Accepting Credit Cards

paintxpert: I think you're a very lucky individual to be able to deal strictly in cash the way you do. However, I also think that you're the so called "exception to the rule". Most of us HAVE to accept credit cards (and personally for me, more importantly, interac cards) in order to survive in this business.
 
I agree with WAS. Most people in this business can't honestly say they have NEVER been asked about taking CC.



I just got a merchant account at the beginning of the year from Intuit and use their GoPayment mobile solution. $20 or less per month (dep. on how much trans. I do) and NO equipment fees or rental. I simply key in the card on their app on my smartphone. Whole process takes 3 min or less. The money is typically deposited in less than 3 days. You just cant beat that.



I have done at least a dozen jobs so far this year that either I wouldn't have gotten or would have seriously inconvenienced the customer over because of taking cards.



Another note is that I personally don't have a single credit card nor want one. However, I do use my bank-issued debit card (also known as check card) for 97% of all my personal transactions. It is safer and easier to just use it. A lot of people feel the same way. If you were robbed or lose your wallet, the cash in there is gone forever, but you can simply call your bank and have your card frozen, protecting your funds.



Taking CC just isn't optional in most areas anymore, IMHO
 
paintxpert said:
Like I said on your 39th year in business you might feel different about credit cards. I did several hundred cars last year and had NO call for credit cards. I guess I feel lucky
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I didn't get any either. However, I can do PayPal if someone wishes.
 
WAS said:
paintxpert: I think you're a very lucky individual to be able to deal strictly in cash the way you do. However, I also think that you're the so called "exception to the rule". Most of us HAVE to accept credit cards (and personally for me, more importantly, interac cards) in order to survive in this business.
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Most of my new business is referral and so new customers already know I take cash or check. Still, I rarely get asked if I take plastic. 80-85% of my customers pay by check and doing this nearly 16 years full time, I've maybe received a total of 5 bad checks and couldn't collect on only 1.
 
I've always thought of it this way.. Mobile guys cash and checks work perfectly. Set locations need to take the CC's. It's just expected in todays day and age that if you walk through a front door of a buisness you should just be able to hand them the visa card. I really can't think of any business that you walk into these days that as a whole dosen't accept the plastic.
 
Jakerooni said:
Set locations need to take the CC's. I really can't think of any business that you walk into these days that as a whole dosen't accept the plastic.
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Food for thought.....I know many body shops that don't accept CCs or personal checks. And we're talking charges many times over $1000.
 
I'm sure there's exceptions to every rule there dave. But as a whole the "Body shop industry" more often than not will accept the plastic. I've personally never walked into a single body shop in my life that didn't take them. Just my experience though. I'm sure there's a fast food joint out there that won't take them too. Maybe a gas station or two. But in general I can't think of any type of business that operates out of a building that dosen't accept them. Nor would I as a customer use a business in a set location that dosen't. (I rarely ever carry cash anymore.)
 
Scottwax said:
Most of my new business is referral and so new customers already know I take cash or check. Still, I rarely get asked if I take plastic. 80-85% of my customers pay by check and doing this nearly 16 years full time, I've maybe received a total of 5 bad checks and couldn't collect on only 1.
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You do get asked though, so at least the question is being thrown out there. It's just crazy for me to think of being in business for years and years and never ever being asked to take a CC.



Jakerooni said:
I've always thought of it this way.. Mobile guys cash and checks work perfectly. Set locations need to take the CC's. It's just expected in todays day and age that if you walk through a front door of a buisness you should just be able to hand them the visa card. I really can't think of any business that you walk into these days that as a whole dosen't accept the plastic.
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Actually, you make a very good point there. I'm a fixed location, not mobile, so the ball game is slightly different for me.
 
WAS said:
You do get asked though, so at least the question is being thrown out there. It's just crazy for me to think of being in business for years and years and never ever being asked to take a CC.
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Maybe 2 or 3 times a year and I've never lost a job that I know of because of it. Now that I can do PayPal it isn't an issue anyway.
 
