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credit card processors

updated wed 7 dec 11

 

Dale Sizemore on thu 1 dec 11


I'm researching offering credit card payment options for our customers and
wondered if anyone had recommendations on who to use. I also am looking int=
o
using an Android smart phone to do transactions with either Square or
Intuit. Does anyone have experience with either of those?

Thanks,

Dale

Sizemore Studios

Moreland, GA

jonathan byler on thu 1 dec 11


not available anywhere but iowa yet, but check out Dwolla. completely =3D2=
0=3D

bypasses the use of creditcards and paypal and only a 25=3DA2 per =3D20
transaction fee, regardless of whether it is $1 or $1,000 or more =3D20
transfered.


On Dec 1, 2011, at 11:40 AM, Dale Sizemore wrote:

> I'm researching offering credit card payment options for our =3D20
> customers and
> wondered if anyone had recommendations on who to use. I also am =3D20
> looking into
> using an Android smart phone to do transactions with either Square or
> Intuit. Does anyone have experience with either of those?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dale
>
> Sizemore Studios
>
> Moreland, GA

Pottery by John on thu 1 dec 11


Dale,

I have started an account with Squareup.com and have been using the Square
at shows this Fall. It works fairly flawlessly and they deduct 2.75% from
the total of each transaction and send the rest to your designated bank
account. It took me three attempts to get the bank account and Square on th=
e
same page, but after that no problems. When I process a charge I get an
email indicating the charge was made, and how much. For weekend shows, I
generally get an email the following Monday or Tuesday indicating a deposit
into my bank account and a day or two later it shows up in my new balance.
On recommendation of some from this group during a previous discussion, I
set up a receiving account specifically for the credit card transactions so
any hang-ups would not affect my main bank accounts.

One thing I have noted is that people see my credit card sign and go to tha=
t
before pulling out cash or a check, some ask if it works with debit cards
(it does.) About half think it is really neat that I have this and that it
works off a phone. So, using the service may cost you more than you
initially thought if you are used to cash and check business. I am
considering raising my prices in general and offering a cash discount. The=
n
there is the cost of the phone and Internet services to run the Square. I
should take that into account too, now that I think of it. I definitely kno=
w
that one sale more than doubled because I was able to process a credit card=
,
so there is that aspect too.

Feel free to contact me offlist if you have any more questions (I have a
smart phone and can get email wherever I am now, 24/7/365...lol.)

John Lowes
Sandy Springs, Georgia
http://wynhillpottery.weebly.com/

Lee on fri 2 dec 11


On Thu, Dec 1, 2011 at 11:40 AM, Dale Sizemore wrote=
=3D
:

> I'm researching offering credit card payment options for our customers an=
=3D
d
> wondered if anyone had recommendations on who to use. I also am looking
> into
> using an Android smart phone to do transactions with either Square or
> Intuit. Does anyone have experience with either of those?
>
>
I use the Square on my iPod, but it needs Wifi. Really like it. When I am
away from WiFi, i use the knucklebuster, and then just enter transactions
when I get home. My Android phone won't work with it. If you get an
Android, make sure is is a newer one.
--
Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/

"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D97tha=
t is, "T=3D
he land
of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent within
itself." -- John O'Donohue

J Motzkin on fri 2 dec 11


Dale
The potters council has a good Paymentech deal, for credit card processing
with a $3.50 monthly fee, reasonable discount rate, and no minimum. I have
used this for many years. Caroline Dorr negotiated hard for us when all the
cc companies started charging a $25/mo minimum.

I am, however, thinking of giving it up since I started using square. At
first Square did not allow for unswiped, keyed in, sales, so I kept my
Paymentech account for (rare) phone orders. Now I think they do allow for
it.
I use square on my Sprint, unlimited data, Android phone , which is, in my
pocket, my email, a flashlight, Chinese dictionaries, music, books,
internet, scrabble, drawing app, calendar, notepad, sms, camera, camcorder,
maps, navigation, to do list, clock, credit card processor, and more. (Love
the flashlight)Very cool technology. Even works as a phone:)

...judy

jmotzkin
@motzkin.com

Neal on fri 2 dec 11


I used Square with my Droid phone at a sale before
Thanksgiving. I
think having the sign that said I could take
Visa/Mastercard/American
Express/Discover helped generate sales even when
people ended
up deciding to pay with cash or a check instead.

