Can I Pay By Card Please?

[Revelationroadshow 0]

I'm starting to go down this route or at least it's starting to raise it's head again.

 

Yet another call this week, making a booking and getting the "can i pay by card please" question.

 

We are also waiting for an outstanding full payment for a cnady floss and popcorn booking for next saturday - the client would have apid in full by card at the point of booking had I been able to accept cards.

 

I have already gone down the Paypal route and there is a pay button on our site, but it still relies on the client interaction - the outstanding client mentioned above has been in reciept of a Paypal invoice for the last 3 days and STILL hasn't paid! I'm also finding clients either haven't heard of Paypal, or are a little wary - a couple have even said something about it being an ebay thing and why am I using it.

 

Therefore, I am considering going down the streamline terminal route. Before you all screem cost at me, we are also about to join the FSB which will provide Streamline terminal set up at no cost (usually about £250 I think). That leaves the monthly rental (about £25 I believe) and transaction fee.

 

The advantage I hope is being able to say "would you like to pay now" to a client on the phone!

 

They also offer a "mobile" version at a higher monthly fee that works like a mobile phone. As we provide some of our services at fete's and craft fairs etc and do a fair few wedding fayres, I did wonder if this was a sensible option?

 

Really interested in opinions and others who have already gone down this route.

[YourBigEvent 0]

Keeping an eye on this thread, have all literature, just need to sign up.

 

Our main problem is missing post

[Revelationroadshow 0]

Keeping an eye on this thread, have all literature, just need to sign up.

 

Our main problem is missing post

 

Sorry, didn't understand that post at all....

 

Any chance of a little more clarification?

[McCardle 1]

Does the end justify the means?

 

Add up all of your ongoing fees to work out exactly what each option costs. Is that £25 / month inclusive / exclusive of VAT?

 

Presumably there will also be a merchant fee levied against each transaction? - usually 1.5 - 3% of each transaction value or 50p / free for a debit card. Decide whether you are going to levy this fee to the client or absorb it yourself. If you are going to levy it to the client make sure its as clear as day on your website and ALL of your paperwork.

 

Then work out how many times you are getting asked to use such methods of payment, if its 4 or 5 times a year then it'll probably cost more to have the facility in place than the business it generates. Ideally you'd have to be using it on a regular basis, otherwise its just becomes another expensive white elephant, and £25 / month which might be better spent elsewhere.

 

Also consider any minimum terms of any contract, can you cancel the service with a months notice or 12?. Business might be good now but what about in 3 months or 6 months time?, if you have a minimum term, then that £25 will have to be paid every month for the minimum time, regardless.

 

I'm also finding clients either haven't heard of Paypal, or are a little wary

 

In my experience people are just wary of paying in advance for services which they fear may not turn up on the day, and I find most clients are usually happy to pay a deposit in advance and then the balance upon my arrival, obviously you are not just a disco so it might be a different ballgame.

 

the outstanding client mentioned above has been in reciept of a Paypal invoice for the last 3 days and STILL hasn't paid!

 

Personally, clients are like gold dust these days and i'd have been on the phone by now asking if any thing was wrong and could I help!. Are you sure that its just the payment method that holding up payment?. I find the need to chase up deposits these days is in greater demand, probably because of how things are. For all you know she could be away for the Easter holidays or waiting for payday, or even your link could have ended up in her spam folder and she is there wondering why you haven't sent the payment request!, pick up the phone and ask .

 

Also bear in mind that some devious clients out there will treat a credit card like a cheque, and cancel / reverse the transaction shortly after the event purely with the sole intention of not paying you. Its really easy for customers to file chargebacks these days, giving any reason or complaint they choose and the merchant service / card provider will nearly always suspend the payment and side with the client and it will be up to YOU as a business to disprove any complaint, even malicious ones which are unfounded.

 

For this same reason, also bear in mind that transactions don't always appear directly in your account, they may be held in Escrow and not paid for a period of between 14 - 45 days after the transaction, thus cashflow may be of concern if most of your clients do pay by card.

Edited April 11, 2009 by McCardle

[TonyB 0]

I use Paypal at the moment and a few clients do use it, mainly for the deposit. Have had a few make a full payment and I wince at the fees Paypal charge :eek: .

 

I have signed up to Google Payments as their fees were less but before I got a chance to use them, they put the fees up to exactly the same as Paypal.

 

Now looking at Nochex who charge 20p + 2.9% which works out to about £9.00 on a £300 payment

[YourBigEvent 0]

I have the paperwork from the merchant bank to sign up for a terminal, just haven't done it yet.

[Kingy 0]

Personally I can see both advantages and dis-advantages.

 

As I feel that charge backs may be all too common these days I would not accept this as a form of payment.

 

It's never been a problem to accept cheques or cash, thank you.

 

[Revelationroadshow 0]

Personally I can see both advantages and dis-advantages.

 

As I feel that charge backs may be all too common these days I would not accept this as a form of payment.

 

It's never been a problem to accept cheques or cash, thank you.

 

And I too have absolutely no problem with cash or cheques, but I would have secured at least 4 bookings this year had I been able to take a payment over the phine, Add to that the fact that I get at least 4 or 5 clients a month asking if they can pay by card, it all adds up,

[Dukesy 0]

And I too have absolutely no problem with cash or cheques, but I would have secured at least 4 bookings this year had I been able to take a payment over the phine, Add to that the fact that I get at least 4 or 5 clients a month asking if they can pay by card, it all adds up,

Must be a demographic thing. When I was based in Kent, mixture of money and cheques but was asked if I accepted CCs quite often. Essex, money every time. Derbyshire / Cheshire, mixture of money and cheques.

 

[Norfolk DJ 0]

 

Got paid in 50 pence coins a few years back - absolute pain in the a*****