spatreats4u Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 so i take paypal ( from my on-line store )& cash...wondered about what methods everyone accepts. i am a scardy cat on fraud like bounced checks...also these days MO & cashiers checks are not good. I didn't want to have to pay merchant services for CC for just starting out at shows...but not sure. i am trying to get all the kinks out before i dive in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VerticallyEnhanced Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 I guess I consider myself lucky. In the past 5+ years, I have only had three bounced checks. One I am still trying to collect on ($60) and has been turned over to the district attorney for the issuing county, and the other two were cleared up with just a phone call to the people. They quickly made good on it in addition to paying the fees I incurred. Just make sure you get a lot of contact info including their DL #. As for credit card payments, I drug my feet on accepting them, but wish I had started offering the option sooner at my shows. I recently did a show where over $1200 of my sales for the weekend were CC sales. I am forever seeing people bring one candle to my check out counter and seeing that I take CC, then they go back and get more. I really think it boosts your sales. I have used propay for years and love it. However, I am getting to the point where I am outgrowing it and need to find something else, but it has served me well for a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinInOR Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 I use Propay as well. Started out with the basic option, but last year had to bump it to premier. I still have a ways to grow before I outgrow it Then I'll probably go to Costco, get their next level of membership, and do a merchant account through them. I've got a manual machine and slips already that I use for shows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrealh1975 Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 Currently I accept cash and checks at shows. This will be changing in the next few weeks to include accepting credit cards. I haven't had a problem w/ any bounced checks. But I do make sure to have their current address, phone number and DL#. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandissoap Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 robin,on pro-pay, can you set it up with your webiste? I was just looking at their site and it seems you have to enter in their stuff manually through the net or the phone, can it be linked to your website so customers enter in their own info and process it like most sits do? know what I mean?thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 I was wondering something about Propay as well, and I'm sorry if I sound ignorant. I have never done credit card sales before so I am clueless!When you are at a show, do you call in each credit card transaction to Propay before you complete the sale to make sure the information on the card is correct? Or do you just accept the card payment, then when you get home, log all the CC information in on the internet and hope it was a valid credit card? What happens if it isn't a good card? Are you SOL?Also, if you don't need any special equipment to process the credit cards, do you at least write the transaction down on credit card slips to give to the customer as a receipt? If so, where can you purchase credit card slips?Sorry for all the questions but I am really wanting to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlebean Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 My DH and I were just talking about this. His opinion was that people go to craft shows looking to buy and usually have cash on hand to spend. Personally, I am not a big fan of PayPal because I feel they charge too much. I am a little biased though because I have a friend that ownes a company that leases the credit card swipers, so he is giving me a free one and is able to get me a ridiculously low rate. As far as taking checks, I'm with you..but I do remember seeing this little handheld machine that you could take with you. You just slide the check through it and it instantly tells you whether there are insufficient funds. If the funds are available, the money is automatically put into your checking account instantly so there is never the fear of a bounced check. I'll have to search to find it - it might have been something I got in the mail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrealh1975 Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 I was wondering something about Propay as well, and I'm sorry if I sound ignorant. I have never done credit card sales before so I am clueless!When you are at a show, do you call in each credit card transaction to Propay before you complete the sale to make sure the information on the card is correct? Or do you just accept the card payment, then when you get home, log all the CC information in on the internet and hope it was a valid credit card? What happens if it isn't a good card? Are you SOL?Also, if you don't need any special equipment to process the credit cards, do you at least write the transaction down on credit card slips to give to the customer as a receipt? If so, where can you purchase credit card slips?Sorry for all the questions but I am really wanting to know.You can either call in the transactions or wait until you get home. Calling in each one may become difficult if you have a big crowd. But, if you have a laptop and internet connection you could do them right online. From what I hear the transaction doesn't take very long when doing it online. By not processing the card until you get home is the same risk you take when taking someones check. (you don't know it's good until you go to cash it) So be sure to get all their info when processing the card...Address, phone number, etc.You could purchase an imprinter (or knucklebuster) as they are affectionately called along w/ the credit card slips. If you do a search here, you should find some posts w/ a few companies that have them. I've also seen imprinters on Ebay for really cheap too.HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 I'm new to craft shows so I have just accepted cash and local checks with name, address, phone number and DL #. So far, knock on wood, no bounced checks. I was interested in others' opinions on using Propay because I have had people ask if I take CCs. The craft shows I visit do not have internet connections (and I do not have a laptop), so that is out. I have a cell phone, but the booth gets crazy at times so I think it would be very difficult to call in each and every CC transaction. I guess as with everything, there is a risk involved in accepting CC's without being able to verify them until you get home. Something I am going to have to really think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherl Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 >>When you are at a show, do you call in each credit card transaction to Propay before you complete the sale to make sure the information on the card is correct? Or do you just accept the card payment, then when you get home, log all the CC information in on the internet and hope it was a valid credit card? What happens if it isn't a good card? I got a knuckle buster to get an imprint and signature. Good if the charge is disputed. I ask they put on their phone number, in case a number is difficult to read. I have gotten so I do check to make sure the munber imprints good. I call them in on my cell when I get a minute at the shows.. if that doesn't happen, then later that day. With the phone number, if there are any problems, you can contact the card holder.>>Also, if you don't need any special equipment to process the credit cards, do you at least write the transaction down on credit card slips to give to the customer as a receipt? If so, where can you purchase credit card slips?I got a merchant account thru my bank with a company called paymentech. I paid $30 for the imprinter and they sent me 1000 cc sales slips and 1000 refund slips. I was setup and ready to go in a few days.. really nice people to deal with. It is a seasonal account, I can stop and start it as I need to. But, for $7.50 a month, I let it go so local people can place an order by CC if they want to. The chunk they take is a bit higher than one you pay more for, but for where I'm at, it is a good deal. Funding is within 48 hours. If anyone is interested in talking with them, pm me and I'll get you some contact information.I do think being able to accept CC does give one more sales. Yes, they do come to shows with cash, but there are so many things to catch ones eyes.. it's nice to be able to make a sale when they run out of what they've brought. For the most part, I think craft shoppers are an honest bunch. I have never had problems, but then I have not been doing this very long. Most other crafters I've run into seem to feel the same way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsnwicks Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 I take cash and checks at craft shows. As for fear of bounced checks, I don't think accepting credit cards are necessarily a safer way to ensure you get your money - not unless you call in each card right there with the customer waiting. But accepting credit cards should help sales though, especially those who ran out of cash and didn't bring their checkbook with them. Do most of the vendors at the craft shows you sell at accept credit cards? If so it would be worth looking into so that your booth doesn't come across as "inferior". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsnwicks Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 So be sure to get all their info when processing the card...Address, phone number, etc. You're sure we're allowed to get all this extra info from the customer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spatreats4u Posted May 12, 2006 Author Share Posted May 12, 2006 thanks ladies...great advice. i do think i want to accept cc for shows. i know personally i will buy more from someone if they accept it. i end up spending my cash too soon & then am not left with any or enough...i just need to find a place that is pretty cheap so that i can start this out. i am clueless as i have always used paypal. i will check in to the ones you mentioned, wow didn't know costco did that. if i ever sell enough i may have to look into that LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrealh1975 Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 You're sure we're allowed to get all this extra info from the customer?Actually, I'm not sure. I mean, we have all that info if they pay w/ a check. I would at least get their phone number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tootie04 Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 address and phone numbers are OK to collect in CC transactions. When I had a merchant account several years ago the machine actually asked for the street address. You cant ask for SS numbers anymore.Patricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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