credit card processing-finalizing my plan

[huggytree]

Thanks to Steve B. i think i found my credit card processor....through Intuit quickbooks

3.7%

i will write down the customers credit card info on the jobsite, when i get home i will enter it and then shred the paper

is 3.7% a good rate?
can i charge the customer extra for accepting a credit card? ( i probably wont)
im considering a $1,000 limit or charging a 1.8% extra fee after $1,000 (split the processing fee w/ the customer)

it will be VERY rare that any processing goes over $1,000...most of my homeowner jobs are $200-$500 range and i could care less about losing $15

how should i handle the writing of the card? should i take it outside to my van and then come back in? should i come up with a processing form and write it all down in front of the customer

should i get one of those old credit card swipers that transfers the card info onto a old fashion credit card slip? it would be quick and no mistakes

my gut tells me to tell the customer i am going out to the van to process it....then write it down and come back in the house...i doubt any customer would like me writing down their card #, so ill have to do it privately

any thoughts or recommendations?

i had 2 customers this week asking for credit card processing....an elderly woman today had to call her daughter to go to the bank to transfer funds because i wouldnt accept the credit card...i could see it in her face that she didnt expect to have to pay w/ a check....i think i retained her as a customer, but how many have i lost?

I think it was Steve B. who told me that there are customers who wouldnt use me because my website doesnt say i accept credit cards...anyone else agree with that statement? id expect to write out a check if someone came to my house for repairs...i wouldnt expect a credit card....but maybe im living in the 1950's

[Pack-Secure]

What about a mobile hand held credit card device? Possibly this or something similar Intuit GoPayment 2012 | Best Mobile Credit Card Processing Sites - TopTenREVIEWS (http://credit-card-processing-review.toptenreviews.com/mobile-credit-card-processing/intuit-gopayment-review.html)

[Wozcreative]

can i charge the customer extra for accepting a credit card? ( i probably wont)


You will have to take a look at the contract with your credit card processor company. I know for a fact that PayPal prohibits requesting customers to pay their fees on top of your own. It is just the cost of doing business for you as an owner. I'm sure merchants do the same. Even though some of the convenient stores charge an extra 25 cents or so to use their machine here in Toronto.

Another option is to just get the paypal merchant account, I think the percentage is lower, and you can process it on the spot with an iphone. Or if you have Square—but someone else would have to confirm this as I have not done on the spot processing with the app.

[kimoonyx]

Just something to chew on.... 3.7 is kind of a high rate, although I do thinl intuit is great software. Your paying for the integration. However... sometimes a better way to go (the way I have advised my brick and mortor retail startup clients in the past) is to purchase an external terminal. once you do that, your usually looking at a lower rate right out the gate... i have seen some of my clients at rates like 2.5 starting out with Major providers such as first data then they renegotiate them to lower rates from there in a few years because they own the terminal and can switch providers easily. The price up front for a terminal currently is as low as like 300 dollars. when you try to integrate into the pos, intuit charges for the convience, but really... how inconvenient is it to enter the card number zip and cvv into an external terminal?

[Freelancier]

I thought the same as @Pack-Secure: with a small attachment, many smartphones are capable of being credit card swipe machines. Lower rates, too.

Writing down card numbers is terrible, although a lot of home services people (like plumbers and a/c) seem to do it.

[Steve B]

I write down the number right in front of the customer. I tried the old fashioned swiping machine at first and hated it. You need to remember to write down the 3 digit code from the back of the card and you need to verify that the address in which their credit card statement is mailed (not always the same as the home address).

The credit card companies don't allow you to pass on the fee to the customer. However, you're allowed to give a discount for cash paying customers. I know it's the same thing, but that's the rule. I just accept the fee as a cost of doing business. Raise all your rates by 1.5% and you will more than cover the extra fees.

You don't necessarily have to destroy the cc info. when you are done processing it, but it does have to be under lock and key (locked filing cabinet is fine). That includes locking your van when you are away from it etc.

