# How many of your customers use a credit card to pay?



## Florida11 (Dec 22, 2010)

Assuming you do residential re-painting and you accept credit cards. How much of your yearly revenue is brought in via credit cards?

Thanks for responding and leave a comment if the answer is not in the poll.

Reason I'm asking is I'm thinking about offering credit card payment, but I am unsure if it is worth it or not, since you give up a percentage of the job and you also have to wait for the funds to clear in the account.

Thanks guys :thumbsup:


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## Schmidt & Co (Jun 2, 2008)

I don't take them. I only get about 4-5 people a year that ask me, so I've never set up for it. Looked into a merchant account about 5 years ago, but for the amount of people that request, it just didn't seem to be a good ROI.


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## Florida11 (Dec 22, 2010)

Schmidt & Co said:


> I don't take them. I only get about 4-5 people a year that ask me, so I've never set up for it. Looked into a merchant account about 5 years ago, but for the amount of people that request, it just didn't seem to be a good ROI.


I could have written that post. 

That is why I put the poll up, because the way I look at it is this...

If I end up accepting credit cards, I could wind up having more people use them and I would be giving up more money to the banksters 

So I am interested if others who already accept them, have more using them or not. I can't imagine customers saying, I will go with another painter because they accept them vs. me who they want to go with, but I could be wrong. I am trying to learn if there is an advantage to accepting them or not.


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## Schmidt & Co (Jun 2, 2008)

I can't think of a single time I lost a job because I did not accept them. Of course if I do decide to, I will get more than the 4-5 who ask me, as people will want the points......


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## briancreary (Feb 10, 2010)

you guys know you can use your paypal account to accept credit cards if you have one right? I had a customer insist that he use his credit card to get his "miles," and "Points," and since I wasn't set up for credit he paid through PayPal and it went great.


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## Rent A Painter (May 29, 2010)

That's what I use, No monthly fee :thumbup:


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## Schmidt & Co (Jun 2, 2008)

Rent A Painter said:


> That's what I use, No monthly fee :thumbup:


Hows the percentage compared to a "card in hand" swipe?


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## Rent A Painter (May 29, 2010)

$0 to $3,000 2.9% + $0.30 $3.20 fee on a $100 sale
$3,000+ to $10,000 2.5% + $0.30* $2.80 fee on a $100 sale
$10,000+ 2.2% + $0.30* $2.50 fee on a $100 sale


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## Rent A Painter (May 29, 2010)

I really don't know that Paul but this works for me,I don't use them much.what I really like is that there is no monthly fee


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## Rent A Painter (May 29, 2010)

PT is bored today, did you guys do something?


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## Schmidt & Co (Jun 2, 2008)

Rent A Painter said:


> PT is bored today, did you guys do something?


It sure is slow! I got three tabs open now..... CT, PT & DT. I just might go over to Drywall Talk and do some trolling :whistling


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## Rent A Painter (May 29, 2010)

are you on RC?


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## Schmidt & Co (Jun 2, 2008)

Yep. I'll open up that tab also now. God I'm bored!


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## Rent A Painter (May 29, 2010)

hey the capt. just started a power roller thread


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## Florida11 (Dec 22, 2010)

Schmidt & Co said:


> Yep. I'll open up that tab also now. God I'm bored!


I had a girlfriend years ago, who would always respond back "if you're bored, then you're boring". I think it had more to do with her lol

Anyways, I think what i'm noticing here in this thread is that it's best to not advertise accepting credit cards, and it's better to just accept those who it really matters to, by getting the paypal credit card thing setup!

