Accepting Credit cards?

[YO! Eighth Account]

I think this is a must for a massage business. Right now I only accept credit cards through paypal, and while it works, its only usefull if the client pays before the massage. I know alot of clients would like to just pay at the time of service so I want to get set up to maybe phoning in the charges. I've heard this is super easy to set up, however I cannot find any good information on how to actually *do* it.

Any advice?

 

[Meaux]

Accepting Credit cards?

search for cellcharge

 

[Pompal 09.]

Accepting Credit cards?

There are a few different ways to go about this:

1. Cellcharge (or similar service) - allows you to input transaction info thru your cellphone keypad and process it over the phone. You basically have to call in every transaction manually.
2. Traditional credit card processing - you buy/lease a credit card terminal which requires landline telephone service. You swipe the card, input the amount of transaction and the machine calls the processing company for an automated authorization. This is the option I use. I run mine thru a company called "Elavon" via their program for Costco members.
3. Wireless credit card processing - similar to option 2 - only the machine connects wirelessly (as opposed to landline telephone).
4. If you're an iPhone user, (yes I'm gonna say it) there is an app for that.

All of these options require signing up with a processing company that handles all of the transactions for you and deposits the money directly into your bank account. Fees vary by option and by company but can generally amount to 1-5% of each transaction.

 

[Beryl 0.2.1/Ubuntu 9.04]

Accepting Credit cards?

I am with http://www.cellcharge.com

And I am very happy with the service. I am able to process flex spending cards with this service

 

[Champdude21]

Accepting Credit cards?

If you belong to ABMP, CellCharge will give you a discount on setup and the monthly fees.

 

[SEO]

Accepting Credit cards?

I'm curious why you say using paypal has to be done in advance? I've been doing it that way for awhile and not had a problem. It takes maybe 5 minutes most of the time since I keep a paypal tab up at all times {signed out, obviously} when I'm working. I have a wireless card for my netbook so I can use paypal on-site anywhere in my area. Did I miss something in the paypal TOS ?

 

[Questionarre]

Accepting Credit cards?

I just assumed with the paypal that the client would be reluctant to enter their log in information on my personal computer. I personally only like to do it from my own and just assume others have the same degree of paranoia that I do My debit # was stolen once, it didn't have anything to do with things I had posted online, some theif just got lucky in coming up with my number when making a false debit; but the incident has left me cautious.

Now if they can access their account from their phone then no worries. But in general they would find it more convient if I accepted CC's w/o having to go through paypal.

I'm looking into some of the cell charge companies. Thanks again everyone!

 

[Mark P]

Accepting Credit cards?

You can set up a veritual termal with paypal now

https://merchant.paypal.com/cgi-bin...-content&content_ID=merchant/virtual_terminal

 

[samarira]

Accepting Credit cards?

You can set up a veritual termal with paypal now

https://merchant.paypal.com/cgi-bin...-content&content_ID=merchant/virtual_terminal

That is REALLY expensive if you do the math. Taking their example of the $0-3000 range of monthly transactions - for simplicity sake each transaction = $100, if you had $3k (30x$100+$30 monthly fee) in transactions, with Paypal you'd pay $132.

Cell Charge's Basic processing plan charges $9.99/mo + 3.85% of all transactions. $3k processed by Cell Charge = $125.49 ($3k x 3.85% + $9.99)

Last year, my Merchant Processing expense averaged 2.5% of transactions processed. So, for the same $3k in transactions, I currently pay $75 - $57 less than Paypal (or $50.49 less than Cell Charge.) Multiply that over a year and it's a significant difference.

 

[bonzii]

Accepting Credit cards?

I came across this new service called Square. It only works ( as far as I can tell) with with the iphone, ipod touch, or android phones. Its all free to get started and the rates are very good. Here is a link to the company websitehttps://squareup.com/

and here is a review from wired magazine. http://www.wired.com/reviews/product/pr_square_iphone


If someone does decide to use to use it would you give a review? I would but am still "on sabbatical" from massage!

 

[Kelsey]

Accepting Credit cards?

I looked into Cell charge, Propay, and Merchant Warehouse, and thought I'd share my number crunching.

Cell Charge: $9.99/mo plus 3.85% per transaction

Propay: $35/year (basic) plus 3.5% + .35cents per transaction

Merchant Warehouse: $7.95/mo plus 2.19% + .25 cents per transaction


Saying I have 5 clients paying for their one hour $65 massage a month it equals:
Cell Charge:$22.49/mo

ProPay: $16.07/mo

Merchant Warehouse: $16.30/mo

With that I eliminated cell charge. Then I changed the math to accomadate 10 clients a month and got:
Propay: $29.75

Merchant Warehouse: $24.65


So if your not planning on having alot of transactions propay and Merchant Warehouse aren't that far off. But if that number starts going up Merchant warehouse would be a little cheaper. I called them and I can get an imprinter for $24.95 including shipping and 200 reciepts, then I can enter it all online at the end of the day. The money is deposited in my checking in 24 hours and at the end of the month they deduct the fees. I like that option the best because I don't want to pay for a bunch of equiptment and I want what I've got to be mobile. I could also take the imprinter on out calls or to events if need be as well. I don't want to use up my phone minutes punching in the numbers and I don't want to worry about messing up on entering it because I'm hurrying to get the client out the door. I'll be setting up with them and will be sure to share my experiences on here.

