Thinking about getting a card machine. Advise please

[nixnewcastle]

Hey Geeks im thinking about getting a card machine into the salon as im starting to sell retail products and i do think people will spend more if it's on a card where as i think people begrudge paying cash cause they can physically see they're spending money.

Whats your experience with them? Are the costs high and do you make the client pay the transaction cost? x

 

[persianista]

You bear the cost, but you will find clients spend waaayyy more if they can pay by card. Money well spent.

You can always state cash only for transactions under ten pounds.

Think there may have been a thread on here about best buy systems. Failing that, go to your bank and they will sort it out for you.

 

[nixnewcastle]

They spend way way more then? That sounds good to me haha. That is what i thought but just wonder if it's that much more to cover the costs of the machine. I know a few salons in the area have them but they charge 70p for you to use them. Is this a good idea? x

 

[TheBack&Beyond]

I know a few salons in the area have them but they charge 70p for you to use them. Is this a good idea? x

It makes my blood pressure rise when I see an extra charge for using a card. IMHO your business should absorb the cost of card processing. Your bank will tell you how much - but if you're paying 70p on a debit card - you are being ripped off by someone in the chain!

I recon over a year it easily averages out that the dramatic increase in sales would easily justify the card costs. (if you really wanted to measure it!) hth? Jason

 

[EssentialsHB]

Hi

My husband - is a podiatrist and he charges and extra 2% for ALL card transactions, as he feels that it is the norm and that he doesn't want to be lumbered with the fee that the company charges him. He has had no complaints! If one does complain to him - he simply asks if they have bought anything online - cinema tickets, holidays etc - and if the company added a card transaction fee to the final bill - 10/10 times the company has charged extra for the privelege of paying by card - so he says, that he is not doing anything that any other bigger company is doing already. The client pays up quietly.

Also, if you use a hole in the wall to remove cash - some of them charge.

Myself - hair and beauty - I decided not to charge the extra and usurp the costs; but I did look around at several card companies and got the cheapest deal possible - try "handepay" - very cheap indeed.

Only one thing ... in accepting cards - the money gets into your account 4 days later - so a bit of a cash flow problem at times. The other thing is that all the income will be declared to the dreaded authorities and that will put up the taking and you may incur more TAX/VAT.

But that's all part of a healthy business ;-)

 

[Kim Lawless]

I love mine and would never get rid of it now. I never charge anyone extra for using a card. The costs are not that high actually. xx

 

[fozzyo]

I'm with Kim, love my terminal and wouldn't be without it! People bring cash for an appointment but not enough for product at the end. Not a problem with a terminal so you actually increase your sales.

Details of who I use here.

 

[MissConfused]

haven't any advice about card machines but just wanted to comment from the other side. i actually make a point of not using a card machine if there is a fee and if banks want to charge me for the honour of taking my own money out i will drive around until i find a bank that doesn't. i think it's quite cheeky that a business will ask me to pay them for taking my money - surely they should of included all that in their pricing? or atleast be making enough money on the service/product that they can take the fee and it not have a huge impact? x

 

[naturalnails]

I have been thinking about this for ages - not necessarily for my salon business as it currently cound not sustain the costs. But I regularly do craft fairs and as the banks seem to be phasing out cheques it may be a necessary evil.

However my problem is the costs - I dont have a business bank account currently so that would be the first cost. I have never, as yet, lost a sale because I didnt take cards, but I have no way of knowing if I would have made more sales if I had a card system.

Then there are the costs involved for the months when I dont use it.

There must be people out there who have made the jump and regretted it - surely?

 

[OBIC]

haven't any advice about card machines but just wanted to comment from the other side. i actually make a point of not using a card machine if there is a fee and if banks want to charge me for the honour of taking my own money out i will drive around until i find a bank that doesn't. i think it's quite cheeky that a business will ask me to pay them for taking my money - surely they should of included all that in their pricing? or atleast be making enough money on the service/product that they can take the fee and it not have a huge impact? x

I totally agree. I can't stomach it when I'm expected to pay a charge!

There is a cash machine in a parade of shops near me that wants to charge £1.50-£2.00 (can't remember exactly). I too would rather drive around or go inside the shop that has the cash machine and buy something and and get cash back. I know this kind of seems like spending more money to get money but my point is I'd rather have put that charge money towards a nice bottle of rose, which is exactly what I did!

