Janet Starr on sun 24 oct 10
I do not do shows often - once or twice a year maybe. I gave up my merchan=
t
account when I decided that I was paying a lot of fees and not using it, an=
d
the bank that was holding it failed and they could not find my money. (I
eventually got it - took months.) I make hand-made ceramic tile and most o=
f
my orders are custom - for which a person pays with a check - or wholesale.
I recently did a show and shared a booth with another person. Luckily, sh=
e
had credit card payment access and she let me use hers. Otherwise, I would
not have sold anything. I split the monthly fee with her and paid the per
transaction fees. It seems that no one carries check books any more. So, m=
y
question is: does anyone know of a way that you can take credit cards once
a year and turn it on and off for that event? I use Paypal on my website
and asked them. Their response was 'Virtual Terminal', but it costs
$30/month and you need a laptop and Internet access.
It seems that it is not worth doing shows if you don't take credit cards,
but if you have to pay for it all year and you only do a few shows, it eats
up any profits.
Janet
--
Janet Starr
www.craftsmantiles.com
www.featuretile.com
featuretile@gmail.com
Bruce on sun 24 oct 10
I just got the SquareUp card reader for my Android phone - it's a
small gadget that goes onto an IPhone/IPod Touch/IPad or Android
phone. There's no monthly fee, but their per-transaction charges are
higher. It's strange to use - you "sign" with your fingertip on the
phone, and receipts are sent electronically (no paper involved). It
needs internet access - either wifi or through the phone.
Took a while (5 months) to get it - but like you, I don't do a lot of
shows, so it's about right. Certainly wouldn't want to use it for a
full time card processing system - but it works.
Lee Love on sun 24 oct 10
Propay is about $27.00 a year.
https://epay.propay.com/
--
=3DC2=3DA0Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/
=3DE2=3D80=3D8E"To think is human. To create is divine." -Clyde WIddershin=
s (aka=3D
Clay Mudman)
Robert Harris on sun 24 oct 10
The Paypal Terminal feature can be turned on and off at will, so if
you only do shows during a couple of months you can turn it on for
this then switch it on again. Someone once told me that if you only
switch it on for a couple of days (i.e for the show) it will only
charged you $30 when all the days begin to add up. This doesn't sound
quite right to me but....
The one advantage of Terminal is that you don't need anything more
than your computer at home and the transaction fees are pretty
reasonable. I've found it extremely easy to use.
Robert
KATHI LESUEUR on sun 24 oct 10
On Oct 24, 2010, at 12:35 PM, Janet Starr wrote:
> I do not do shows often - once or twice a year maybe. I gave up my =3D
merchant
> account when I decided that I was paying a lot of fees and not using =3D
it,......
> I recently did a show and shared a booth with another person. =3D
Luckily, she
> had credit card payment access and she let me use hers. Otherwise, I =3D
would
> not have sold anything.>>>
I continually find myself amazed at the idea that someone would have =3D
sold nothing if they couldn't take a credit card. I just returned from a =
=3D
show in Massachusetts. I have never taken credit cards there. If someone =
=3D
doesn't have their checkbook handy I just let them send it. I have done =3D
this since 1990 when I sat for a friend's booth who didn't take cards. =3D
People just paid cash or wrote a check.
I've had a problem collecting on one bill. Judge Judy helped with that =3D
one. This fall the highest amount I sent someone away with was $375 =3D
worth of pots. Last spring it was $800. I spent five extra days there =3D
and when I got home all but a few checks had already arrived. I use a =3D
three part form. I write in date, the amount (including tax), write on =3D
it "sending check, put a line for them to sign. They fill out name, =3D
address, and phone. I give them the top copy. If the it goes past thirty =
=3D
days I make a copy of the bill, write on it "did you forget us" and send =
=3D
it off. That always works. Sometimes they've forgotten, sometimes =3D
they've misplaced the bill. But, they always intend to pay. I don't put =
=3D
out a sign saying check and cash only. When someone takes out their =3D
credit cards I say, "I'm sorry, I don't take any cards. I take check, =3D
cash, and I.O.U. When they laugh I explain that I'll be glad to wrap =3D
their purchase and have them send me a check.=3D20
On the morning of the last day of the show the artist next to me came =3D
over and asked about how I did this, having heard me all weekend. When I =
=3D
explained, he decide to make his receipt book his I.O.U. book and try it =
=3D
out for the rest of the show. He didn't lose a sale.=3D20
When someone comes to you with a piece in hand, they've already made the =
=3D
decision to buy. You just have to make it easy for them. Letting them =3D
send a check does that. I've never had someone decide to not take what =3D
they've already chosen. But, I decided years ago that I could afford to =3D
loose a few sales if necessary to stop paying fees to a card company. =3D
I've had people say,"but you'll sell more if you take cards." More than =
=3D
$800 in one sale?=3D20
It's a little scary to do it. And you have to be organized to follow up =3D
if necessary. But, it's been twenty years and that's a lot of credit =3D
card fees not paid.=3D20
KATHI LESUEUR
http://www.lesueurclaywork.com
John Rodgers on sun 24 oct 10
I use Propay online. I do not use their digital card reader, I just do
it the old fashioned manual way. There are several levels of service,
each with a different annual cost. Because I don't do much in the way of
credit cards, I use the basic service which has the lowest annual fee.
