Best Credit Card Machine Deals - Advice Please!

24

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  • Sam_26
    Sam_26 Posts: 235 Organisation Representative
    We have just had Alliance & Leicester (new company offering) offer us 1.2% of credit card, £10 per month terminal rental and 13p on switch. It seems better than our current HSBC deal, although terminal rental is higher

    SAM
    Official Company Representative
    I am the official company representative of Chemist-4-u. MSE has given permission for me to post in response to queries about the company, so that I can help solve issues. You can see my name on the companies with permission to post list. I am not allowed to tout for business at all. If you believe I am please report it to [email protected] This does NOT imply any form of approval of my company or its products by MSE"
  • buglawton
    buglawton Posts: 9,235
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    That sounds too good to be true but warrants a call from me to A&L to check! You did not mention if the Terminal is a mobile one or a fixed phone line one. If the latter, then this is no more use than a 'Virtual' terminal thru a PC Web Browser such as I get bundled in with the WAP phone processing deal at £6/month.

    If they offered you a GSM chip'n'pin terminal at that price, let me know more details of the product name so I can refer to it - thanks.

    But I like that 1.2% - is this an intro period only?
  • Sam_26
    Sam_26 Posts: 235 Organisation Representative
    It seems to be a new offering, the terminal is a boring fixed terminal, but does the job. Speak to new business section at A&L as they are trying to break in merchant services :j
    Official Company Representative
    I am the official company representative of Chemist-4-u. MSE has given permission for me to post in response to queries about the company, so that I can help solve issues. You can see my name on the companies with permission to post list. I am not allowed to tout for business at all. If you believe I am please report it to [email protected] This does NOT imply any form of approval of my company or its products by MSE"
  • ukbill69
    ukbill69 Posts: 2,789
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    try: https://www.protx.com

    never tryed them, but many people Ive delt with have used them.
    Kind Regards
    Bill
  • buglawton
    buglawton Posts: 9,235
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    Sam_26 wrote:
    It seems to be a new offering, the terminal is a boring fixed terminal, but does the job. Speak to new business section at A&L as they are trying to break in merchant services :j

    Sound ideal if you need a robust fixed chip'n'pin terminal in a shop. If you work from various locations like we do the Adelante deal is cheaper at £6/month and allows Customer Not Present Transactions online via Web Browser, plus mobile Customer Present Transactions.

    I am waiting for much cheaper mobile chip'n'pin devices to become available before I go for one of those. Perhaps I should check A&L out about that.
  • Nomi
    Nomi Posts: 4 Newbie
    how much does it cost to join the FSB?
  • skippy64
    skippy64 Posts: 219 Forumite
    I currently have a standard Merchant account with Streamline using a standard terminal, but now I don't have a shop and all my transactions are 'Mail Order', where the card holder is not present plus I also wish to do online sales so I have been trying to come to the same answers over which 'gateway' provider to use. I have looked at Secpay and now Protx and like the previous poster I'm getting bogged down with all the costs involved. From what I can figure out so far if I integrate sales within my online site I will get a virtual terminal to use for my existing mail order sales so I figure at this stage I can get rid of my terminal, therby saving £19.95 a month. Just received through the post this morning the standard sales bumph from streamline about applying for an Internet Merchant account, costs are £75+vat arrangement fee, £10 per month minimum service charge, which includes your card charges so if your sales for one month are low and the relevant % card charges don't come to more than £10, your charged £10 anyway. The upside of that from what I can figure out is that if you have a lot of transactions you'll only be paying standard % rates that you have negotiated with them already ( I'm refering to Streamline as my own personal findings so far.)
    From what I can now figure out from my own ramblings is that if I go with Protx I'll basically be replacing a monthly payment of £19.95 to Streamline with that of £20 a month to Protx, plus my normal card fees but be getting the extra facility of being able to do secure online sales.
    My own conclusion is I've now got to see if I can talk them out of the arrangement fee !!!!
  • buglawton
    buglawton Posts: 9,235
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    Thiis is the route I took - result is £6/month standing fee including Merchant Service, Virtual Terminal (for Customer not Present transactions) + mobile terminal via WAP Browser for fairs & markets. Transaction fees are reasonable:

    - Join the NMTF http://www.nmtf.co.uk/
    - Apply to Adelante via their deal thru the NMTF, who in turn does a deal with Bank of Ireland for you to give you the Merchant Service.

    I am using this Merchant service and can vouch that your Credit Card receipts clear into your Bank account in 4-5 working days (which is better than what I have heard about others).

    NMTF gives a discount on Adelante setup, Adelante gives a discount on BOI setup. The accrued discounts pay for your NMTF membership and you get permanent discounts on transactions plus NMTF membership = proper traders insurance for occasional fairs, exhibitions etc (legal requirement anyway).
  • Colin2511
    Colin2511 Posts: 738 Forumite
    costs are £75+vat arrangement fee, £10 per month minimum service charge, which includes your card charges so if your sales for one month are low and the relevant % card charges don't come to more than £10, your charged £10 anyway. [/QUOTE]

    you are lucky I need the online bit only as I am all internet- and I was quoted £250 set up fee yesterday - same £10.00 per month min charges

    Does the FSM offer extend to online terminals? as I have heard that it only extends to off line terminals
  • you might also want to look at British Shops and Store Association who have a deal with HSBC, I think i am paying about 1.4% for credit cards, 12p for switch, 16p for Visa Debit and £10/month terminal rental. This is for credit card turnover of less than £100,000 per year with average transaction value approx £10. If your turnover is greater or your transaction value higher then the rates drop from these.

    Not sure about the setup fee, but i have a feeling that its free if you bank with or open an account with HSBC.

    They also have a very good rates for banking with HSBC.

    Costs something to be a member each year but the credit card rates make up for it and often their additional services are well worth the membership fees anyway. Eg they cut our insurance charges, and we get free legal and HR support which has been very useful in the past.

    Google British shops and stores and i am sure you will find them. If difficulty message me and i will find telephone number.
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