[huggytree]

I write down the number right in front of the customer. I tried the old fashioned swiping machine at first and hated it. You need to remember to write down the 3 digit code from the back of the card and you need to verify that the address in which their credit card statement is mailed (not always the same as the home address).



with intuit i need to verify the address?

where do you write the credit card info? (i assume its not on a post-it......and not in their invoice)





i do not plan on getting an I-phone....im looking for a way to handle this w/o an i-phone...in my line of work an i-phone would not survive long and i do not want to buy and pay monthly for i-phone service just to swipe 1-4 cards a month

[Harold Mansfield]

i had 2 customers this week asking for credit card processing....an elderly woman today had to call her daughter to go to the bank to transfer funds because i wouldnt accept the credit card...i could see it in her face that she didnt expect to have to pay w/ a check....i think i retained her as a customer, but how many have i lost?

First let me say how much I commend you for keeping an open mind and looking into what you can do to continue taking your business forward. In short amount of time you went from "I don't need it", to "I can at least look into it", to "It's not such a bad idea". And it's a good lesson for everyone.



I think it was Steve B. who told me that there are customers who wouldn't use me because my website doesnt say i accept credit cards...anyone else agree with that statement? id expect to write out a check if someone came to my house for repairs...i wouldnt expect a credit card....but maybe im living in the 1950's

The good thing about accepting credit/debit cards is that people always have them on them. Many people track their expenses by using cards. Use them for emergencies. And it lets people spend ahead of time, before they technically have the money, and for a plumbing emergency, I would think that would be important.

As far as actually taking the numbers, I understand your argument against getting a smart phone with which you can have a card reader right on it (FYI, it doesn't have to be an iPhone). So short of that, I'd say the old school swiper thingy is the way to go. It's more professional than writing down the numbers, and you get an accurate imprint of the entire card. Just get a good one that makes a strong imprint.

Down the line, if you see that a large percentage of your transactions are on cards, then I'd think about getting some kind of mobile reader and cashing people out on site.

[huggytree]

i am always open to new things w/ my business....to grow and expand i obviously need to take credit cards....only small time guys like me dont(something i now realize)

i am looking into getting a mobile swipe device....looks like $400 to purchase, but ive seen the swipes be as low as 1.29% (i dont know the rate they will give me)...they also look like they hit you with a $20 a month service fee and may have a cost per swipe too

i will most likely go the intuit route...at least to start with...i will see how this grows and change then...it may be best to buy a smart phone and let it sit in my van for credit cards.

[huggytree]

i just looked into a smart phone

$20 a month
phone is $30 with discounts through us cellular
square is free and 2.75%

now the question is is it worth it to pay square@2.75 & $20 a month vs 3.70%@intuit AND pay

that .95% in savings probably wont cover the $20 a month....at least not w/ the low volume i currently handle.....but it would make me more professional looking which may be worth it.....i know im fighting about a few dollars a month

[Freelancier]

You don't have a cell phone already? There's your savings.

Of course, hope you're not in a cell "hole" when you want to run a card....

[Harold Mansfield]

Have you ruled out Pay Pal? I think with standard Pay Pal you get the card reader for free, with no additional fees up to $3k ( you may want to double check that though).
https://www.paypal.com/webapps/mpp/paypal-payments-pro

Also, make sure that you narrow in on the plan first, BEFORE the phone. I just found out that the reader is not compatible with my particular Android phone, or my tablet. But I think I could still punch in the numbers with a different Pay Pal app.

[huggytree]

i found out US Cellular would be $40 more a month for a new phone...and the cheap phone is an android varient(i think) so it may not work with the 'square' card reader

now im back to leaning towards intuit

ill look into paypal for credit cards ....thanks

its like a 8 hour project to find the best option for me

[Pack-Secure]

The other option is if you have a laptop, you can keep that in your vehicle and process the card on a virtual terminal. Just some thoughts. Getting a credit card processing account is a smart business move in my opinion.

[Steve B]

I write the card # on their invoice.

I gave a quote yesterday to a guy. He called back a few minutes later to ask if I take credit cards. So far so good. Then he asked if I take Discover (which I don't think I do - but have to check with wife). He still hasn't committed to the purchase. But, if he does, that's $700 in profit that I can put toward all my credit card fees that I'll encounter for the year.

[huggytree]

I write the card # on their invoice.



i dont know if thats a good idea?

i am leaning towards a processing form i fill out and tear the duplicate off the back and hand it to the customer......this way i can shred it after i process it

i dont want to carry a lap top w/ me...i guess i could buy one just for the work van....something to look into for an option i guess

[Freelancier]

If what you're looking for is just a web browser that you can carry with you, you could be back to a smartphone or tablet.

