefits of paying by card are that custy MAY spend more with you, and also the funds are guaranteed (no bouncing cheques).

Funds are also electronically credited to your account so in many cases will lower bank charges. they also appear as cleared funds so can be used straight away. If you get everybody to pay you that way it'll also save on having to make a special trip to the bank and possibly queue up inside, so it's more time efficient.

There are a few other "hidden" costs to also consider like disputed transactions/charge-backs etc. There is usually also a minimum charge based on the level of activity on the machine.

If you went for the second, cheaper option your customer may not be happy about you walking away with their card details although that is in effect little difference to you capturing the info when authorising it in front of them or indeed taking their bank details off their cheque.

Paranoia rules ssh I'm not telling you

« **Reply #28 on:** January 14, 2009, 06:45:21 pm »

Hi doc

So some sort of insurance is needed then i guess

What happens if the terminal gets stolen

« **Reply #29 on:** January 14, 2009, 07:06:32 pm »

Derek

FSB are Cooperative Bank based.
Free banking and £25 per year loyalty bonus thro FSB

« **Reply #30 on:** January 14, 2009, 07:23:36 pm »

joe
could of swarn he said i could get free something or other with a&l.
oh well
derek

« **Reply #31 on:** January 14, 2009, 07:37:59 pm »

Alliance and Leicester do free business banking I believe.

http://www.fsb.org.uk/default.aspx?id=2&loc=FSBbenefits

« **Reply #32 on:** January 14, 2009, 10:23:10 pm »

I have accepted debit/credit cards for the last ten years.

When a customer hasn't got the cash to hand the question I am always asked is 'Will you take a cheque?'. Answer: 'Yes, cheque, debit or credit card, whichever suits you best'.
99% of the time they will then pay by cheque.

This idea of 'buy now- pay later' mentioned above is a misconception. Ask yourselves why the retail sector is presently in such dire straits. All of us piling into the stores & flashing our credit cards around???
People are worried about next week, month. For a decade the man in the street has amassed a trillion pounds worth of debt and now with the notorious so called 'credit crunch' it's pay back time.
Don't expect offering card payment to make a big difference to your turnover

« **Reply #33 on:** January 15, 2009, 12:56:54 am »

Thanks for all the comments. I'll check out the links in the thread. As I said I have considered this for a long time so I am not leaping yet, but it is another service I can offer my customers to make life easier. Interesting about FSB will look into that also.

Thanks
Simon

« **Reply #34 on:** January 15, 2009, 10:13:24 am »

Quote from: Mike Halliday on January 14, 2009, 06:38:06 pm

Steve can you give the full cost details, I'm with the FSB and was thinking of going through them.

We have different prices depending if the carpet cleaners are members of the FSB as you are. I have attached the 2 different prices we have. We can also set them up with the merchant account through streamline and there is no charge for this but again the transaction charges will be different if the client is a member of the FSB.

You can pass on my e-mail address and my direct number as well to anyone that wants to call me for any more information. My direct number is 020 7592 7771
Dan Veasey <DanVeasey@123send.net>

« **Reply #35 on:** January 15, 2009, 10:15:20 am »

Standard tariff

« **Reply #36 on:** January 15, 2009, 10:17:52 am »

123 brochure

« **Reply #37 on:** January 15, 2009, 10:29:55 am »

how long do you have to wait for the money from the credit card company ?

Also say you have cleaned the whole house of someone moving out say for £500 paid for on a stolen credit card you will not get paid.
Regards Hotsteam :

« **Reply #38 on:** January 15, 2009, 12:52:46 pm »

Quote from: hotsteam on January 15, 2009, 10:29:55 am

how long do you have to wait for the money from the credit card company ?

Also say you have cleaned the whole house of someone moving out say for £500 paid for on a stolen credit card you will not get paid.
Regards Hotsteam :

No different to somebody trying to pay you with forged cash or stolen cq book or bouncing cheque.
Moral of the story use common sense and check signatures on cards/ask for extra ID

« **Reply #39 on:** January 15, 2009, 10:42:45 pm »

I remembered to ask a custy today that if I accepted credit/debit card, would they use it... "Yes, I hate having to go to the bank for cash.... in fact I would have got you to do the whole house a put it on credit card!!!"

I'll obviously be asking the same question for the next few months before I decide to accept the "Fantastic Plastic"

« **Reply #40 on:** January 16, 2009, 10:13:50 am »

I use this:

http://www.transx.co.uk/

It is a virtual terminal and i can use it to take payments over the phone etc. also have it plumbed into website so people can make the payments through that!

Cheers Goron