Best Credit Card Machine Deals - Advice Please!

Hi - I have decided after 16 years in business to start taking credit cards and switch etc.
I have had a look around at deals, and wondered what sort of deals other people have got recently.
I bank with Alliance and Leicester, but will use any bank that offers the best deal for the card machine.
I would be grateful for any input, % for credit cards, price per switch and monthly rate for the machine.
Thanks in advance!
Lesley
NO EXCUSES - THIS YEAR IT'S PERSONAL..........
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Comments

  • Mark7799
    Mark7799 Posts: 4,803
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    Best advice is to shop around - prices can vary considerably.

    Are you a member of the FSB - they offer discounted deals for merchant services for their members (https://www.fsb.org,uk) .
    Gwlad heb iaith, gwlad heb galon
  • Mark7799 wrote:
    Best advice is to shop around - prices can vary considerably.

    Are you a member of the FSB - they offer discounted deals for merchant services for their members (https://www.fsb.org,uk) .

    Just sold my retail business - Federation of Small Businesses offer a VERY good deal - well worth the annual fee to be a member - much cheaper than just signing up with a bank. If you want re-assurance and a chance to discuss the reality FSB will get a Rep to call and talk you through the implications and costs etc.

    We reckoned to do 60%+ of our business through machine - well worth the cost (if you get the right deal). You will not believe the number of impulse sales accepting cards can generate - sad really if you start to think about the customers.

    Also do set and display a minimum amount to accept on cards as you will pay charges on each transaction so don't lose out in the desire to make a sale. Amazing how many customers will put trivial amounts on a card.

    Good Luck
    GoG
    K eep
    I t
    S imple
    S tupid!!
  • I once purchased a screw on my CC for 10p. I had no cash and was left with no choice but to use my CC. I think it would have been cheaper for the store to have just given it to me for free since there would have been a transaction charge. Usually there is a minimum transaction amount of 5 to 10 pounds.
  • buglawton
    buglawton Posts: 9,235
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    Market traders, taxi drivers , new small businesses might be interested in this:

    I have found a little known company, http://www.adelantesoftware.com that offers credit card processing for POS (Point of Sale) via a WAP browser on your phone. Standing charges look to be a quarter of having say, a gprs mobile credit card processing terminal. This co does not blow it's trumpet much on the Website but call them and you can have a demo on your wap phone. There is even an SMS interface.

    They offer a bundled deal for setup if you do not have a Merchant Account, with A&L or Bank of Ireland Merchant Services (your biz acct does not need to be with these to connect).

    This looks OK for lower value items (no chip & PIN) and you also seem to get a Virtual Terminal for Customer Not Present (CNP) transactions.

    I am going to give this system a try.

    Nigel

    ** Own Link removed - Edited by AbCon **
  • Lazy_Ike
    Lazy_Ike Posts: 185 Forumite
    Federation of Small Businesses offer a VERY good deal - well worth the annual fee to be a member - much cheaper than just signing up with a bank. If you want re-assurance and a chance to discuss the reality FSB will get a Rep to call and talk you through the implications and costs etc.
    GoG
    Have been accepting CC and Debit cards since start up 3 years ago. As a direct result of the posts here regarding FSB I registered interest online Monday. Rep visited Wednesday. I have joined FSB. Keep current CC system as it is the same one FSB allied with. Charges for my turnover reduced by 36% per transaction for CC and 64% for debit cards. Monthly rental also reduced almost 25%. Merchant banking at no charge. Lots of other benefits, direct and indirect.
    Very pleased. Thanks to GoG and Mark. OP do check them out, the rep who visited was low key, and no high pressure selling.
    Have also looked at the Adelante deal, which has its merits, but decided to stick with 'standard' system.
    [FONT=&quot]si talia jungere possis sit tibi scire satis [/FONT]
  • Lazy_Ike wrote:
    Have been accepting CC and Debit cards since start up 3 years ago. As a direct result of the posts here regarding FSB I registered interest online Monday. Rep visited Wednesday. I have joined FSB. Keep current CC system as it is the same one FSB allied with. Charges for my turnover reduced by 36% per transaction for CC and 64% for debit cards. Monthly rental also reduced almost 25%. Merchant banking at no charge. Lots of other benefits, direct and indirect.
    Very pleased. Thanks to GoG and Mark. OP do check them out, the rep who visited was low key, and no high pressure selling.
    Have also looked at the Adelante deal, which has its merits, but decided to stick with 'standard' system.

    Glad to help - my experience of saving was the same PLUS all the other membership benefits of joining FSB
    GoG
    K eep
    I t
    S imple
    S tupid!!
  • fitorbust
    fitorbust Posts: 568 Forumite
    Thanks for all the replies so far. I am checking out the FSB and will see what they have to offer.
    Rates on card services vary amazingly so I am sad to see that no-one has done a comparison of charges - Martin??
    Lesley
    NO EXCUSES - THIS YEAR IT'S PERSONAL..........
  • If I remember correctly the FSB will give you a handout with comprative rates which makes a very compelling case for going with them. The card service companies base their charges on likely volume of transaction - they obviously want to make money and go for low charges for high volumes and vice versa.

    Whoever you sign with will provide a terminal for you - rental on those varies enormously, they will also try and sell you printer rolls for them at inflated prices - you can buy consumables for most machines (much cheaper) from a range of suppliers and on eBay. I think they rely on new people to simply shop with them out of ignorance they certainly don't tell you about alternatives.

    Choice is the real strength of something like the FSB - rather like MSE they have picked the brains of members and sought a deal that capitalises on collective buying power from which each member benefits by saving on transaction and rental fees. As far as I could discern there were no catches and I only ever experienced low key, up front, honest information from which I could make my own decision when it suited me.

    Hope this helps
    GoG
    K eep
    I t
    S imple
    S tupid!!
  • fitorbust
    fitorbust Posts: 568 Forumite
    Thanks again.
    Streamline contacted me today with a better offer than the one I turned down the other day. They beat the deal I would get with the FSB by a long way so I am going along with them. I started off at £200 set up, 30p per switch/delta, 2.2% for visa etc.
    £19.95 rental. I now have free set up. £19.95.rental, 18p for switch, 1.5% for visa etc so that makes a big saving. The FSB deal was more with them - the rental was cheaper (£14.95) but the charges were more so I am happy - I think...
    Thanks for all your input in this matter.
    Lesley
    NO EXCUSES - THIS YEAR IT'S PERSONAL..........
  • buglawton
    buglawton Posts: 9,235
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
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    http://www.adelantesoftware.com quoted me £25/month fpr a proper chip and pin gprs mobile credit card terminal, flat rate, no call charges just the usual few percent fee in processing the payment. You would need to call them to check if this is too good to be true. I have visted their office a few miles from me & they are a repectable co!
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