Card payment

[Chee]

Hi, I'm looking into getting a card machine for van as cheques are becoming a thing of the past it seems, & nobody ever wants to pay cash.
I'm wondering if anyone is using a device such as the izettle??


Thanks

 

[zzr1200]

Depending on where you doing business (City, Town or Country Side) the system, I presume will rely on the 3G wireless WiFi signal, which could be interesting/limiting in places depending on mobile phone signal coverage in your working area.

 

[danelectro]

I've heard some good reports on izettle, I know someone who is using one and hasn't had an issue, you might want to try worldpay as well, they do a similar system https://www.worldpayzinc.com/

 

[AndyStobbs]

Try offering a discount for cash/cheque payment. Its amazing how many people find they would like to pay by those means if it means a cheaper bill.

The card machine is going to be £20 a month minimum, regardless of how many/few transactions you make. Then usually a percentage on the ones you do make as well.
Your bank might be charging you to deposit cash/cheque anyway, so perhaps a moot point interms of avoiding charges - but atleast you wont be meshed into the card machine. Spending hours on the phone when it goes wrong.

 

[danelectro]

The card machine is going to be £20 a month minimum, regardless of how many/few transactions you make. Then usually a percentage on the ones you do make as well.
Your bank might be charging you to deposit cash/cheque anyway, so perhaps a moot point interms of avoiding charges - but atleast you wont be meshed into the card machine. Spending hours on the phone when it goes wrong.

Not if you go with izettle or the worldpay version, commercial mainstream card machines yes, but these new packages that are on offer.....are particularly designed for small business merchants, there is no monthly charge, just 2.5% charge on any transaction......and can be used "on the go" meaning you're not tied to an office based credit card terminal.

 

[Chee]

That's why I like the izettle just a one off payment and then the percentage for transactions. Also PayPal are launching something similar.
But will people be happy to put there card in a reader connected to a tablet or smart phone?

 

[danelectro]

That's why I like the izettle just a one off payment and then the percentage for transactions. Also PayPal are launching something similar.
But will people be happy to put there card in a reader connected to a tablet or smart phone?

Yeah I think it's a good system, especially without the monthly charge, not really sure how customers will see it, maybe some will be cautious, but i'm sure once explained it's no different to handing your card number over to someone on the phone. I guess in time people will relax about it.

To be honest Chee, as it doesn't cost anything upfront or monthly, and there's no long term contract, why not give it a go and see how you get on.....like I say I know of someone who uses one and haven't heard anything negative about it.....you really have nothing to lose.

 

[Premiershipman]

I have the Izettle as the missus and I do craft fairs and it comes in useful for card payments via the ipad and a 3g connection.

Or another option is judo pay which uses the customers own mobile phone to make a payment

Another person who I know does crafts uses this in her shop instead of a card machine.

MOD - link removed at request of Judo (Google issues I guess)

 

[dickie bell]

the guys in the mac tool vans use something like that as for security as long as you are reputable it should be fine i've never had a problem with these things , good luck

 

[rikrobson]

why not go paypal. you customers can send you the money abd you can check from your phone app or generate bills via that too.

 

[bigbadbugga]

as a customer i just want to put my card in a machine and type my pin.

all this paying with phone apps is all very well, bt what about people who dont use smartphones?

 

[danelectro]

as a customer i just want to put my card in a machine and type my pin.

all this paying with phone apps is all very well, bt what about people who dont use smartphones?

With izettle, you don't need a smart phone as a customer, the merchant has the kit, all you do is put your card in and punch in your pin, job done

 

[Premiershipman]

Thats why i like it, you can hand the unit to the customer just like a payment terminal.

 

[danelectro]

Yep absolutely, just like being in a shop :-)

Thats why i like it, you can hand the unit to the customer just like a payment terminal.

 

[Robotstar5]

I remember paying for some car spares using a new (at the time) bluetooth unit, it was out of range at the counter so we ended up taking the machine behind the counter and back to the office before it would work, kind of defeated the object I thought?

 

[Premiershipman]

Well normal units are hardwired to the register, got to allow new technology some slack - teething troubles !

 

[Chee]

Thanks for the input, I think it's the izettle for me!

 

[normspanners]

As mentioned before ask a Mac or snap-on van they all have systems that work off a normal mobile network coz I have never had a problem paying on card miles from anywhere.

 

[bigegg]

I used to have a worldpay account linked to a battery powered card machine with a sim card, for when I had the book shop (and did fairs and things).
IIRC, it was £10 a month + about 25p/transaction (for the transactions I was doing - up to £20).
Think it was a 12 month contract tho.
TBH, we had lots of people ask to pay by card, but once we got the machine, it never paid for itself - takings didn't increase, and some months we didn't take enough through the machine to cover the fees - we were taking 2K+ per week in cash!

 

[normspanners]

IMHO if you put the cost of the transaction on the cost of the product most people would agree to it if explained.
When I was selling petrol if people wanted to pay for fuel with a card for under a tenner it was cheaper for me to give them 20p and tell them to go elsewhere. At a tenners worth I was just breaking even. but with american express I was still losing.