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accepting credit cards


EnvyCandles

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:confused:Searched and searched.... need help!!

My website is not up and running yet. I am looking to accept credit cards at shows. I was initially looking into paypal standard as their rates seem awesome (only pay when you sell) but that seems it would only work with a website up and running. "virtual terminal" seems to be what I need, but every merchant seems to be around $30 monthly plus charges for equipment/processing.

Is there some way I can have the credit card ability through either my laptop connected to the internet/ credit card swiper connected to internet/computer? But, not have to pay such high fees?

I am currently fine with cash/checks, but have some shows coming up that I think I could really benefit from taking cards. I just do not want to pay so much money for the chance that I will take cards for these next 3 or so shows. Ideas??:confused:

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I use Propay.com right now. I have a knucklebuster I bought on classifieds here (the metal thing that you run across the reciepts to make imprints); but have a lot of trouble with it. It imprints my info but not the customers. So I have been writing in their name, credit card number, zip and 3 digit code on back. It's a pain; but at least I can accept credit cards an they get a receipt. Then when I get home I enter it into Propay.

I posted a link a while ago in the business section with a link for propay at a lower rate. Found it :

http://craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94556&highlight=propay

I'd like to try the phone service listed above; but I don't have a phone like that. Someday...

Trudi

Edited by NaturallyTru
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So I have been writing in their ...... 3 digit code on back.

Highly illegal..well, not illegal but against the terms and conditions set out by your merchant agreement and all of the compliance rules set out by credit card companies.

The security code on the back of a card is NOT to be stored by a merchant...it may only be used at the time of submission..not stored in any shape, form, or fashion. This includes writing the number down even momentarily....just for two seconds. The fines for storing the security code from the back of a card are $50,000 for the first offense and $100,000 for the second offense.

And, further more, to be a PCI Compliant merchant, you are only supposed to store the other details long enough for them to be processed after which they are to be disposed of in an appropriate manner (shredding) or encrypted and stored in a secure environment. If you fail to do so and the data is later compromised, you are liable for the fees ($30,000 per card, I believe) and you must cover the fraudulent charges made on the cards. You are also liable for the charges to perform audits in association with finding out how and when the data was compromised ($10,000+ from what I've seen.)

On page 677 of this operation regulations manual published by Visa you can see where they state their storage/retention prohibition policy:

http://usa.visa.com/download/merchants/visa-international-operating-regulations-main.pdf (this document is 1218 pages so it may take a while to load.)

I'd hate to see a small business owner destroyed by receiving such a large fine....please make sure you monitor the regulations more closely. I think it should be a requirement of Propay and other merchant account providers to give a brief tutorial of the basic rules and regulations of processing credit cards; after all, I don't know many people willing to sit down and read Visa's 1218 page guide.

Plus, Propay doesn't require the CVV.

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I use Pay Pal for my Web site. I do not have a monthyl fee. Works awesome for me. When I go to shows I have a credit card system through 1st National. They gave me the electronic machine. Have no complaints with them. You can PM me if you want more information.

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I use United Payment Services. I can do credit cards on my blackberry at shows which is very nice. the fees ar $12.50 per month with a $25 minimum per month. swiped rate is 1.79% and keyed rate is 1.99%. No contract either. It was the lowest rates I could find and I liked the fact that I could just run cards via my blackberry.

There was a thread here recently about Square www.squareup.com . If you have a iPhone or Droid you can get the swiper for the phone. There maybe som growing pains because it is new, but the upside is incredible. No fees at all for this except the sales % + Transaction fee. Only works with certain phones though.

Hope this helps.

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April-

I think I am confused... The $13 monthly fee seems a lot lower than other companies who charge between $25-30 monthly. There is no contract terms, so I would be able to cancel a certain month with prior notice. Not sure why you think this is too much monthly?

Swiped is 1.7% ($.30 transaction fee), manually entered is 2.7% ($.37 trans. fee). $.30 batch fee. And monthly $12.95.

Obviously I am new to cc pymnts, but can you tell me why you think this is not a good deal? ? ?:confused:

Thanks!

I am just trying to find something inexpensive to start with....

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Cant reply specifically to your post, but I don't always have a sale that would cover the $12.95 per month (for example maybe I only run one card the entire month and it's only $9 or $12, then I'll lose money). I won't know at the beginning of the month if I'll run any more to cover that cost by the end of the month but wouldn't want to turn down the sale simply because I didn't know.

I was looking at getting an iphone anyway to replace my blackberry storm so the square app pushed me over the edge.

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Envy, I use United Payment Services, better rates than intuit. Check out if you want, but I,ve had them a couple months now and have been happy. I went through all this over the summer and they had the best rates I could find.

I really want to get on board with Square, they obviously blow everything out of the water, but I can't justify the cost right now for a $100 a month cell phone bill in order to use it. Once I can though thats where I am headed. :)

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I use Intuit online terminal. When at a show I can bring it up on my phone (not all phones are compatible).

I have had absolutely no issues with it.

The monthly fee is low and the other fees are okay in my eyes.

The receipt is a little strange that you can print off but so far my customers havent complained.

As a new store I really do not have enough charges each month to justify the 12.95 but on the other hand if you want customers you have to be accomodating to them.. is a catch 22 I guess.

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Envy, I use United Payment Services, better rates than intuit. Check out if you want, but I,ve had them a couple months now and have been happy. I went through all this over the summer and they had the best rates I could find. :)

I am going to call them when I get out of work and see what rates they have...

I use Intuit online terminal. When at a show I can bring it up on my phone (not all phones are compatible).

I have had absolutely no issues with it.

The monthly fee is low and the other fees are okay in my eyes.

The receipt is a little strange that you can print off but so far my customers havent complained.

As a new store I really do not have enough charges each month to justify the 12.95 but on the other hand if you want customers you have to be accomodating to them.. is a catch 22 I guess.

Johnna, The mobile (gopayment) and the online terminal are the same, price wise, but it seems the mobile has a little lower for rates(swiped/manual).

If I set up mobile, you can use it either with the app, or on the mobile browser... I wonder if I can use a browser on it, can I also process it on any internet accessed computer?

If I set up the virtual terminal, since it uses logging into a web page, can I also use it on my phone's web browser??

I am going to contact Intuit today and see what the difference for me would be...:P

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Johnna, you are sooo right. It is a catch 22. I just did a small show this past weekend where 1/3 of my sales was credit cards. I almost doubled my sales from last year and to think if I didn't have the ability to take credit cards I would have probably missed out on those sales. One of those credit card sales paid for the montly fee for about 4 months.

I think in the end it just makes sense. Over the course of a few shows I think it will pay for itself in that you will get sales you normally wouldn't have if you didn't offer that option.

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wow :shocked2:

I called United Payment Systems and their rates were insane!!

For a virtual terminal there is a $39 set up fee, a $12.50 montlhy fee, a $7 monthly PCI fee, and a minimum of $15 in processing fees (basically if you do not process enough payments to get them $15 in fees, you have to pay $15 for that month!)... That seems to be one of the highest fees I have seen!:shocked2:

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