[Evan]

I generally wouldn't want my credit card to be written down to be manually processed. If you're using Intuit, I highly recommend the GoPayment device as it should be free for you with your Intuit merchant account. The great thing is that it also imports right into QuickBooks.

The rates are nearly identical to those of Square, which is a great solution as well. But with all these, essentially, free, options to use -- I can't see why you'd do anything except swipe someone's card. This way you also secure a reduced rate, and it seems more "secure" for the customer.

[huggytree]

were back to you guys wanting me to get a smart phone

$60 to purchase the phone (and the $60 phone may not work with the 'square'..i may need a $300 phone from us cellular)
$480 a year for the extra phone service

i looked into paypal and it looks just like the 'square'...its a smart phone plug in

i still think i should take the card back to my van and tell the customer 'im going out to my van to process the card'....then just write it down and bring it back.....whats wrong with this idea? the customer wont know im writing it down and its quick and easy

this thing is kinda an experiment.....im curious to see how many customers choose this option and if adding 'we accept creditcards' to my website increases business....id rather not sign a 2 year smart phone agreement for $960 just to test it out...id rather spend $0 upfront and pay the extra 1% from intuit

the mobile card reader company should contact me on Monday.....pay $400 for the reader 1x and done...that may be the route for me

All you guys have smart phones....i find it stupid to buy 1 just to let it sit in my van and be used for credit cards only....if i had a job where it wouldnt be destroyed id just switch my normal cell phone to a smart phone (that would still cost me $30 a month extra)

my current cell phone plan is $89 a month.....to upgrade to smart phone service its $119 + $10 for a 3rd line(the smartphone)....maybe i need a new cell phone company?

am i being too cheap being bothered by $480 a year for a smart phone when my sales are $500,000+....maybe....it just bugs me to blow $$ just to accept credit cards....it would seem there would be an easier way

[billbenson]

A swiping device should be less expensive. The cc companies prefer that you have the card in hand as opposed to an internet order or phone order.

I think Intuits price is high but is worth if you have a lot of transactions as in interfaces with Quickbooks. You don't.

Don't put the card number on the same page as the invoice or whatever. Write down John on a piece of paper so you can cross reference the two, but one is buried in your pc and the other is in your daily notepad.. Grind the cc number after the charge goes through.

A part of having a truck in your case is having a mobile office. That includes computer / fax / printer. If you don't ave that you will appear less professional, not the opposite. My handyman takes cc (I like him and give him a check so he doesn't incur fees)

If your cc deals are consistently low profit, I'd just increase the quote and say X% disount for cash.

[Steve B]

Not sure what all the concern is about writing the number down on the invoice. I do it hundreds of time per year and never had a cucstomer say anything or make any funny faces when I do it. I guess it's a perception thing. I could easily make an argument that having a number written on ONE piece of paper is much more secure than capturing it electronically and sending it over the airwaves. I know the electronic capturing is encoded and very secure, but the average person may not have that much confidence in the encryption technology. Regardless, the manual thing would be a much cheaper experiment for you. My observation is from actual experience with hundreds of different customers per year. We do the same thing with our pet food delivery business. With that business, half the time, people are giving us the number over the phone and we write it down on their original paperwork. The other half, we're doing it in person.

On a different topic, I can't imagine a phone that would be more durable than an Iphone that is in the top of the line Gator box. I had this combination for several months and it was very rugged. You might want to re-think your aversion toward a smart phone. Unless you completely immerse the phone (inside the box) in water, you'll be able to wipe anything off the gatorbox.

[Brian Altenhofel]

Have you ruled out Pay Pal? I think with standard Pay Pal you get the card reader for free, with no additional fees up to $3k ( you may want to double check that though).
https://www.paypal.com/webapps/mpp/paypal-payments-pro

Also, make sure that you narrow in on the plan first, BEFORE the phone. I just found out that the reader is not compatible with my particular Android phone, or my tablet. But I think I could still punch in the numbers with a different Pay Pal app.

PayPal Payments Pro a really expensive card processor.

