Not sure if this is the most appropriate forum to ask this, but here it goes.

For those of you who sell your products, cash is always king. But the reality that so many people purchase things using their Credit/Debit Card as opposed to cash or check makes things a bit more difficult. When I used to craft shows I was able to take credit cards by using a "Knuckle Buster" to imprint their credit card onto the credit slip and then go online and input the info to get the money transferred into my account. But now we have everything digital so that means getting some type of electronic doo dad like a reader that plugs into your cell or iPad.

So please share with me what type of set up do you use for your credit card or debit sales and how you like it as well as what cost per transaction or percentage. Right now my sales are all cash or check from folks I know, but things are starting to grow exponentially with the interest in my woodworking stuff so I know I will have to do something pretty quick.

We use a square on our cell phones. People like the stylus our samsung note phones have for signing. It costs us 2.7%per sale. About 3/4 of our sales,are on cards and people tend to buy more when they can use a card. 

Instead of charging processing fees we raised our price by a dollar or two to offset the fees. This isn't a big deal for its but the customer feels. Like they are getting a deal. 

A number of years back I contacted   a couple of credit card companies about  using them for transactions.

There were only two options: One was to use the incredibly unreliable services that process the sales and the other was to fill out the paper triplicate forms that you probably remember from way back.

They may still do this.  Remember those mechanical  gizmoes   where they'd place the card and run a roll back and forth to take an impression and you sighed the form?   Yah that.

It was more tedious but you didn't pay a third party.

 

But today there are other options.

If you are willing to pony up to 2.75%  look into SQUARE credit card processing.

They charge a little more if you hand enter the data in.

https://squareup.com/pricing

Remember the card companies want a percentage too.

Calculate it into the sale just like you would calculate the $60 or $80 worth of shavings into the final cost when you make  an  exotic-wood bowl .

 

 

 

 

We've been asked about taking cards before. Our phones are older than the hills and have a hard enough time just being used as phones.

Some day when we upgrade I'll look into it more. For now they always seem to find the cash or since it's a small town ( one horse, as Allen can tell you ) we'll take a check.

And Harry, that "1 Horse" that Tami and I saw with you and June was pretty sad looking when we were there in July.

A note about Square and PayPal  and others:  As of 10/1/2015, you must have a new reader that reads the new cards with the embedded EMV Chip or YOU WILL BE LIABLE for any  problems with the card. (before 10/1/2015, Square and the other services took care of the problems).  New Square chip card reader costs $29.00 whereas the "old" Square Magnetic Stripe reader was free.

One key component in the EMV discussion is its accompanying liability shift. This liability shift means that those issuers and merchants using non-EMV compliant devices that choose to accept transactions made with EMV-compliant cards assume liability for any and all transactions that are found to be fraudulent. MasterCard defines the liability shift this way: The party, either the issuer or merchant, who does not support EMV, assumes liability for counterfeit card transactions. Understand that by issuer, the card companies do not mean themselves; the term refers instead to banks, credit unions, and any other financial institution issuing credit or debit cards.

Liability is an emotionally charged power word with potentially huge and disturbing ramifications. Still, the threat of assumed liability does not mean that entities involved in card-based transactions must move toward EMV compliance immediately. What it does mean is that issuers, acquirers, merchants, and others must start planning their course of action. For some, like ATM acquirers for which cross-border EMV transactions are minimal, accepting the risk imposed by the liability shift in favor of implementing compliance later might be the best strategy. For others, some EMV-related implementation is essential, so planning must begin soon, if it’s not underway already.

- See more at: http://www.paymentsleader.com/will-retailers-be-ready-for-emv-by-oct-2015/#sthash.bb2ykomb.dpuf
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Edited October 12, 201510 yr by Ernie Richardson (BAA Bugler)

Square and PayPal are still the best.  Square goes to your bank, PayPal normally goes to your PayPal account.

I use Intuit and I believe they charge about 2.5% or so and worth every penny of it.  As with John, my last two show sales were about 75% credit card.  Intuit is moving toward the "tap" technology just after the first of the year for sercurity.  The current readers are free but the tap reader is $30, I believe.

Square and PayPal are still the best.  Square goes to your bank, PayPal normally goes to your PayPal account.

I use the Intuit and it goes to my bank account also. I think they are all about the same.