Cash or card for small business?

[Jo's Nails]

Hi Guys
I will be renting a room in a few weeks but haven't worked out how I will be paid for services. Which is easiest Cash or card? I know this might sound like a stupid question!!! I obviously want to get paid cash as it's up front but the bank told me this would be more expensive for me. I have also been told that I would be a cash run business by a business adviser. Is it easier to get one of those hand held card things and have money's paid straight into the bank automatically but do I need a phone line put in? Or does it all depend on how clients want to pay? Sorry for stupid question I am a little confused.

 

[Zooks]

Why would it be more expensive for you to just take cash?
A pos terminal will charge you a percentage of each transaction you make so they do cost but what you need to figure out is if its worth it.
I decided it was worth it for me, with years of retail experience I know how few people carry much cash these days. I knew if I had a card terminal I would never be presented with the " I dont have any cash can I pay you later" scenario.
But like I said you need to figure out what will work for you.

 

[BABSann]

Hi Guys
I will be renting a room in a few weeks but haven't worked out how I will be paid for services. Which is easiest Cash or card? I know this might sound like a stupid question!!! I obviously want to get paid cash as it's up front but the bank told me this would be more expensive for me. I have also been told that I would be a cash run business by a business adviser. Is it easier to get one of those hand held card things and have money's paid straight into the bank automatically but do I need a phone line put in? Or does it all depend on how clients want to pay? Sorry for stupid question I am a little confused.

You don't need a phone line, there are PDQ machines that are designed for mobile use, ie no phone line needed.

Personally from experience I think it's far better to offer the option of a card machine. People spend far more when using a card, I was talking to my business advisor about this very subject yesterday. People tend to just slap it on their card and round the money up as they feel they shouldn't just buy something on their card for say £3, quite often they will round it up to a tenner. I've done it myself when in Boots,for example.

Also as said, a lot of people don't carry much cash with them, if any. I rarely have cash in my purse.

The salon I worked at for 9 yrs didn't and still doesn't have a PDQ machine. It caused no end of issues. Ok, our regulars knew we didn't have a machine but new clients were put on the spot, has to dash off to the cash machine or to the local convenience store to buy something in order to get cash back. Which caused ill feeling.

We used to take cash or cheques. They still do. People were astonished that we took cheques still. Funnily enough we rarely had any that bounced though it was always a worry with new clients. I won't be taking cheques that's for sure.

Card machine or cash for my business when up and running. It's the best way IMO.

 

[Jack Dunn]

I work from home and I use a mobile PDQ machine which has a sim card and once charged I can use it wherever.

I find that I have about a third of my clients that use card and the rest use cash.

These days many people dont carry cash so its the convenience factor also if clients want to purchase retail items they need dont need to worry about how much cash they have with them.

 

[NailsXpress]

Hi malewaxer, which card machine do you have and what do they charge? I get the feeling the salon I work within now don't want me to use theirs anymore and give me cash.

 

[Jack Dunn]

Its a streamline PDQ terminal that I use.

 

[Baggybear]

As a mobile therapist I have found that clients do tend to have the money to pay for what they have booked in but not much more.

I decided that if clients wanted extra services (and I had time & the kit required) I could access paypal on my mobile and take a card payment.

I would also add a small amount on to the total price for paying by card as paypal would take a small amount of each transaction and I didn't see why I should be paid less than my advertised price just because a client wanted to pay by card.

So far I have only had 1 client need to pay by card and that was because she was my last client booked in for the day and she wanted to add on a service & I just happened to have the kit with me from a previous client (had booked a tan and wanted minx toes done too).

I have found that being mobile generally I can only do what they are booked in for as I only take the kit I need for the treatments I have booked. I also have to be aware of time so I do not make myself late for the next client but anyway the paypal option is there to take a card payment (client doesn't need a paypal account but you do to accept the payment).

 

[Lynne Baker]

Check out these people for card payments. They were much cheaper than my original providers.
Credit Card Processing - We Help You Accept Credit Cards | Credit Card Processing from CCS Ltd

I take only cash and cards, and the vast majority of clients pay by card.

A few weeks ago I had a client pay by cheque. I told her that I didn't accept cheques and she said that this was the only account with money in it so it was cheque or nothing. I grudgingly accepted it and sure enough, it bounced 10 days later. I was SO hurt by this!
I rang her to tell her, and to take card payment there and then, but she said she would bring me the cash the next day. Hmmm, I thought. However she dropped the cash through the letterbox along with a note telling that she had meant to call to cancel her next appt as she had had a bad reaction to the new wax I was trialling.