My procedure that I have worked out over time is to use a two page
receipt book - but with my info printed on it. Name, address, phone,
etc. On a credit card sale, I write down on the receipt all items being
purchased all the customer information, name, address, phone #, driver
license, credit card info, including the code on the back of the card.
Then I have the customer sign the newly created document. I give the
customer the carbon copy, I keep the original. Once home, I log onto the
Paypal website, enter my account and enter the info on each credit card
sale. In twenty odd years of doing checks and cards, I have had only one
bad check, and one bad card. The check was for $10, the card for $35.
Never collected on either. But there is always the risk of such. Given
the economy, the risk of bad cards and checks is higher, I suspect, and
without the immediacy of a card check as with a credit card machine and
account, the risk is greater that you will get a bad card or check
presented. You just have to weigh the risks as to whether it is worth it
or not.
I do recommend Paypal. They have worked well for me. If you have a
problem, you can actually talk to a person with Paypal to resolve issues.
Regards,
John
John Rodgers
Clayartist and Moldmaker
88'GL VW Bus Driver
Chelsea, AL
Http://www.moldhaus.com
On 10/24/2010 11:35 AM, Janet Starr wrote:
> I do not do shows often - once or twice a year maybe. I gave up my merch=
ant
> account when I decided that I was paying a lot of fees and not using it, =
and
> the bank that was holding it failed and they could not find my money. (I
> eventually got it - took months.) I make hand-made ceramic tile and most=
of
> my orders are custom - for which a person pays with a check - or wholesal=
e.
>
> I recently did a show and shared a booth with another person. Luckily, =
she
> had credit card payment access and she let me use hers. Otherwise, I wou=
ld
> not have sold anything. I split the monthly fee with her and paid the pe=
r
> transaction fees. It seems that no one carries check books any more. So,=
my
> question is: does anyone know of a way that you can take credit cards on=
ce
> a year and turn it on and off for that event? I use Paypal on my website
> and asked them. Their response was 'Virtual Terminal', but it costs
> $30/month and you need a laptop and Internet access.
>
> It seems that it is not worth doing shows if you don't take credit cards,
> but if you have to pay for it all year and you only do a few shows, it ea=
ts
> up any profits.
>
> Janet
>
> --
> Janet Starr
> www.craftsmantiles.com
> www.featuretile.com
> featuretile@gmail.com
>
>
Maggie Furtak on mon 25 oct 10
Usually I just go for the IOU method. I'll hold a pot under the table whil=
e
they run get cash. I'll give them the schedule of the next few shows in th=
e
area, and arrange for them to pick it up and pay at another one. I'll let =
them
send me a check. I'll email them a paypal invoice that they can pay on-lin=
e
without me ever even seeing their credit card number. No one has ever left=
me
in the lurch.
For all that we hear about the coming social apocalypse people are really p=
retty
decent. It takes a calloused soul to stiff someone they have looked in the=
eye
and chatted with for five minutes. Particularly when a lovely coffee mug
reminds them of their guilt first thing every morning. (: I figure the nu=
mber
of extra pots I've sent to loving homes more than makes up for the one jerk=
out
there who does eventually break the code.
-Maggie
Pate Ceramics
pateceramics.etsy.com
pateceramics.blogspot.com
781-956-1364
517 Fellsway East
Malden, MA 02148
David Hendley on mon 25 oct 10
I am replying a little late because I just got home from the Texas
Clay Festival. I just spent two days selling and wrapping pots
as fast as possible for long periods of time.
