credit cards

[upsmapleman]

We have sales of several thousand on credit cards every year. We found that our local bank was the best way to go. They set it up and you have local support if you ever need it. We did buy our machine from Ebay for alot less than they were asking. Be careful there are alot of machines which are no longer legal on there. You need to make sure you have one that wipes out all but the last 4 #'s. You can find out what one they recommend and look for that one. Unless your looking to increase sales by a few hundred a month may not be worth it. The more they are used the cheaper it is to use them. Also we are finding fees keep going up. Reward cards! You pay a higher processing fee. Need to key enter a higher fee. Need to bypass something a higher fee. We only do 3 shows a year and may do 3o cards at a show. We do it on paper and then key enter when we get home. Figures out less than trying to get wirless for a day. So far have not had a bad card.

Dale

[Amber Gold]

I thought of using paypal, but then you run the risk of taking the information down and not having it go through. The other option would be to run a wireless router so you can bring a lap top into the SH and processing it immediately, but then that process is slower too.

We're working on a website which will have merchant services built into it. Maybe we'll handle all credit card transactions through the website so we're not paying for a machine.

There are options to make it work, but unfortunately it eats into your profits, but then again, you'll probably sell more. If sales continue to increase this year, we'll probably add it for the 2012 maple season.

[upsmapleman]

We use to take credit cards on line thru our web site. Laws changed and this became very risky. We do not do any online credit cards the credit card company required us to hire a company to check our security. We pay $25 a year just to say no one can hack in. Real time processing a credit card is expensive. We use Pay Pal for on line.

[briduhunt]

I went to a local surplus supply store this year before Christmas and he was using Pay Pal for all credit card/Debit card sales. I believe that PayPal does take a cut of the sale but I was told it was lower than what he could find from any banks. I will stop over to his shop this weekend and look into it more and let everyone know what I found out. We would all like to have more sales and any tool that can help us is always a good thing to consider.

[Sugarmaker]

We currently use PayPal for online sales and it seems to work fine. I think we will stay with cash, check, or IOU in the sugarhouse for another season.
Regards,
Chris

[paul]

we have been selling syrup for some 11 year now and we have found that most folks love the fact that we don`t take credit cards. We ship them their syrup with a bill, when they get the syrup they send us a check. Folks love the fact that we trust them.I know what your thinking, what if they don`t pay. Well 11 years and only 1 loss, I think that pretty good. the credit card company`s make enough money,do they really need to charge a transaction fee and a fee for the machine. Not from us. Just my 2 cents

[few trees]

Watch out for American Express. I accepted their cards for a trial period but they kept charging me after the term expired and I never did get the excess charges back. Very bad company.

[Farmboy]

CASH. We don't except credit cards for anything. The farm or my dads company. Cash and checks only. All credit cards do is make rich people richer. My $0.02

[danno]

I'm sure that CC may increase a sale (maybe buy that extra quart), but I can honestly say I have never had a drive up customer ask if I take plastic. Cash or check is offered.

I was very surprised that Marcland was selling $450 (or more expensive models if you wanted it) syrup draw off units at the verona confernce with IOU's. That's allot of merchandise to be handing over the counter to customers all over the NE. Sent them my check last week

[OneLegJohn]

I have been kicking this around because of the demographic I draw. People in their 20's and 30's don't seem to carry cash as much as older generations. I did see the iPhone has an app to use a credit card. Does anyone use the iPhone to process credit cards? What are the fees associated.