There
was only one customer who decided to pay with a credit
card. The transaction
went through ok, although I did have a little bit
of a problem typing in her
email address for the receipt. The problem
was my phone did not get great
reception in my booth area, which
was in the basement of a large building,
albeit with a street-level
entrance.

I had done a test at home that
worked more smoothly. But even the
three or four minutes that it took to
finally get the payment through
did not seem like too much of a hassle since
this customer came
toward the end of the show when things had quieted
down.

The money from the sale made it quickly to my bank account.
The
fee seems reasonable. I am glad Square has this technology and
will
continue to use it in future shows.

Neal O'B.
Raleigh, N.C.

Steve Mills on sat 3 dec 11


Ye Gads!!!!

All that AND a phone!

Wonders will never cease!

Steve M

Steve Mills
Bath
UK
www.mudslinger.me.uk
Sent from my Ipod touch

On 2 Dec 2011, at 14:00, J Motzkin wrote:

>
>
> I use square on my Sprint, unlimited data, Android phone , which is, in m=
y
> pocket, my email, a flashlight, Chinese dictionaries, music, books,
> internet, scrabble, drawing app, calendar, notepad, sms, camera, camcorde=
r,
> maps, navigation, to do list, clock, credit card processor, and more. (Lo=
ve
> the flashlight)Very cool technology. Even works as a phone:)
>
> ...judy
>
> jmotzkin
> @motzkin.com

Lee on sun 4 dec 11


On Fri, Dec 2, 2011 at 9:42 AM, Neal wrote:
I am glad Square has this technology and
> will
> continue to use it in future shows.

There was Wi-Fi at Art At Ramsey (Ramsey Jr. H. in St.Paul. I am a
volunteer for this and also for Art At St. Kate's), so I was able to
use the Square to scan on my iPod. The bulk of my sales were credit
card.

http://www.artatramsey.org/clay/2011/08/
--
=3DA0Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/

=3DA0"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D9=
7that is, =3D
"The
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue

Dale Sizemore on sun 4 dec 11


Thanks to everyone who responded. You gave me great advice. Since I was
under a tight deadline (one day!), I realized I didn't even have time to
receive the Square device through the mail. I searched through the Square
site and found that Best Buy and Target both carried the card reader needed=
.


I went to the local Best Buy, picked up an Ipad 2 with the 3g, so I could
use it anywhere I can get a cell signal (we tested it out, but used the wif=
i
in the studio since that is free). I opted for the Ipad over a smart phone
because of the $30 per month additional fees my cell phone account would
incur for having the data package with the smart phone. I set the account u=
p
on Friday morning, tried it all out on Friday afternoon with no problems.

Yesterday and today we doubled our sales over what we usually do, with
many regular customers who came thinking we would only take checks or cash,
purchasing more than usual. The confirmation emails came just as many of yo=
u
said, and we are really excited to have an investment pay off so quickly.
Thanks again!
Dale
Sizemore Studios
Moreland, GA

-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Craig Rhodes
Sent: Sunday, December 04, 2011 9:27 AM
To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: Credit Card Processors

I've been using the Square with iPad for some time now and love it. I spen=
t

years looking for a decent credit card account but simply couldn't justify
the
expense.

Setting up a Square account is quick, easy and free. The equipment is free=
.

Unlike other credit card accounts there's no expensive slider/electronic
machine to buy, no hidden fees, no monthly fees, no charge per transaction,
and it comes with a low discount rate (2.75%).

It does need access to WiFi but WiFi is ubiquitous anymore, including in
both
my home and studio which is where most of my sales occur. For phoned in
sales you can write down the cc number and process through the Square for a
slightly higher discount rate that covers the extra overhead required by th=
e

Square.

It will take all major credit cards including American Express. No paper
receipts...all transactions are emailed to both buyer and seller. Money is
deposited in your checking account in a timely way. It is very secure; one
of
the founders of Twitter came up with the encryption code that is key to its
success. There's no limit on sales. You have a two year window of no sale=
s

at all before it is closed.

