Card machine for my home salon

[Emm87]

Im seriously considering getting a card machine for my home beauty room, however there is no way at the moment that I can afford one with a monthly fee!

Any advice on any machines that have no monthly fee? Or do you think it would be worth getting one at all? I feel cheeky not having one as I never carry cash and always expect places to take card payments and find it strange when they don't, yet I don't offer this facility .

I also feel I miss out on retail sales as clients only bring enough cash for their treatment. Would really like to sell some lovely bits and pieces for the Christmas period.

Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[leenie81]

I use the payleven machine but my collegue uses PayPal and we both find them so handy. It's a one off fee for the machine and then a percentage on every transaction, their great for mobile or home salons or people who rent chairs Xx

 

[FlawlessBeauty]

I use izettle. No monthly fee. 2.75% per transaction which goes down the more you take. It works through my wifi alongside my phone, ipad or laptop.

I know PayPal do one too x

 

[Emm87]

I use the payleven machine but my collegue uses PayPal and we both find them so handy. It's a one off fee for the machine and then a percentage on every transaction, their great for mobile or home salons or people who rent chairs Xx

Thanks ladies! What percentage per transaction do payleven take? Do you add a small fee to clients who use cards to cover this percentage, or just take the hit yourself?

 

[Secret Stylist]

I use worldpay in my salon and I love it. It's connected to by router. I have the pay as you go option so I paid for the handset and pay 2.75% + 20p per transaction. They send me an itemised bill at the end of each pay period logging all my card transactions. I take the hit because I find that it is easier to up sell to people who pay by card, however, I am considering putting it in place that it's only for treatments above a certain value

 

[Redduck]

I use izettle and build the cost of it into my treatments as I would any cost that I incur.

When I shop somewhere I'd rather just see a price and pay that than be told there is an extra x% if I pay with a bank card.

 

[leenie81]

I pay2.75%per transaction and charge 50p,none of my clients mind but my prices on treatments are very reasonable xxx

 

[FlawlessBeauty]

I calculate the cost into my treatment prices too. I hate hidden or extra charges x

 

[BannerPenguin]

I calculate the cost into my treatment prices too. I hate hidden or extra charges x

This! I really don't like anyone charging me card fees. I just suck it up as a business when charging clients. You can get incredibly good rates if you shop around.

 

[hazelb]

I use world pay zinc.

I did a lot of shopping around for the best deal.
I got the hand set for £49.99 ( i think ) and I pay 1.95% per transaction ( as they offer a cheap rate to BABTAC members ). No other charges.

The best deal I could find out there.

The app for the ipad is much better than the android app, and I connect to my home wi-fi router so no 3g data charges when processing card payments. But is is a portable system If I do fairs etc.

As for 'charging' to take card payments - don't!
A pub told me they charged for card payments - so I had the smallest drink possible so I had cash, and walked into the pub next door for a meal that I could pay for on my card.

 

[Emm87]

Thanks everyone for the great advice!
Yea to be honest, I don't particularly appreciate getting charged to use my card so I don't think I'll do that! I'm considering only taking card payments for transactions above a certain value however, but I'll have to work out if that's even worth it as I don't want to irritate my clients lol.
Now just to decide which one to get!

 

[Simba1972]

IZettle all the way I gave back worldpay terminal as they left me with the same terminal for 6 years and when I asked for a contactless upgrade they couldn't help me. I need to always keep up with the times so iZettle fulfilled this

 

[redlottie13]

I tried payleven and It was horrid! I had so many issues... Had to send 5 people in one week to the cash point... Luckily they all come back with the money but could have easily done a runner! I set up a barclays business account and got a free card machine and it's blue tooth so I can take it with me when doing wedding hair! Plugs straight into my phone x