In large retail operations you are really missing the boat if you don't accept plastic. I HATE taking them but it's just part of the deal these days. I would say 80-90% of our sales are paid by debit card (which I love) or credit cards (which I HATE). I'm looking at offering a small cash discount now to reduce the amount of CC we get but that is simply because the discount rate is charged on the gross transaction and we are getting hit with a 8% increase as we are required to charge the provincial sales tax on our services after July 1st that we never were before and I'm not really excited about having the discount rate charged on the taxes we are forced to collect. Some of the new technology that is coming will allow anyone to accept payments by CC now through their cell phone (iphone being a major one). Work the cost into your price - no excuse not to as a convenience for your customers.
 
Not being asked about accepting cc's is one thing but I'd be willing to bet that if you mobile guys accepted them your customers would use that option more then cash/check.
 
ShineShop said:
and we are getting hit with a 8% increase as we are required to charge the provincial sales tax on our services after July 1st that we never were before
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You never had to charge the PST on your services ? Just GST ? And now because it's HST, you have to charge that eh ?



Sometimes I love living in the Yukon, not such thing as a provincial / territorial sales tax here :getdown
 
ShineShop said:
In large retail operations you are really missing the boat if you don't accept plastic. I HATE taking them but it's just part of the deal these days. I would say 80-90% of our sales are paid by debit card (which I love) or credit cards (which I HATE). I'm looking at offering a small cash discount now to reduce the amount of CC we get but that is simply because the discount rate is charged on the gross transaction and we are getting hit with a 8% increase as we are required to charge the provincial sales tax on our services after July 1st that we never were before and I'm not really excited about having the discount rate charged on the taxes we are forced to collect. Some of the new technology that is coming will allow anyone to accept payments by CC now through their cell phone (iphone being a major one). Work the cost into your price - no excuse not to as a convenience for your customers.
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My friends have a mobile business (not detailing) and recently they bought a "square." It's a square shaped device that plugs into the headphone jack of the iPhone. It's basically a magnetic stripe reader. This along with the app that the company makes allows them to accept credit cards.
 
Mikeyc said:
My friends have a mobile business (not detailing) and recently they bought a "square." It's a square shaped device that plugs into the headphone jack of the iPhone. It's basically a magnetic stripe reader. This along with the app that the company makes allows them to accept credit cards.
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Yeah, I posted a link to Squareup information in the other two threads curretnly going on regarding CC's:

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Anyone think about Square? Its created by twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey...Square Mobile Credit Card System (Beta) | Wired.com Product Reviews))

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I put a different link on it this time. I haven't seen any places to actually get one, but that's cool your friends were able to snatch a beta. It will be the next big thing. They are currently also developing for BBerry and Droid.
 
im getting the droid in a couple months so if this happens, then Ill be taking credit cards and advertising it!



I talked to a couple people and they all mentioned they put everything on the cards for the rewards, whether its cash or points. Also, with a credit card, you can up sell people more. say their car needs heavy claying with an aggressive clay that you would only follow up with a two step process instead of light claying with a one step. you would be able to sell them on a smoother finish and more defect removal. Thats just one example, but you get the point.
 
D Tailor said:
Yeah, I posted a link to Squareup information in the other two threads curretnly going on regarding CC's:

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Anyone think about Square? Its created by twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey...Square Mobile Credit Card System (Beta) | Wired.com Product Reviews))

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I put a different link on it this time. I haven't seen any places to actually get one, but that's cool your friends were able to snatch a beta. It will be the next big thing. They are currently also developing for BBerry and Droid.
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Here's a video my friends put up on YouTube of them using the square:



YouTube - bGreen Episode #5, Square Demo
 
Mikeyc that is sweet. I knew it was around, but hadn't seen it yet. I'll be getting this with my iPad in may for sure! Thanks Mike!
 
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