# Do You Accept Credit Cards For Payment



## gastek (Mar 29, 2011)

With the recent Target credit cards issue I would think that most people would be a little leery of letting some guy swipe their card on his mobile phone. 

When people ask what forms of payment I take I always say I prefer cash/check. For those that insist, I whip out the old Square card reader.


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## SectorSecurity (Nov 26, 2013)

gastek said:


> With the recent Target credit cards issue I would think that most people would be a little leery of letting some guy swipe their card on his mobile phone.
> 
> When people ask what forms of payment I take I always say I prefer cash/check. For those that insist, I whip out the old Square card reader.


I have always wondered this myself, how do customers feel about swiping their credit card through someones mobile phone? 

This is why if you want to use a credit card I send you an invoice which has a paypal link attached, that way they have the security of using paypal. 

You also have to remember when accepting credit cards if the card is fraudulent you could be on the hook for the cost of the transaction.


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## flashheatingand (May 3, 2008)

For the most part, Paypal works for me, as I email a pay pal invoice for those customers as well. However, the problems arise when customers don't bother to complete the online invoice.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

The problem with paypal is they have a awful track record of backing up their protection. I have been done over by them on over $800 worth of gear. They always sided with the person trying to rip me off. They are also not immune to being hacked. there's always story's on the tech sites with accounts being hacked.


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## ArtisanRemod (Dec 25, 2012)

I do not accept cards, and have no plans too, but that might change. I can remember the times I've been asked if I do on one hand.


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

BCConstruction said:


> The problem with paypal is they have a awful track record of backing up their protection. I have been done over by them on over $800 worth of gear. They always sided with the person trying to rip me off. They are also not immune to being hacked. there's always story's on the tech sites with accounts being hacked.


I won't disagree with you about protection issues but, having worked with several cc processors for thousands of transactions, I would say they all have some issues in this department. I've found Paypal to be reliable but I've only run a few hundred transactions. They're all good until you're the one have the problem:sad:


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## Patsfanindallas (Aug 27, 2013)

ArtisanRemod said:


> I do not accept cards, and have no plans too, but that might change. I can remember the times I've been asked if I do on one hand.


Same here. People just don't really ask me about it. Although I'm a gc, I imagine singular tradesman like plumbers, and electricians usually have to take them to compete.


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

....

duplicate post 9 minutes later?


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

EthanB said:


> I won't disagree with you about protection issues but, having worked with several cc processors for thousands of transactions, I would say they all have some issues in this department. I've found Paypal to be reliable but I've only run a few hundred transactions. They're all good until you're the one have the problem:sad:


The problem is paypal protect the buyer more than the seller. One guy managed to do me out of $400 for a laptop. Lucky though as the laptop was still at the post office and i was able to get it back before it got to him. He some how managed to clear a payment to me where it said it cleared on my end so that i could send the item. problem was money didnt clear on my end at all. the money then got refunded back to him from my account and then he filled a complaint and payapl took $400 from my account. Never did get that money back and that guy nearly ended up with $400 and the laptop. 

wont use them ever again after the issues i have had with them idiots.


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

BCConstruction said:


> The problem is paypal protect the buyer more than the seller. One guy managed to do me out of $400 for a laptop. Lucky though as the laptop was still at the post office and i was able to get it back before it got to him. He some how managed to clear a payment to me where it said it cleared on my end so that i could send the item. problem was money didnt clear on my end at all. the money then got refunded back to him from my account and then he filled a complaint and payapl took $400 from my account. Never did get that money back and that guy nearly ended up with $400 and the laptop.
> 
> wont use them ever again after the issues i have had with them idiots.


Yup, that happens. I had a woman cancel a $2000 payment after we delivered a mattress to her house and it took almost 3 months before BOFA would refund the money. I had a signed delivery slip but they were giving me grief about that. Luckily, when I called her about the payment she said the reason she was disputing the payment was because the mattress didn't "feel right", she wouldn't let us swap it out so I went by to "inspect" it and took all kinds of photos of the mattress in her damn house. BOFA didn't try to dispute that.:laughing:


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## fast fred (Sep 26, 2008)

as mentioned before it is illegal in colorado and a handfull of other states to "upcharge" a credit card transaction

I deal in checks only, I like the ones for $25,000.00, people can really write a check for that much.......... wacky world.............


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

fast fred said:


> as mentioned before it is illegal in colorado and a handfull of other states to "upcharge" a credit card transaction
> 
> I deal in checks only, I like the ones for $25,000.00, people can really write a check for that much.......... wacky world.............


You can give a discount for alternative forms of payment instead.


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## rjconstructs (Apr 26, 2009)

On an upcoming job the owner wants to use his American Express card so I recently got set up to use the Square Reader. We will see how it goes. I told him I would have to upcharge 3% and he was ok with it.


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## BenFencin' (Apr 24, 2013)

Oklahoma? Looks like you'll be breaking the law if you do. 
"Surcharges are also illegal in 10 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma and Texas"

Read more: http://www.creditcards.com/credit-c...e-fees-cost-surcharges-1280.php#ixzz2pZDNXglf 
Follow us: @CreditCardsCom on Twitter | CreditCards.com on Facebook 
Compare credit cards here - CreditCards.com

Part of making the business decision to take credit cards is the fact that it will increase your revenue.


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## Patsfanindallas (Aug 27, 2013)

BenFencin' said:


> Oklahoma? Looks like you'll be breaking the law if you do.
> "Surcharges are also illegal in 10 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma and Texas"
> 
> Read more: http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/credit-card-convenience-fees-cost-surcharges-1280.php#ixzz2pZDNXglf
> ...


Lol to the fact that it will increase your revenue. My customers never ask if I take credit cards.


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## BenFencin' (Apr 24, 2013)

I sell beef at a farmers market in addition to fence contacting. Square has increased my sales at the market, use it rarely for the fence business, usually just if someone wants to buy some materials to install themselves. With my line of work, to use things that are worth using, they aren't available locally. As far as the farmers market goes, square has enough of a reputation for security that nobody seems to questions it.


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## rjconstructs (Apr 26, 2009)

Ben thanks for the heads up, Ill check it out. I have no problem calling it overhead instead.


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## builditguy (Nov 10, 2013)

I'm pretty sure Illinois is on the list as well. I've thought about it before, but the bank I talked to said it would be an additional 4% extra charge. If I had planned on having more $ run through the percentage would be lower. I could have shopped around, but I preffered to keep things local so I could actually have a person to talk to if a problem arose.


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## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

I send paypal invoices for all my snow plowing, everyone loves it.


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

Patsfanindallas said:


> Lol to the fact that it will increase your revenue. My customers never ask if I take credit cards.


My customer's almost never did either. Last year I can think of at least two upsells, worth around $15k, and one project for $8k that the customers told me flat out they did because they could put it on a cc and spread it out over a bit of time. 

Now that I think of it, I also had a project in January for around $4k that was an existing customer who found out I took cc's while I was doing a repair and added on two projects.

So that's $27k in sales I can definitively attribute to taking cc's. That's a good chunk of money for a one-man operation like mine. I also make more money on upsales because I was already there.

In addition to the above, I have had customers who planned projects based on their stock portfolio and when they are willing to take the money out of the market. If they can pay with a cc at 0% interest and a 3% transaction charge and make 10%+ over six months then you've removed a large objection or sales obstacle.


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