 

[Frankie]

Accepting Credit cards?

Thank you for posting that information. I look forward to reading your update.

 

[dieownhi5x3]

Accepting Credit cards?

I've started using Square. As far as rates are concerned, they aren't exactly low (2.75% + $.15 if the card is swiped, then it jumps to 3.5 + $.15 if its keyed in), but it could be alot worse. It excels at cash transactions but they are unbelievably SLOW in sending out the swipers (and you can't activate card processing until you put in the number that comes with the swiper!). You are also initially limited to $100 per transaction and 7 transactions per week which supposedly can be raised if you ask them.

If you're starting out as a one-person show or doing mobile work, its a neat little service but if you are somewhat bigger than that, its a really bad idea.

 

[Bubbles]

Accepting Credit cards?

I am with http://www.cellcharge.com

And I am very happy with the service. I am able to process flex spending cards with this service

How does this work? Say your on an outcall, it's time to pay. You call the number, enter in the information on the phone, then hang up. Then what? Are clients okay with this? Like is this something people go for? Do you write down something, receipts, what? Elaborate!

 

[Margaret 003]

Accepting Credit cards?

I am with http://www.cellcharge.com

And I am very happy with the service. I am able to process flex spending cards with this service

How does this work? Say your on an outcall, it's time to pay. You call the number, enter in the information on the phone, then hang up. Then what? Are clients okay with this? Like is this something people go for? Do you write down something, receipts, what? Elaborate!

There is an 800 # I call enter my PIN # and the system talks you through the rest. And I have an imprinter that I use and you get an old fashion receipt. And if the client does not want an carbon of their cc infomation done then I can email them the info bc after the cc goes through I also get emailed a receipt for the transaction

 

[Pringle #02]

Accepting Credit cards?

I use Transfirst, I pay 1.62% per transaction and then a $60 monthly fee for the equipment. The monthly fee makes it a little high, but I don't have a computer in my office and don't want to bother typing in numbers and codes on my phone while the client sits there waiting.........

The machine is about the size of a cell phone and the printer is smaller, I just swipe and hit print and point the little card machine at the printer to print the receipts. Very easy and fast, also I can take the unit with me anywhere (it's rechargeable) I may be doing chair massage or selling soaps. The extra fee of $60/mo for that convenience is worth it for me.

 

[Pashy]

Accepting Credit cards?

I signed up with Merchant Warehouse yesterday and got a better deal. Rather than $7.99 a month I got $5.99 a month. They're also sending me the software for entering the charges free.

There is one thing that I clarified while talking to them. I was confused on the idea of a $15 minimum, I was thinking that ment I had to at least have that much in charges go through a month. But really its the minimum you'll be paying in fees, so like if you have zero charges you'll pay $15 a month, and up until your % off the charges goes above then the formulas kick in. I redid my math with the new monthly fee and got $14.32 if I charge for 5 1 hour massages a month, so basically I'll have to make more than 6 charges to pay more than $15 a month. I'm okay with it, but its something to keep in mind if your not thinking you'll be doing many charges. When checking the companies make sure to ask what the monthly minimum is for the fees. I know the guy told me that if I signed up with them through vista print that the monthly minimum is $25, and I'd be less okay with that.

I set up my account with a second checking account that I never use and don't have checks for. I usually use it as a sort of savings, I'll put cash there that I don't want to touch, ect. So what I figure I'll do when my charges are deposited the first one I'll transfer all but $15, and then just the perceneforum.xxxes after that till the next month. That way the money for the service is always there when it needs to be.

 

[valerie]

Accepting Credit cards?

I use to be with merchant warehouse. And one month I had no cc charges and I was charged a $60 fee bc I was below the monthly minium. And I choose to cancel with them I was charged a $200 termation fee bc I was with them for less than 2 years

 

[dreamer]

Accepting Credit cards?

Just to give you all a heads up all of us who take credit cards need to be PCI complient. There is an online class I need to take about learning about how to handel clients credit card infomation

 

[jaycenDELO]

Accepting Credit cards?

Little tidbit about CellCharge (and one of the reasons why we chose them): They do not require a contract. We can quit at any time; and what's more, we DID quit once when it was just Hubby, and he went several months w/o doing any cc transactions at all. When we opened our new place, I called CellCharge up to ask about starting back up w/ them, and they said that since it was less than a year since we'd quit, the reinstatement was WAY less than the initial startup. I can't remember offhand how much it was, but I'm thinking closer to $25 as opposed to $75+, and I *think* that fee was mainly due to needing a new imprinter plate.

I've had someone suggest to me that I *should* run the cc's through before the client leaves, to ensure that 1) it actually gets done (we had 3 transactions that *I* forgot to run through last year- sigh), and 2) that they actually go through. We haven't had a single chargeback and only one "declined" transaction in 3 years; the declined one was b/c the client gave me the wrong ZIP code, and that WAS when he was standing right there so it was no sweat to get the correct info. I generally do wait till the end of the day to run the cc's through, though- it's easier *on me*, and most of the folks who use a cc are the ones who would never want to do anything to jeopardize their standing with the MT who helps them feel so much better(Hubby), LOL! It might not be a bad idea, whenever we have someone watching the desk, to go ahead and take payment before the session and get it run through during.