The following is what you should expect to pay for 50 transactions per month that average $20 each (its an example I give to clients running low-volume ecommerce stores supplementing their small business):

PayPal Payments Pro: ~$74
QuickBooks: ~$56.95 (assuming the 3.7% rate cited above - all of the documentation I see is 1.64% swiped and 2.47% keyed)
Authorize.net: ~$55.45 (assumes each transaction was processed individually, resulting in 50 "batches")

Full disclosure: I have an Authorize.net affiliate account, and do tend to push it as their API is extremely easy to integrate with on custom sites.

[Freelancier]

Not sure what all the concern is about writing the number down on the invoice. I do it hundreds of time per year and never had a cucstomer say anything or make any funny faces when I do it. I guess it's a perception thing.

My understanding is that it's a LEGAL thing. The PCI compliance stuff that Visa merchants are required to sign are pretty strict about unsecured recording of credit card numbers. It's not ONE invoice... it's the question of how do you secure those invoices forever from theft? If you create a security breach as part of your credit card handling and your handling of those cards violated their rules, Visa will sue you. And that might create a bad perception, sure.

[alexbond.cbiz]

PCI compliance is not a law, however it can be enforced by the processor and they may refuse service to you if you do not either follow their instructions or buy their breach protection program. For best practice, if the full card number is visible to either yourself or your employees, it can be visible to others. Having a lock & key as your security is not PCI Compliant and can result in fees by Visa of up to $25,000 per card number, so you can do the math on a penalty. What is worse, if the exposure of card numbers occurs due to your lack of security, Visa will be the least of your problems. Having your actual processor find out that you're the reason for theft will enable them to blacklist you, preventing your federal tax ID to ever be used again in the credit card acceptance program WORLDWIDE. Furthermore, the double edged sword called Patriot Act will enable the processor to seek the victimized parties that you are the reason for their financial loss, not your company. Your SSN is on the application as the owner of the account and those who lost money will be directed to pursue damages with you first!

Basically, under no circumstances should you store card numbers on your end in a non-encrypted device/software, you'll sleep better. The odds of something happening are similar to that of winning the lottery but the impact could be pretty similar but in the other direction.

Best thing to do: get PCI Certified through a third-party like TrustWave and receive a certificate that you can present to your processor. This service doesn't have to be provided by your processor and the cost can range from $95-$300 annually per IP address.

Cheers!

<please set up a signature through Settings>

[huggytree]

if i record credit card #'s on paper i will get a special credit card form...and i will shred them after i run the card #....i really dont want to put it on the invoice....i would not like it if i were the customer...maybe im sensitive about it

Chase got back to me today...they dont have a separate reader...its all smart phone or over the internet...they were $10 a month and 2.3 %

i am planning on signing up for the intuit and be done with it.....i have an old version of quick books and it will not interface with their software, so it wont automatically record...i either need to get a new quickbooks or manually enter the deposits....its 5 years old, so i may just upgrade to quickbooks 2012 or 2013

my current phone has a double loud ring tone, can be submerged in water and can be dropped from 6'...its a tough motherf'r....i have not found another phone even close...i keep the phone in my front pocket....smart phones are pretty large arent they? it wont be as comfortable

what my current plan is: for now do the intuit...see how the demand is for credit cards....then when my phone comes up for renewal switch to the i-phone and get the square.....

[billbenson]

Not sure what all the concern is about writing the number down on the invoice. I do it hundreds of time per year and never had a cucstomer say anything or make any funny faces when I do it. I guess it's a perception thing. I could easily make an argument that having a number written on ONE piece of paper is much more secure than capturing it electronically and sending it over the airwaves. I know the electronic capturing is encoded and very secure, but the average person may not have that much confidence in the encryption technology. Regardless, the manual thing would be a much cheaper experiment for you. My observation is from actual experience with hundreds of different customers per year. We do the same thing with our pet food delivery business. With that business, half the time, people are giving us the number over the phone and we write it down on their original paperwork. The other half, we're doing it in person.

On a different topic, I can't imagine a phone that would be more durable than an Iphone that is in the top of the line Gator box. I had this combination for several months and it was very rugged. You might want to re-think your aversion toward a smart phone. Unless you completely immerse the phone (inside the box) in water, you'll be able to wipe anything off the gatorbox.

Steve, I think the issue is the above posts. If all you are doing is a hand written invoice, then you might be ok. But even then, you probably have a hard copy invoice that contains all of the information in one place. Soft copy is no different.I can get access to the cc info through my credit card processor. But it's not on my site, so I have no liability and and I can still recharge the customer for an additional order or credit his order.

