Taking Credit Cards

Business By vickster Updated 2 Apr 2008 , 4:50pm by southerncake

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indydebi Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 1:04pm
post #31 of 36

Statistically, people will spend 15% more when using a credit card than if they are using cash. I have more problems with checks than I do with credit cards. If I could accept nothing but credit cards, I'd do it.

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loriemoms Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 1:09pm
post #32 of 36
Quote:
Originally Posted by cambo

Quote:
Originally Posted by vickster

I read the Paypal web site, but I'm still not sure how it works when a customer shows up for a cake and wants to pay with a credit card. Do you send yourself an invoice and then pay it with their card?



I ask the customer at the time their order is placed how they would like to pay for their cake. If they choose credit card, then it must be paid BEFORE I make their cake. So, if they say credit card, I'll send them an email "request for payment" via PayPal (or you can also create an invoice that links directly to PayPal with steps for them to follow to pay). Either way is very simple! Same thing with checks, if paying by check, I need it in advance and with enough time to clear BEFORE any cake is baked!

Since there are no machines involved, I would hate to bake a cake, be left with credit card info that is either incorrect, or rejected! You'll want payment in advance if using PayPal....at least I require it so I'm not burned!




when I take a phone order, I Just punch in the number of the credit card into my machine, it goes out and checks it and approves it. cant think of anything easier then that! And the money appears in my account the next day. (it is all done over the phone lines)

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loriemoms Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 1:11pm
post #33 of 36
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

Statistically, people will spend 15% more when using a credit card than if they are using cash. I have more problems with checks than I do with credit cards. If I could accept nothing but credit cards, I'd do it.




You know, I am not surprised...! And a lot of people just dont carry checks anymore!

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southerncake Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 4:31pm
post #34 of 36
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

Statistically, people will spend 15% more when using a credit card than if they are using cash. I have more problems with checks than I do with credit cards. If I could accept nothing but credit cards, I'd do it.




I agree 100%! Often folks will ask if I prefer a check or a card and I always ask for a credit card instead - no trips to the bank, I get the money the next morning in my account, and I don't have to worry about bad checks!

I also love being able to take them over the phone -- it is so convenient for me and for the bride!

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indydebi Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 4:41pm
post #35 of 36

For those taking credit cards, let me share a story so you can be careful.....

At the request of a wedding planner, I was meeting a bride at the planner's office. Bride asked planner if she took American Express. Planner said she did, but preferred a check because AmerExpr charged her a fee. Ok.... bride wrote a check.

A couple of days later, *I* got a call from American Express wanting to know why I refused to take a clients card for payment!!!! I had totally spaced on this meeting and told them I had no idea what they were talking about .... no one had even offered to pay me in AmerExpr lately.

Later, I recalled what happened at the planner's office, so I called Amer Expr back and told them the whole story. Somehow the bride thought *I* was affiliated with this planner, (hubby thinks) she only has MY card so she turned "us" in to AmerExpr!! I told AmerExpr ".... it wasn't ME! It was the wedding planner! The bride doesn't owe me anything ... she would never offer to pay me, because she was paying everything thru the planner." (which is why I will not EVER do that set up again!)

So if you take credit cards, don't ever refuse to accept one without a valid reason (no signature on card, improper ID, etc.) AmerExpr was about to pull my ability to accept their card based on this complaint!

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southerncake Posted 2 Apr 2008 , 4:50pm
post #36 of 36
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

For those taking credit cards, let me share a story so you can be careful.....

At the request of a wedding planner, I was meeting a bride at the planner's office. Bride asked planner if she took American Express. Planner said she did, but preferred a check because AmerExpr charged her a fee. Ok.... bride wrote a check.

A couple of days later, *I* got a call from American Express wanting to know why I refused to take a clients card for payment!!!! I had totally spaced on this meeting and told them I had no idea what they were talking about .... no one had even offered to pay me in AmerExpr lately.

Later, I recalled what happened at the planner's office, so I called Amer Expr back and told them the whole story. Somehow the bride thought *I* was affiliated with this planner, (hubby thinks) she only has MY card so she turned "us" in to AmerExpr!! I told AmerExpr ".... it wasn't ME! It was the wedding planner! The bride doesn't owe me anything ... she would never offer to pay me, because she was paying everything thru the planner." (which is why I will not EVER do that set up again!)

So if you take credit cards, don't ever refuse to accept one without a valid reason (no signature on card, improper ID, etc.) AmerExpr was about to pull my ability to accept their card based on this complaint!




Debi - Thank you so much for sharing this!! This is exactly why I do not accept American Express or Discover. When I managed a retail shop we had a lot of problems with AmEx, so when I opened my own business I only signed up to take Visa and MasterCard. AmEx and Disc. also charge the very highest merchant fees of any card. A banker friend explained to me that this is how they give so many rewards to their customers and also the reason so many merchants only accept Visa/MC. I have only once had a customer ask to use Disc and never had one ask to use AmEx. And that customer was glad to use Visa instead.

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