Her profession? Beauty therapist...

 

[Jen889]

Check out these people for card payments. They were much cheaper than my original providers.
Credit Card Processing - We Help You Accept Credit Cards | Credit Card Processing from CCS Ltd

I take only cash and cards, and the vast majority of clients pay by card.

A few weeks ago I had a client pay by cheque. I told her that I didn't accept cheques and she said that this was the only account with money in it so it was cheque or nothing. I grudgingly accepted it and sure enough, it bounced 10 days later. I was SO hurt by this!
I rang her to tell her, and to take card payment there and then, but she said she would bring me the cash the next day. Hmmm, I thought. However she dropped the cash through the letterbox along with a note telling that she had meant to call to cancel her next appt as she had had a bad reaction to the new wax I was trialling.

Her profession? Beauty therapist...

I had a client last week try and pay for her service and products with three different credit cards! I'm like umm no ill have to pay fees on all three transactions. She then tries to pay with cheque, I don't accept them. Finally grudgingly she pulls out cash from her wallet :O

Her profession? Beauty therapist lol

 

[kerry0875]

Hi, I started to rent a room 4 months ago and took on cardnet....I wish I had waited to see how things went, things aren't working out for me and only a few clients have paid by card as my usual regulars were used to paying by cash or cheque anyway and you can always advise them of this. I've just had to pay £180.to cancel my contract, I'm not saying don't just maybe wait a few months and see what the demand is, also if things pick up for me I may take a serious look at mpowa.com
Good luck hun, wish I had someone tell me this 5 mths ago xx

 

[NailsXpress]

I have just signed up for "SumUp". It a little gadget that attaches to your iphone to take card payments. It is free, the app is free and they take Visa as well as Mastercard. I am just waiting for it to arrive now so will post an update here, or on one of these links which keep popping up, to let you know how it goes. Also looked at mPOWA and will get it if SumUp does work out.

I have izettle but it doesnt accept Visa yet in the uk. They dont know how long it will be either until it does.

Square isnt available here yet either.

 

[holz_69]

I am looking in to getting a card machine who has everybody found the cheapest?

 

[Lynne Baker]

Have you looked at CCS?
It's difficult to say which is the cheapest provider because it depends on many things.
If you are "new to cards" your rate will be higher for the first 6 months, if you are a member of a trade organisitation like FSB then it will be discounted. If your turnover is more than £x pa it might be cheaper, if your average transaction amount is more than £x then it might be cheaper too.
The best thing to do is to contact several companies and compare them one against another.

 

[meonthebrain]

I work from home and I use a mobile PDQ machine which has a sim card and once charged I can use it wherever.

I find that I have about a third of my clients that use card and the rest use cash.

These days many people dont carry cash so its the convenience factor also if clients want to purchase retail items they need dont need to worry about how much cash they have with them.

hey where did you get your machine?

 

[sunshineinme]

I have just signed up for "SumUp". It a little gadget that attaches to your iphone to take card payments. It is free, the app is free and they take Visa as well as Mastercard. I am just waiting for it to arrive now so will post an update here, or on one of these links which keep popping up, to let you know how it goes. Also looked at mPOWA and will get it if SumUp does work out.

I have izettle but it doesnt accept Visa yet in the uk. They dont know how long it will be either until it does.

Square isnt available here yet either.

I've just looked at SumUp! Sounds really good!!!

Do you think it's safe for our customers? Xx

 

[NailsXpress]

It looks safe to me. Have a look at their Terms and Conditions etc regarding how they keep data safe etc. Its the same as everyone else.

 

[danni1984]

Never trust a company that doesn't give their address out on their website 😁 xxx

 

[Jo's Nails]

Thanks guys. That's great advise I have all you suggestions in the search engine
now and will have a good old look at them. I never carry cash either every thing goes on my card you gave me better advise than my bank lol. Any more on this subject would be super.xx

 

[lancashirelass]

I wouldn't put my details in before finding out more and it requests passport details ugh!!


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Dublin 2
Ireland
Phone Number +353 1 525 3490
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[danni1984]

Bit odd though signing for payment when weve come away frim that with chip and pinn, banks charge extra for taking payments by signing. you will be liable for any fraudulent payments. and how would you be able to validate the signature as it will look nothing like card signature as they will be using their finger. Have you ever used draw something app on iPhone. It's hard drawing with your finger so signing something will be just as hard. Xxx