Keep the invoice (except the last 4 of the cc). I put the billing addres in the invoice BTW. It's not worth much, at least for legally protecting myself, if I destroy the cc number at the end of the day.

[Harold Mansfield]

my current phone has a double loud ring tone, can be submerged in water and can be dropped from 6'...its a tough motherf'r....i have not found another phone even close...i keep the phone in my front pocket....smart phones are pretty large arent they? it wont be as comfortable
Yeah, and the iPhone just got bigger.


what my current plan is: for now do the intuit...see how the demand is for credit cards....then when my phone comes up for renewal switch to the i-phone and get the square.....
Sounds like a good plan.

[huggytree]

i met with the credit card processor today....uggghhhh...i told him im going to think about it....the fee's are insane

$220 to start up
$100 a year fee
$15 a month fee
10cent per trans action for something
30cents per transaction for something else
35 cents per batch of transaction fees

i think i missed a few fee's....everywhere i looked on the contract was fee's
i said NO at first, then he offered me a free key in device, then i said yes.....then it went to the yearly fee of $100something and also the batch fee...then i went back to no/maybe

he was 3.2% for most cards......the way they structure their fee's is just nuts....i dont know how any business can do that and stay in business...im guessing they are all this way and the customer has no choice....i told him id prefer to pay $40 a month and have no fee's...its all about sneaking penny's and dollars here and there without the the customer realizing it.

i have a 2nd banker to talk to...we will see how bad it is...ill also have to contact Intuit to see how many fee's they have..they were at 3.7%, but if they dont have all the stupid fee's ill gladly pay it

[Brian Altenhofel]

i met with the credit card processor today....uggghhhh...i told him im going to think about it....the fee's are insane

$220 to start up
$100 a year fee
$15 a month fee
10cent per trans action for something
30cents per transaction for something else
35 cents per batch of transaction fees

i think i missed a few fee's....everywhere i looked on the contract was fee's
i said NO at first, then he offered me a free key in device, then i said yes.....then it went to the yearly fee of $100something and also the batch fee...then i went back to no/maybe

he was 3.2% for most cards......the way they structure their fee's is just nuts....i dont know how any business can do that and stay in business...im guessing they are all this way and the customer has no choice....i told him id prefer to pay $40 a month and have no fee's...its all about sneaking penny's and dollars here and there without the the customer realizing it.

i have a 2nd banker to talk to...we will see how bad it is...ill also have to contact Intuit to see how many fee's they have..they were at 3.7%, but if they dont have all the stupid fee's ill gladly pay it

I highly recommend putting all the fees in a spreadsheet and then seeing what the final costs should be based on your estimated usage. Sometimes, the ones with all the nickels and dimes wins out, while other times the ones with a flat rate wins out.

[MyITGuy]

i met with the credit card processor today....uggghhhh...i told him im going to think about it....the fee's are insane

Are you only working with local vendors? That may be a big part of the insane fees.

I've been looking at this company for awhile (Wireless Merchant Services by CDG Commerce (http://www.cdgcommerce.com/wireless-services.php))...but I need to test the authorize.net module to ensure it is compatible with my system.

[Steve B]

It's kind of like signing up for a cell phone. You never will really know how much it's going to cost you until you get the bill I agree with you, I'd take simple over complex anyday - even if it ends up costing a bit more. There's a value in knowing the amount ahead of time and not feeling like you're being set up for a trick. If you find a simple one, please let me know.

[huggytree]

im considering saying F the whole idea of credit cards...very close

i may just take paypal instead.....can they use their credit cards through paypal? what is the % id pay w/paypal?

[huggytree]

found a new processor

$0 to start
$5 a month fee
low rates
no batch fee
.25c per swipe
$350 for a at home card entering device
$99 a year fee

a better deal and one i can swallow a bit better

im going to get a manual swiper for the field and get the homeowner to sign a copy

[huggytree]

got my processor and my knuckle buster 10 minutes ago....im FINALLY ready to accept credit cards....im not going to bring it up w/ a customer, but if they ask for it i have it there....i am going to add it to my website asap!

i will use the knuckle buster on the jobsite and do things ala 1978

when i get home i will enter it into the processor and then use a black marker to block out all the digits except for the last 4.....

i think its taken me a month or 2, but im all set

[Steve B]

Glad to hear it. I had the knuckle buster for a couple days - then decided to just write the numbers on the invoice. I have a feeling you'll end up doing the same - the knucklebuster is a PIA and doesn't always make a good print. Some cards no longer have raised numbers. We are also going to blacken out all the numbers except the last four. Thanks to this thread, we're going to go back through old records to be sure we haven't missed destroying any numbers.

