I'm looking for a credit card machine.?
Aug 18, 2010
in
Credit Card Machines
I am trying to help a friend out whom owns their own plumbing & heating business, to look for some type of way for them to accept credit cards over the phone or by mail if they decide to pay that way. I’ve never done this and their a home based operation so we’re wondering if anyone has any experience or suggestions for this like who to go through or how much it typically costs.
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2 comments
fmdynamics@att.net on August 18, 2010 at 2:15 pm
This can be accomplished and is very easy to do. The most efficient way to have this done is to have them open their own merchant account. A merchant account gives you the ability to take credit and debit cards. This can been done in 2 ways. One with a terminal or a web based application. A terminal is a little credit card machine that is placed in their home. When a customer calls in with a payment, they punch the info into the terminal and receive their funds in about 1-2 days. A web based application works the same way except instead of a terminal they would log into a web site and put the info in. Being in the industry myself for 10 years, I would recommend a terminal. It is easier to use and has less cost.
The cost depends on many factors. Such as how much volume they do in a month, what the avg. sale is, etc. However for a company like this it would normally cost somewhere around 1.90% per transaction. So to give you an idea about $1.90 for every $100.00 they bring in. This might be a little more or a little less depending on the factors stated above. If you are looking for a company to work with I would tell you to get in touch with a merchant services company. A merchant service company is a company that handles all types of electronic payment. Credit, debit, checks, ACH and so on. Most people think to go to their local bank, do not go to a bank, their rates are always higher.
When looking for a company to use, make sure the person you talk to takes the time you need. Any company that spends 4-5 mins with you and they ask you to sign up is not a company you want to do business with. Hope this helped. If you would like any more info or can not find a company you like to work with, you can email me directly through my profile and I would be more than happy to help you.
kevin140 on August 18, 2010 at 2:15 pm
If it is a plumbing and heating business I would get a wireless machine. This allows credit cards to be accepted when the work is done instead of billing customer and then hoping and waiting for payment. These guys offer a free wireless machine with merchant account.
http://www.tmsapp.com