 

[Kim Lawless]

I have been thinking about this for ages - not necessarily for my salon business as it currently cound not sustain the costs. But I regularly do craft fairs and as the banks seem to be phasing out cheques it may be a necessary evil.

However my problem is the costs - I dont have a business bank account currently so that would be the first cost. I have never, as yet, lost a sale because I didnt take cards, but I have no way of knowing if I would have made more sales if I had a card system.

Then there are the costs involved for the months when I dont use it.

There must be people out there who have made the jump and regretted it - surely?

The Abbey (now Santander) do free business banking and it's online so really easy.

I'm with 123 SEND for the terminal and I think it's about £36 per month, but honestly Fiona, it's worth every penny. I bet you'd sell shed loads more jewellery if you took card.

There's nothing to stop you using the card machine for both business's, you'd just need to be organised. Go for it! You won't look back. xx

 

[Urban Geek]

...but honestly Fiona, it's worth every penny. I bet you'd sell shed loads more jewellery if you took card.

Totally agree - I do cringe when I look at the monthly costs with rental and then % per transaction but it is well offset against the additiional income I get. People are more spontaneous to buy when they can use a card facility - I know I am too! xx

 

[jo-from-moorspa]

Get the card machine. Personally I never really carry any cash on me (or I spend the cash too quickly ).

It annoys me when I have to pay cash or cheque somewhere, however it annoys me more if there is a surcharge for using a card. You will find that most card companies charge a lot less than paypal for transactions and we all put up with that on ebay. And

Another good reason to have the card machine is it does show that you are a established business as they don't just give them out freely.

 

[Kim Lawless]

Totally agree - I do cringe when I look at the monthly costs with rental and then % per transaction but it is well offset against the additiional income I get. People are more spontaneous to buy when they can use a card facility - I know I am too! xx

I live my life by only looking at the IN column and leave the OUT column to my accountant LOL . :hug:

 

[Gina Ballerina]

I get mine with Barclays as it was very easy to set up as I had my business account with them.
I pay about £40 a month (there was no 'start up' fee) and 70 - 80% of my transactions are on cards. People expect to pay with a card and dont carry cash, for the first week or so of business I had to say 'Oh sorry, do you think you could go and get cash? the machine is all the way at the other end of the high street.' Not very professional.

It does take 2 days to come into my bank but it means when I go on holiday for a week theres more money in the bank when I come back:lick:

I got one year free banking from Barclays, then when it was up I moved to HSBC and got 18 months free banking. I might do it again. Im a banking whore!

I think card my PDQ is worth its weight in gold!

Gx

 

[persianista]

I have an app on my iphone that allows me to take payment by card whenever, wherever.For anyone doing mobile, or trade fairs etc it is great value compared to the cost of a mobile pdq machine.

 

[Bonkers]

persianista that app sounds good, i am thinking of getting the ipod4 although just checked and its anpther 4 mths for upgrade, however, can you tell me about it, it would make my life alot easier as alot of my clients would def prefer to pay by card but dont really like the thought of paying £40 a month for taking them, does it have a charge every time you use it and how long does it take to reach your account etc? i dont know much about technology and usually leave it up to my tech friends to sort out but this sounds fab, is there a similar app for blackberry do you know?

 

[mrs o]

Get it if you can.Its also useful for long appointments or groups or XMas Eve situations when you can take a card as a deposit(altho we dont actually take the funds-they dont know that).
Having their card no is enough to make them turn up or cancel with plenty of notice.
How many times do clients book you up for hours and then let you down?
I personally use a card for everything- i never have money!

 

[Fuzion]

Hiya,

I've just changed my business banking from Santander, as it annoyed me that it takes 7 days for cheques to clear and 5 for cash! It is free but you can't go into a branch as they can't deal with you, you are on your own with them, so after 6 years have moved to Natwest and they are doing free banking for 2 years, and i get my own business manager GREAT!

As for the terminal I'm currently looking into all aspects, again jus recieved something today from Natwest called streamline online and I think its accepting card via your pc anf its free for first 6 months. If you've got an iphone I've just found an app called Invoice lite, you send customer an invoice, which if you're in a salon and have pc on reception should be easy, they press PAY and it goes via Paypal, no set up fees, and its not to bad on transaction fees. Paypal is definately worth looking into if you've got a website, an iphone or pc to hand.

Hope its not to confusing, I'm confused for sure

 

[Fuzion]

Sorry Persianista,

Have just seen your message about iphone app, what one do you use? I'm still at the enquiry stage, so someone that is using one regularly is worth her weight in gold!