Let us know how it goes. I'm sure you'll get enough business that you'll be glad you did it.

[huggytree]

i went with PMC bank....im not sure if they are national or just WI

[Wozcreative]

Easiest way for me to collect CC is to use my paypal account and send them an email for a payment request, then they get to choose if its a CC or paypal. I then juust get charged regular paypal fee for the transaction without having to sign up for anything.

[huggytree]

Easiest way for me to collect CC is to use my paypal account and send them an email for a payment request, then they get to choose if its a CC or paypal. I then juust get charged regular paypal fee for the transaction without having to sign up for anything.

that way works just fine for most people, but wouldnt work well for a 70-80 year old with no computer....or who is 1/2 there mentally...i get many elderly customers...most have computers, but i wouldnt trust them a day later to use paypal....they may check e-mails once a month or once a year

[Wozcreative]

that way works just fine for most people, but wouldnt work well for a 70-80 year old with no computer....or who is 1/2 there mentally...i get many elderly customers...most have computers, but i wouldnt trust them a day later to use paypal....they may check e-mails once a month or once a year

You could then send the payment request to your own email address and fill it out on a smartphone with their CC infront of them.

[Harold Mansfield]

You could then send the payment request to your own email address and fill it out on a smartphone with their CC infront of them.
I understand where you are coming from, but I know where he is coming from too.

There are some people, especially older people, that don't want anything to do with it. They aren't going to care how easy you make it. That's just not the way they want to do business.

They trust checks, cash, and still physically go to the back to withdraw and deposit money. They buy stamps because they still pay everything with a check in the mail. To them the web is an unsecured hack fest where everyone is trying to steal your credit card numbers. They'll send you a chain e-mail, but they'll never type their credit card numbers into a computer.

If that is part of your customer base, you have to be able to do business with them in a way that they are comfortable.

Thankfully, that is not my customer base. I deal with technologically challenged people all of the time, but for the most part they want to learn or else they wouldn't be calling a web guy to do work.

When you work on the web and do web stuff and people find you on the web, you can get away with it more than someone who doesn't.

[billbenson]

If my mom wants to buy something online I tell her to email me the link to the item and I buy it. The risk of her clicking something wrong online is just to great.

[huggytree]

i am guilty of assuming the average guy isnt all that internet savy....but im learning quickly......i now believe at least 75% of people use the computer for almost everything

but something you computer fixated people are also guilty of is assuming that # is closer to 99%

in 20 years that will most likely be the case....but there's still tons of people who's vcr/dvd/blue ray player still flashes 12:00

my parents are one of them....my father in law is another....they wouldnt consider finding someone w/o a phone book or paying anything on line

they constantly have computer/internet issues because they dont understand things



there are tons of 40+ year old men who have no interest in how a computer works...(for some reason this seems to be a man issue...all the women i know under 70 are computer savy)

anyone know the % of people w/o a computer these days???? its got to be below 5% id think

[billbenson]

Your 75% figure is probably pretty accurate, but I think the 90% plus figure is a lot closer than 20 years. People, at least in the US, like convenience. In El Salvador, where I am very familiar with, people wait for hours to get into the bank or DMV. People here wouldn't put up with that. Go online, get what you want and buy it or drive half an hour each way to the store? And physical stores are dropping like fly's. It may be the only way to buy in the near future.

I think your women being more computer literate makes sense. There are a lot of laborers out there doing physical work 10 hours a day while the wife maintains the house. She's probably pretty likely to start doing things online. I've had sales phone calls from men standing over their wives shoulder trying to buy something while she searches for it on the computer. He eventually hands her the phone so I can tell her how to make the online purchase. And even those kind of calls are getting pretty rare, say one a month when I get hundreds of phone calls a month.

And just about everybody at all levels with an office job needs to use a computer at some level.

[Brian Altenhofel]

but there's still tons of people who's vcr/dvd/blue ray player still flashes 12:00

Hey now. I'm just spoiled by NTP. If the device can't automatically set its own time, it can flash 12:00 all it wants.

