Taking online payments

[Pirate Sarah]

Hello!!!

I am mobile and I am getting rather p*ssed off with last minute cancellations. I have a cancellation fee but its not like I can turn up on their doorstep demanding money.

So my question to you is....is it possible to take deposits off clients over the internet?

I mean taking the card details, the same way you would if you had one of those machines, but putting the details onto an online system instead.

Any answers welcome! :Love:

xxxxxx

 

[angelxdevil]

gonna watch this as I'd also like to know.

 

[mandz]

I'm sure if you did take the cc details off ppl who booked they would most definatly turn up and just explain to them if you don't turn up their cc will be charged even if you have know way of charging it!!!

or you could just go shopping online with their card if they don't turn up!!!! he he (only joking!!)

xxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Tricky]

at the moment i am looking into getting a mobile credit card machine. i have found the best way to do it is to get in touch with the fedration of small bussiness www.fsb.org.uk and become a member for £100 then you can hire a streamline machine for about £28 pounds a month if you don't become a member of the fsb streamline will charge you £200 initial start up for the machine. As of yet i havn't gone ahead with this but i will be within the next 6 months.

 

[fificharlie]

**Ex banker geek alert** lol

The best thing to do if you have a business account is to seek advice from your bank. They rent out card payment units to businesses. They are called 'streamline machines' - and they take the payment out of the customers account there and then. The only thing I am not sure about is if it can be done over the phone - but they will be able to tell you more.

Maybe have a look on banks websites, in the business banking sections - you may get some idea of what facilities are on offer x

 

[angelxdevil]

the only thing is what happens if they do turn up and they wish to pay by card.....

 

[gailsnails]

Hi
I get cancellations all the time also but don't charge a fee , maybe you could set up a pay pal account and do it that way or a NOCHEX , LIKE YOU DO WITH EBAY OR SOME INTERNET SITES

regards
Gailx:Grope:

 

[suey]

They could always pay a deposit via paypal or nochex, taking credit card payments is quite a costly business!

Although you could always take their card details on booking i suppose, and explain that you will have to take a cancellation fee from them for any late cancellations, and hope it would act as a warning

 

[suey]

Oops, you wander away from the computer to answer the phone and loads of people have replied to the thread, lol! Sorry for any repeats!:o

 

[Pirate Sarah]

Wow! that was quick! lol!

Thanks for the link and info on a stremlining machine but it might not be worth it at the mo as I am part time. Do I have to have a business account to use one of these?

I will do further investigation into this.....

Cheers geeks!!

 

[Tricky]

Wow! that was quick! lol!

Thanks for the link and info on a stremlining machine but it might not be worth it at the mo as I am part time. Do I have to have a business account to use one of these?

I will do further investigation into this.....

Cheers geeks!!

no
but if its only for cancelatons its prob not worth it. i will be using it to sell products and services at my spa evenings and also will be setting up table in varous companys, and no one carries cash or there cheque book around any more its becoming vital to have one. if i cut down on outgoing calls on my mobile and use the home phone more i should save enough to make the monthly payments

 

[fificharlie]

the only thing is what happens if they do turn up and they wish to pay by card.....

The Streamline machine is a card payment unit hun, you take thier card, type in the transaction and it prints a receipt with two 'layers' if you like, a white one and a coloured one - you keep one, they keep the coloured one, you write them onto a paying in slip for your business account in the same way as cheques. You then have their money on that receipt - you pay it in and the money is there in your business account instantly. When you put the payment through, the money is taken out of the customers account there and then - thats how cards can get declined in shops etc, as it uses the internet to dial up to the customers bank and 'asks' for the money.:biggrin: So to have a machine like this you have to have a phoneline installed, but the bank / 'Streamline' sorts this out for you.


Some banks do charge, there is a rental charge for these machines, but there is no other professional and secure way of taking payments by card. Its like getting your own 'Chip and pin' unit.

xxx

 

[angelxdevil]

I know but at the moment I don't earn enough to warrant a machine if that makes sense x

 

[Cathie!]

How about looking into the old fashioned swipe machines, the manual variety. I think Ruth uses one of these and I am sure you can do these with card holder not present.

Abbey National Business Account don't charge a set up fee for the Merchant Account and machine and it's £15 per month rental, but then you have to consider the other charges, I think 20p ish for debit card transactions and 3% ish for credit card transactions.

 

[marketing-geek]

try www.protx.co.uk who are a payment portal. rates are very competitive. You will need to set-up a merchant bank account - and some charge for this. BUT negotiate with everybody. Banks want your money. We saved £100's in set-up costs and got the transaction charges halved.

Have fun!

 

[jobo]

i would say not to bother with this one!!!!
I have a PDQ machine for my card transactions in my clothing shop as obviously I need one. I pay £20 plus vat for the monthly hire charge but you also have to pay for every transaction. Either flat rate fee of for credit cards a %.
However if your customer is not present at the transaction you would need details of house number and post code et etc and if the customer disputes the payment you will get a charge back.
Unless your customer signs to say you can take a deposit I think you are on dodgy ground.
The only payments that are guaranteed are pin transactions that are authorised and nobody with half a brain is gonna give you their pin.
hope you get sorted babe
jo

 

[bombini]

I would go with paypal or ask for a cheque deposit (don't forget to ask them to put their c/c deatils on the back so they can't stop it)

I think its a hard call with canx charges as if its a regular you could put them off but with a new client i think it teachs them a valuable lesson If they did really need to canx they would be straight on the phone begging you to let them off & book another treatment whereas if you don't have their cheque for £X why would they bother calling ? If they didn't call & you cashed the cheque the unlikely to do it to you or anyone again !