# Credit Card Merchants?



## jdranch (Jan 31, 2010)

For those who take credit cards- what company do you use?

 Jennifer


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## linbee (Jul 7, 2010)

We have a small junk/antique store, and we use Merchants Warehouse. We have been relatively happy with them - I think they are all way to expensive, but we have to have them. Do not use Best Payment Solutions or Bridgeview Payment Solutions (they are same ownership - different names). When we were new and stupid, we signed a 4 year lease and ended up paying way too much for a credit card machine. They never sent us monthly statements - it was a mess. Partly our fault because we weren't paying close enough attention and we paid for it!

We checked around locally and found that Merchants Warehouse seemed to be reputable and at least provided us with paperwork and their fees seemed to be in line with others. We do not take Discover and American Express because they have additional fees (whether your customers use the card or not) and not enough of our customers use those cards to warrant their fees.

I'll be interested in who other people use as well - always looking for a better deal!


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

I use propay at craft shows and I have the option that takes Discover and American Express. Been using them for going on 4 years with nary a problem.


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

Square Up was just in the news. They work off of an Iphone, Droid or I pad. There are several videos about them.


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## jdranch (Jan 31, 2010)

Thanks so much for the replies! Y'all are awesome!


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## jimandpj (Mar 11, 2008)

We use propay at shows too - very pleased with them. 

FYI - don't ever let anyone buy a goat from you and pay for it with a credit card that you process through propay. Apparently live animals are against their rules. They held my funds for 4 months before releasing them!! I was a bit perturbed. LOL

PJ


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## jdranch (Jan 31, 2010)

jimandpj said:


> FYI - don't ever let anyone buy a goat from you and pay for it with a credit card that you process through propay. Apparently live animals are against their rules. They held my funds for 4 months before releasing them!! I was a bit perturbed. LOL
> 
> PJ


lol- Thanks for sharing!

Do you use Propay on your site as well?


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## jimandpj (Mar 11, 2008)

No - we have a merchant account that's not directly through our bank but through one of their partners. It is ridiculously expensive to accept credit cards on your site. And probably 25% of our customers still use paypal anyway. But we grew enough that we were starting to hear on a regular basis, "Oh, I don't trust paypal." So it was time to bite the bullet and do it.

PJ


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## Huminbird (Jul 22, 2008)

My square up dongle is in the mail! I would look into Square Up. It seems that it is revolutionizing the cc merchant system. A bad system to begin with.


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## jdranch (Jan 31, 2010)

jimandpj said:


> No - we have a merchant account that's not directly through our bank but through one of their partners. It is ridiculously expensive to accept credit cards on your site. And probably 25% of our customers still use paypal anyway. But we grew enough that we were starting to hear on a regular basis, "Oh, I don't trust paypal." So it was time to bite the bullet and do it.
> 
> PJ


My friend (sells bows) and had the option of having the customer credit card info provided, but not processed. She then processes online orders manually- through her retail store system.

I have to check out this Square up thing!  I looked up Merchant's Warehouse and saw they have an Iphone app too. No prices posted though that I could find.

Great info- thanks again!


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## jimandpj (Mar 11, 2008)

Jennifer - we thought about that option, but we process so many online orders it would take up too much time. This is another example of why growing is a lot more expensive than I initially thought it would be. But it's still a great problem to have. LOL

PJ


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

I have bought several goats and paid for them through paypal. How would paypal know you were paying for a live animal?? Just curious. Never accepted money through paypal for a goat though.


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

I think it's propay with that restriction, not paypal.


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## Tallabred (Jun 12, 2008)

There are no separate rules on paypal about live animals. But I would put conditions possible death of the animal because the buyer has 3 weeks to dispute a charge.


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## jimandpj (Mar 11, 2008)

It was propay not paypal - and they do routine checks on stuff and when they asked what the charge was for I told them, "a goat" b/c I didn't realize it was against policy.

PJ


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## nightskyfarm (Sep 7, 2009)

I use Square Up and just got my card reader Saturday, not in time for Saturday's market, but I can use it this Saturday at an event I am vending at! The app keeps track of ALL your sales and allows you to download an excel file at the end of the day. You can get as detailed as you need to by entering specific items in the system. Looking forward to using the card reader.


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## jdranch (Jan 31, 2010)

So the Square Up card reader is free? Looks like there is no contract, swiping is 2.75% + .15c, key in is 3.75 + .15c....


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Hmmmm, will have to check Square Up out. I haven't had too many customers ask to pay with cc but the few that do would buy more I think.


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Oh, and what about debit cards? I do have a lot of people ask to pay with those. More that than cc.


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

Oops. I accepted money through propay for bulldog puppies with no problems a couple of years ago. Not aware I was breaking their rules.

Propay treats debit cards just like CC's.


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## jimandpj (Mar 11, 2008)

LaNell - I wouldn't worry about it - just warning everyone b/c I didn't know it was against the rules either!

PJ


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## Huminbird (Jul 22, 2008)

I got my Square Up "dongle" in the mail today.

If you do choose them (you have to have a smart phone and a data plan) then don't expect the dongle to come to soon. They are getting better about sending them out sooner but I signed up in May! 

There is no contract! The reader is free! There are no hidden or extra fees, just the ones mentioned. I just ran my debit card and I signed with my finger (I need a stylus I think) and it went right through. You can even type in the person's email address and it sends them a receipt through their email. 

I am pretty stoked about it and plan to use it Thursday at my farmers market.


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## winestonefarm (Oct 6, 2008)

has anyone used an "online terminal" for accepting credit cards? my website support was telling me it was an affordable way for me to accept cc's without setting up a "shop" til i was ready. but i can't see anyone giving me their # for me to go online and process it. 

thanks


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## jimandpj (Mar 11, 2008)

People give me (and my kids) their credit cards and credit card numbers all the time.  Nobody ever bats an eye...


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