Do you accept credit cards?

[iStuart]

I searched this topic and found nothing new since Dec. 2014 so thought I'd ask what you're all doing about accepting credit cards these days. Our contracts specify payment by check or cash at the completion of the job, but we get a fair number of people who don't read that even though it's bolded and highlighted. We're about to make some changes to our form and are discussing adding a line item discount for check/cash. We do have the ability to accept credit cards through PayPal via our website. It works. But I think in 2016 there could be an easier and economical way to accept credit cards out in the field.

Square seems to be quite popular but requires a reader. How long does it take them to transfer money to your bank account? I was looking online to see what's available and found a phone app that uses your phone's camera to scan the credit card. It sounded interesting until I discovered that it folded in February. I'd like to know what you're using, how straightforward you find it to be, and whether you'd recommend it to others.

TIA,
Iris

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Square. Takes 2-3 days to have the $$. Costs aren't too bad. Like Sunday did a $590 sale, I got $573 out of it.

 

[mu2bdriver]

My wife uses square and loves it. She just adds the fees back into the price of the sale. They've been around long enough to the point I think they'll be around for a while. Personally I wouldn't trust someone to take an image of my card not knowing if they were also taking a photograph. Square and PayPal should have you covered.


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[ATH]

Square will send you a free reader.

 

[Griff93]

I used square Tuesday for a customer. We are cash or check as well. I'll process a CC but only if I don't have to eat the fees.

 

[TreeHuggers]

We accept Square payments and online payments through our invoicing. Fees are about the same, 2-3 day wait is also standard. 2.5% with card swipe, 3.5% without card present. The fees stink, but the convenience makes our customers really happy and we get paid faster than if we had to wait on checks. I also feel that it makes us appear more professional.

 

[crotchclimber]

We use Aprivapay+ smartphone app. We have some card swipers but I haven't been able to get them to work 90% of the time so I manually enter the info even though the rate is higher. We always tell customers we prefer check or cash when they ask if they can pay with a card. We are moving our business management to Jobber software and I think that has it's own payment app so I'll see soon how that works.

 

[Jonathan Dulaney]

The question is how can you NOT accept credit cards this day and age.

 

[BC WetCoast]

Quote the price. Offer discount for cash/cheque. That is, assume people are using cc.

 

[D.Co181Inf]

I use a better reader than square, had to pay a miniscule fee for it, but I get 24# support, you get nothing from square from what I understand, money is in next business day, and same fees for swipe and manual entry. Mine is far,far more secure than square as well. These are all the reasonsame I chose not to go with square.

 

[mijdirtyjeep]

I use a better reader than square, had to pay a miniscule fee for it, but I get 24# support, you get nothing from square from what I understand, money is in next business day, and same fees for swipe and manual entry. Mine is far,far more secure than square as well. These are all the reasonsame I chose not to go with square.

So what is it you use then?

The different fees (swiped vs manual entered) is the one thing I don't like about the square reader.

 

[D.Co181Inf]

So what is it you use then?

The different fees (swiped vs manual entered) is the one thing I don't like about the square reader.

I use one through my bank referred me to Avalon. They're out of NY I believe. I'll track down their info. They also charge different for swipe vs manual entry. Don't line it either, doesn't make sense

 

[ATH]

I think the higher fee is because there is a higher risk of fraud with manual entry??? Even though Square won't loose on fraud cases, it is more labor for them to track down the source of he fraud.

 

[Oldmaple]

The question is how can you NOT accept credit cards this day and age.

Been in business for over 25 years and don't accept CC, just checks or cash. I'm electronically challenged and don't feel comfortable with it. Sat in a doctors office one time and listened in on the staff trying to correct an incorrect charge on a CC. Took them about 30 minutes to get it corrected and they work with CC payments all the time. I'd be totally lost. Am getting more requests for it though.

 

[blades]

smart phone and a swiper + app - there are all kinds of process companies. Square is a pain and constantly being hacked, Pay pal is also a pia as well as expensive. ( their support service is non existant as well) here is one Furturepaytech.com whole lot of others out there- I avg. about one or 2 calls a day from various processing co. , I have one checking account that is dedicated to cc processing- so I do not need their monthly statement ( that can save you 7-11 dollars a month. ) because it's going to show up on the bank statement any way just a month later. I would never accept a system that is not deposited same or next day- absolutely no reason to have to wait 2-3 days. I get a batch statement for each day waiting for me the next morning. been dealing with cc since the 60's. 2.5-3.5% depends more on the kind of card and who issued it. by the way if you are doing decent volume those numbers are negotiable. I am not keen on private party personal checks - Only because the banking system by and large takes a week to ten days or more to notify you of a bounced one- by snail mail no less- very irritating in my book. Course I find the whole banking/credit system rather irritating as whole.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Been in business for over 25 years and don't accept CC, just checks or cash. I'm electronically challenged and don't feel comfortable with it. Sat in a doctors office one time and listened in on the staff trying to correct an incorrect charge on a CC. Took them about 30 minutes to get it corrected and they work with CC payments all the time. I'd be totally lost. Am getting more requests for it though.

As with many things in business, fall behind the competition and you may end up eating baloney while they have steak.

Credit cards have been around for 50+ years... get with the times!

Myself, I don't have any, but I have plenty of customers that pay with them.