Get paid with credit cards?

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NiSyam

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Hey guys!

99.9% of my clients pay me with cash but I was able to get in touch with a COO of a big company that wants me to start detailing his car, problem is his secretary just sent me an email inquiring for "what credit cads do you accept?" and i don't know what to do!

I'm supposed to pick up the car Friday morning. I thought about paypal but does the other person need an account? I'm assuming he will use the company's credit car

Thanks!
 
Do you have an iPhone? You coul use Square if you do.
 
Or if you think you might be accepting a lot of cards.

Get a reader from Costco credit services. Cheapest way I know of.
 
If you have an iPhone you can pick up a Square reader from Wally's for $10 minus a $10 MIR, or they can send you one for free when you sign up online. Flat 2.75% fee for swiped transactions, 3% for punched in -- I don't think anything is cheaper right now. I would offer a cash discount of around 2.5 or 3% for cash payers, and build the fees into my price.
 
Yeah I use Square for credit cards now no monthly quota no monthly fees my other issuer charges $21/mo regardless if I I use it or not so when my Android phone. Could accept the Square program app I jumped on it saves me money that I can reinvest in my business and that I like.
 
tw33k2514 said:
Do you have an iPhone? You coul use Square if you do.
Click to expand...

I was just in the Apple Store yesterday and saw the credit card scanner. They advertise with no merchant fees and other charges. Just a flat 2.7% fee. THe CC scanner is $9.99.
 
Guys I'm in Canada, we don't have square here :(
 
Me too. The only way to get it is using a US address, and having a US bank account. If you are relatively near the border, you can set up a chequing (checking) account at a branch on the US side. Near me all the major and regional US banks have branches, as do all of the Big Five Canadian banks (TD, RBC, CIBC, Scotia and BMO). You should have no trouble finding one that will set up an account for you.

Then the only trouble is making sure your customers understand that their cards will be charged in US dollars and the card company will do the forex. Usually it helps to tell them that they are actually paying less in USD (if the CAD is stronger after forex margins), or you could offer a small discount (when the USD is stronger after exchange margins).
 
Depending on how much profit you are set to make on a detail that 2-3% fee can wipe out a larger chunk of profit. Low profit services suffer the worst by accepting credit cards.
 
It's still just a percentage. Do you really do business with single-digit returns? I'd get a day job, in that case. Let's assume the OP will be doing "production" detailing, and charging $100 per car. How much of that is product, and how much is labor? If he/she can justify doing a four hour job for $100 and be reasonably happy with the net revenue after job costs (product, supplies, and possibly gas for mobile operations), an added cost of $2.70 or $3 shouldn't wipe out his profit. Or he/she can just charge $105 and offer a "cash discount price" of $100.

OTOH, if the OP will be doing full detailing for a single well-heeled client on a regular basis, he/she should have no trouble building that 3% into the cost of doing business. I suspect this is what the OP will be doing.
 
@NICOBKN Do you bank at RBC (Royal Bank)? You can set up a US bank account at your local RBC branch. If you don't bank with them you just need to set up an account with them, then set one up at RBC USA through the Canadian branch. Easy-peasy. $3.95 US a month for the US account, waived if you maintain $700 a month in the account. Personal Banking - U.S. Banking for Canadians
 
Just because that's the first thing the secretary asked does not necessarily mean that is the only way they can pay you. Most businesses will do cash or check payments if they need to. Credit is just easier from an accounting perspective.

Why worry about setting it all up for one client? (Unless you plan on expanding.)
 
But that's what makes Square so compelling. If you already have a smartphone (iOS or Android), there is zero cost involved, so it makes sense as a way to satisfy even a single customer's needs.
 
hey

I'm from montreal too! Im with td as my bank

I spoke to the secretary today and it sounds like she didnt want to make the coo get cash because it was too much trouble ( i dont get why they treat him as if he was God ). I ended up sending a paypal invoice and ill get the money once the car is done.

I don't think its worth it for me to goes throw the hassle of getting square just yet.

Thanks for all the input guys!
 
You should absolutely accept credit cards. I just changed over my merchant account to a company called LIFT Network. I now pay 12 cents per transaction...regardless of the price, or type of transaction. That's a sweet deal.

Plus, you can take payment over the phone which really solves a lot of problems for customers. I've had customer many times want to pick up later at night. I'd rather get paid before I leave instead of HOPING the customer is gonna drop off cash or a check.
 
When I signed up for my Square account they sent me that little card reader for free. Do they not do that anymore? It is cool that it is universal for iOS products and android. I've used it on my iPad and my android and it works great. It even let's you take a picture of the product (ie the car) and it adds it to the receipt along with the location of the charge. Pretty sweet if you ask me.
 
Ill probably do it in the near future! I don't have a smart phone :(

Sameguy I'm in the West Island as well ;), are you on mr ?
 
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