I have always hated credit cards and never opened a merchant's
account until a few years ago. That lasted two years. When
I was doing my end-of-the-year accounting and discovered
that credit card fees was THE biggest expense of my entire
operation, I said to heck with it. I had paid the bank more in
fees than my electric bill, which included firing my electric kiln!
The two years I took credit cards at shows, it was a big
headache and time waster, and at a show like the Clay Festival
people are already waiting in line to pay. My helpers made
mistakes with the cards, which complicated things even more,
and the pressure to hurry made it unpleasant work.
This year, I lost three sales because I did not accept credit
cards. Two in the $25 range and one for $110. Losing that
$110 sale hurt, but all I had to do was remind myself that,
had I accepted cards at the show, I would have paid much
more than $110 in fees, plus I would not still have those 2
nice pots to sell at my next show.
I made one sale, with the "send me a check when you get
home" method. I find that it creates an incredible bond with
your customer and probably makes it more likely they will
buy from you again.
The $110 people were nasty when I told them I didn't have
credit card facilities, "we're plastic people", but that there
was an ATM near-by, "we never use ATMs", so they were
not offered the option of mailing a check.
In 2007, when I had my merchant account, I wrote a Clay
Times column advising that potters need to accept credit
cards. I think the economic downturn of the last couple of
years has changed things somewhat. More people are paying
with cash and fewer want to charge their purchases. At least
around her, people are also spending less, as I sell more
smaller items and fewer larger ones.
Not dealing with credit cards also saves quite a bit of time
back home after a sale, accounting for sales, income, sales
tax, and so on. Plus, counting a big stack of bills is fun and
rewarding, as it is easy to visualize each $20 bill as half-a-tank
of gas and each $100 bill as buying groceries for a week.
David Hendley
david@farmpots.com
http://www.farmpots.com
http://www.thewahooligans.com
----- Original Message -----
> I recently did a show and shared a booth with another person. Luckily,
> she
> had credit card payment access and she let me use hers. Otherwise, I
> would
> not have sold anything. I split the monthly fee with her and paid the pe=
r
> transaction fees. It seems that no one carries check books any more. So,
> my
> question is: does anyone know of a way that you can take credit cards
> once
> a year and turn it on and off for that event? I use Paypal on my website
> and asked them. Their response was 'Virtual Terminal', but it costs
> $30/month and you need a laptop and Internet access.
Carole Fox on tue 26 oct 10
Janet-
Have you looked into the plan that is offered by the Potter's Council? =3D
It is really reasonable! It is only a few dollars a month if you do not =3D
use it.
also...I was once told by my awesome accountant (Bonnie H.!) that it is =3D
a little complicated tax-wise to accept sales for another person via =3D
your bank account. You may want to look into that as well!
Carole Fox
Silver Fox Pottery
Elkton, MD
silverfoxpottery@comcast.net
----- Original Message -----=3D20
From: "Janet Starr"
Sent: Sunday, October 24, 2010 12:35 PM
Subject: [Clayart] Taking Credit Cards at Shows
I recently did a show and shared a booth with another person. =3D
Luckily, she
> had credit card payment access and she let me use hers. Otherwise, I =3D
would
> not have sold anything. I split the monthly fee with her and paid the =
=3D
per
> transaction fees. It seems that no one carries check books any more. =3D
So, my
> question is: does anyone know of a way that you can take credit cards =
=3D
once
> a year and turn it on and off for that event?=3D20
KATHI LESUEUR on tue 26 oct 10
On Oct 25, 2010, at 7:24 PM, David Hendley wrote:
>=3D20
> This year, I lost three sales because I did not accept credit
> cards. Two in the $25 range and one for $110. ..
> I made one sale, with the "send me a check when you get
> home" method. I find that it creates an incredible bond with
> your customer and probably makes it more likely they will
> buy from you again.
> The $110 people were nasty when I told them I didn't have
> credit card facilities, "we're plastic people", but that there
> was an ATM near-by, "we never use ATMs", so they were
> not offered the option of mailing a check.>>>
David,
Like you, I always go with my gut feelings. There have been a rare, few =3D
times when I didn't offer the opportunity to send a check. There was =3D
just something about them from the time they walked into the booth. When =
=3D
I explained that I didn't take cards (and left out the part about =3D
I.O.U), like your customer, they got nasty. I didn't mind loosing the =3D
sale. I had a sense that they wouldn't have sent the check and I didn't =3D
feel good about them owning my work.=3D20
KATHI LESUEUR
http://www.lesueurclaywork.com
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