[Harold Mansfield]

i am guilty of assuming the average guy isnt all that internet savy....but im learning quickly......i now believe at least 75% of people use the computer for almost everything

but something you computer fixated people are also guilty of is assuming that # is closer to 99%


I'm definitely guilty of that.

Most people find or contact me online. So I know they have a computer. I therefore assume that they are a little more comfortable online than most. I've found out that I'm wrong. I find myself constantly teaching people how to do, what I think are, basic functions like using Skype or sending an attachment.

While it's true that I think most people that would contact any of us for services at least have a cheap laptop, that doesn't mean they know how to do much with it other than email.

When I'm done with a job and do the 1 hour training to show people how to use whatever I've done for them, I've found that I need to not only slow down but keep it to the basics. People pretty much blank out after 20-30 minutes of training. It's too much all at one time.

You also have to conscious that not everyone has a newer computer or fast internet connection.

[browndirt3]

found a new processor

$0 to start
$5 a month fee
low rates
no batch fee
.25c per swipe
$350 for a at home card entering device
$99 a year fee

a better deal and one i can swallow a bit better

im going to get a manual swiper for the field and get the homeowner to sign a copy

Who is the new processor?

[huggytree]

PNC Bank

im not sure if its a local company or national




ive been accepting the cards now for over a month....ive used it only 2x

the processor even called me a few weeks later asking why i had 0 cards run

i am waiting to see what a 'basic' bill looks like.....the only bill i got had all the startup costs and no charges

[Pack-Secure]

Hey now. I'm just spoiled by NTP. If the device can't automatically set its own time, it can flash 12:00 all it wants.

hahaha, :)

[browndirt3]

Who is the new processor?

Well, if they're charging you .25 cents per swipe, it may be a little too much. Check out this article on the Durbin Amendment. I think I will be going with heartland payment systems, I'm working with a lady there.

What Is The Durbin Amendment? - Debit Interchange Fees and Merchant Savings - Heartland Payment Systems (http://www.heartlandpaymentsystems.com/Durbin/What-is-the-durbin-amendment)

[GlobalPay]

3.7% is a VERY HIGH rate!!!!! The website that Pack-secure had provided you with is a paid advertising website that anyone can be listen on if they pay the right amount (and I say it from experience) if you are going with a mobile processor, shop around for rates.

[Your Merchant Guru]

Hello ...
I just found this thread .... just some free advice from another biz owner and someone who knows a fair amount about the credit card payment industry.

If a business is processing about $1000 per month, and don't need any accounting features or integration with something like Quickbooks
- your best bet is something like Square or GoPayment ... Yes the rate is a "higher" - but no contract, no other monthly fees. This is also
a good solution for start ups that only do a few transactions a month and a very low volume of credit card sales.

Once your volume gets higher (around $2000/mo or more consistantly) - there are lots of options to you as a merchant. But before signing
any contracts, you should get a clear understanding of what you need your merchant account to do for you ... At some point you may need
- Invoicing capability, Quickbooks Integration, Recurring Payment options, Payment links on your website, Mobile payment .... etc.

It's important to think about what you will need in the next stages of your biz ... standard contracts are about 3 years and some have brutal
cancellation clauses. I'm happy to help you think through your options once you get to that point if you like.

Businesses that are doing a volume of 5K a month or more should be on an interchange plus program to really benefit from the Durbin amendment
cap on debit card fees (0.05%). Banks and most processors offer a tiered rate structure (if you here terms like "Qualified Rate" you are being
quoted a tiered program). This is never a preferred rate plan since Interchange Plus will guarantee your rates coincide with the V/MC rate schedule.

Get any quote in writing and I would be happy to review it for you and coach you on more questions you should be asking.

Re this plan ....
$0 to start (... be sure to review your initial bill for any start up fee, or maintenance fee, or whatever else they want to call this ...)
$5 a month fee
low rates (you should be asking for Interchange Plus Rates)
no batch fee
.25c per swipe (you should really look to pay only .10-.20 a swipe)
$350 for a at home card entering device (these terminals should only cost you about $150)
$99 a year fee (you should not pay a yearly fee ---- )

You should also look for merchant accts that can give you next day funding for no additional charge

Joe
Your Merchant Guru