Just an update that might help those looking for card machines!
I've been using worldpay zinc for about a year. I don't like the fact you have to e-mail recipts but apart from that its fine. Does face to face payments, you can take payments over the phone and you can e-mail secure links to people so they can pay an invoice.
The downside is the cost per transaction in high ( 2.75%).
I've been talking to all sorts of providers about conventional PDQ machines. The terminal rental is usually about £12-16 ppm rental, then there is £5 pm PCI compliance then card processing fees. ( all sorts of levels typically 0.4% or 15p debit card, 1.4% credit card ) The time when this cost seems worth it compared to a pay as you go is when card turnover reaches over £1000 -£1500 a month.
The one thing I have found out is that you can get worldpay zinc with a rate of 1.95% if you are a member of babtac. I just found this out and after a certian amount of haggling, they are going to sign me up on the new rate! yay!
I think there are big changes happening in card payment systems at the mo, so anything to delay signing up for a 24 / 36 month contract is welcome. In 3 years time I'm not sure chip and pin machines will exist!
Streamline ( world pay) are going to come out to see me this afternoon about a fixed terminal, so it will be interesting to see what their rates are!
I'll keep you updated when I go through the loop again in a few months time! lol