I believe over time that the Square is going to out compete all other cc
providers.

Craig Rhodes on sun 4 dec 11


I've been using the Square with iPad for some time now and love it. I sp=
=3D
ent=3D20
years looking for a decent credit card account but simply couldn't justif=
=3D
y the=3D20
expense.=3D20=3D20

Setting up a Square account is quick, easy and free. The equipment is fr=
=3D
ee.=3D20=3D20
Unlike other credit card accounts there's no expensive slider/electronic=3D=
20=3D

machine to buy, no hidden fees, no monthly fees, no charge per transactio=
=3D
n,=3D20
and it comes with a low discount rate (2.75%).=3D20=3D20=3D20

It does need access to WiFi but WiFi is ubiquitous anymore, including in =
=3D
both=3D20
my home and studio which is where most of my sales occur. For phoned in=3D=
20=3D

sales you can write down the cc number and process through the Square for=
=3D
a=3D20
slightly higher discount rate that covers the extra overhead required by =
=3D
the=3D20
Square.

It will take all major credit cards including American Express. No paper=
=3D
=3D20
receipts...all transactions are emailed to both buyer and seller. Money =
=3D
is=3D20
deposited in your checking account in a timely way. It is very secure; o=
=3D
ne of=3D20
the founders of Twitter came up with the encryption code that is key to i=
=3D
ts=3D20
success. There's no limit on sales. You have a two year window of no sa=
=3D
les=3D20
at all before it is closed.=3D20

I believe over time that the Square is going to out compete all other cc=3D=
20=3D

providers.

Lee on sun 4 dec 11


On Sun, Dec 4, 2011 at 8:26 AM, Craig Rhodes wrot=
=3D
e:

> I believe over time that the Square is going to out compete all other cc
> providers.

Someone will come up with a system that requires no extra equipment:
Just take a snapshot of the card with your camera phone. Software
could erase image after processing. They have apps to deposit checks
by photo already.

--=3D20
--
=3DA0Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/

=3DA0"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D9=
7that is, =3D
"The
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue

Gayle Bair on mon 5 dec 11


I've been using Square since May and am very happy with it.
CC were more than 2/3rds of my sales this past weekend. It's quick,
efficient and no hassle.

I was elated to tell my big bank I didn't need their merchant services
anymore.

With Square there are no monthly fees etc etc. I can take Visa Mastercard,
Discover and Amex. Authorizing takes seconds.
I don't have to come home and start calling in the card numbers.

I'm not nickel and dimed to death with charges!
I am very pleased!

Square deposits $ into my account quickly.
If I have any questions not in the FAQS they respond quickly, efficiently
and I don't have to listen to any elevator phone music or wait to repeat my
issues to multiple people and charged for the help that was not helpful!

My customers are happy with it and I have shown it to people who also do
sales and they are eager to try it.

BTW Square sends you the card reader (for your smart phone) free.
However I misplaced mine and my hubby did a little research and found that
Radio Shack and Target carries them ($10) which is credited to your acct
with a $10 coupon in the box.

I must be doing a few things right and using this device is one of them as
this was my best sales event ever. Each year has been better than the last.

Gayle

P.S.
I have a bunch of visa/master slips ( about 200) from wells fartgo (oops)
if anyone needs them!

Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island WA
gayle@claybair.com
www.claybair.com

On Fri, Dec 2, 2011 at 4:17 PM, Steve Mills
wrote:

> Ye Gads!!!!
>
> All that AND a phone!
>
> Wonders will never cease!
>
> Steve M
>
> Steve Mills
> Bath
> UK
> www.mudslinger.me.uk
> Sent from my Ipod touch
>
> On 2 Dec 2011, at 14:00, J Motzkin wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > I use square on my Sprint, unlimited data, Android phone , which is, in
> my
> > pocket, my email, a flashlight, Chinese dictionaries, music, books,
> > internet, scrabble, drawing app, calendar, notepad, sms, camera,
> camcorder,
> > maps, navigation, to do list, clock, credit card processor, and more.
> (Love
> > the flashlight)Very cool technology. Even works as a phone:)
> >
> > ...judy
> >
> > jmotzkin
> > @motzkin.com
>



--