Thanks for all the responses in here guys, you helped me make a good decision, and probably saved me a bunch of money too, so that's good too :thumbsup:


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## Bonzai (Dec 23, 2009)

I do a variety of home renos including paint ... In the last 12 months I had one request to pay via credit card for a $700 job which I did via PayPal. That certainly would not justify any more high tech of a solution ie. Card swipe or QuickBooks integration. Another client used credit card cheques to pay by CC but this was more cos he had no cash in the bank ... That was a $10,000 job ;-)


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## Florida11 (Dec 22, 2010)

Rent A Painter said:


> $0 to $3,000 2.9% + $0.30 $3.20 fee on a $100 sale
> $3,000+ to $10,000 2.5% + $0.30* $2.80 fee on a $100 sale
> $10,000+ 2.2% + $0.30* $2.50 fee on a $100 sale


Yep I checked it out, and there is one other thing I found out, if you have a website, you can have a button put on there so the customer goes there to fill out the charge info. If you don't have a website, you the contractor can get the card info and fill it out, but there is a monthly $30 charge too, but you can just cancell it after the month, unless you have another customer the next month, so the fees and charges I would say amount to adding an additional $100 per any job paid by credit card.

I don't have a website but am in the process of setting it up, but at the same time I don't want the customer in charge of entering the information at their leasure, so I may just stick to getting their information and entering it myself, and paying the $30 per month, and charging an extra $100.


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## svronthmve (Aug 3, 2008)

Maybe you'd like to look at www.square.com . I just signed up with them. Seems like a reasonable deal and if you don't use them, you don't pay. FWIW!


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

I'm considering going from zero to 100% usage.

Intuit has an online invoicing system where you can email an invoice to a customer and they click on it and pay for it online via a credit card.


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

Start accepting them. I had around 75k in credit card transactions that cost me about 2300. If that's how much it costs me to get paid instantly, I'll take it.


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## Florida11 (Dec 22, 2010)

svronthmve said:


> Maybe you'd like to look at www.square.com . I just signed up with them. Seems like a reasonable deal and if you don't use them, you don't pay. FWIW!


That link doesn't work!


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## Florida11 (Dec 22, 2010)

Mike Finley said:


> I'm considering going from zero to 100% usage.
> 
> Intuit has an online invoicing system where you can email an invoice to a customer and they click on it and pay for it online via a credit card.


 
Not bad, but when I work, I want 33 -50% down up front and the remainder when I'm done. So I want their credit card information to enter myself, otherwise it's like waiting for a check in the mail...


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## Florida11 (Dec 22, 2010)

BamBamm5144 said:


> Start accepting them. I had around 75k in credit card transactions that cost me about 2300. If that's how much it costs me to get paid instantly, I'll take it.


Instant payment is what I'm talkin about here. Not waiting for customer entry of a credit card.


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

Michigan11 said:


> Instant payment is what I'm talkin about here. Not waiting for customer entry of a credit card.


What are you talking about? What is quicker than having someone swipe their credit card in a terminal? You don't even have to go to the bank.


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## Florida11 (Dec 22, 2010)

BamBamm5144 said:


> What are you talking about? What is quicker than having someone swipe their credit card in a terminal? You don't even have to go to the bank.


Well a terminal is extra costs and needs to be connected on sight!


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

Michigan11 said:


> Well a terminal is extra costs and needs to be connected on sight!


Terminal is free with certain contracts and I guess I forgot that because I have a laptop with internet access with me.


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## Florida11 (Dec 22, 2010)

BamBamm5144 said:


> Terminal is free with certain contracts and I guess I forgot that because I have a laptop with internet access with me.


Thanks for the info Bam, guess a contract could be done, just don't like signing anything with the banksters. BTW, I also have mobile internet access


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## Bonzai (Dec 23, 2009)

I've been looking in to it even if not had customers request CC payment much primarily cos for smaller jobs I often go on short notice and there isn't time to get a deposit cheque in advance especially how slow Canada Post is ... I'm thinking of the QuickBooks solution that would allow me to take CC deposits and not have to do double entry ... anyone using the QuickBooks credit card payment solution? The rates may not be the cheapest but if the difference is minimal and I only have to enter a transaction once then that leaves me focused on making more money ;-)


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## svronthmve (Aug 3, 2008)

Michigan11 said:


> That link doesn't work!


Sorry! Link is www.squareup.com


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## SuperiorPainter (Feb 12, 2011)

svronthmve said:


> Sorry! Link is www.squareup.com


good stuff. :thumbsup:


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