SB: Accepting Credit/Debit Cards "I am working on a viable solution"

Tony_H_3

Just thought I would let everyone know, that I have stumbled across a solution (in proto-type mode) which will enable ALL sole traders to accept Credit/Debit card payments without a huge amount of cost or fuss. Infact its probably cheap enough to pass on the costs to your consumers.

There is still a small amount of "cosmetic" fine tuning to take place but will post details shortly.

Tony_H_3

Effectively it will be a HTML webpage which will be branded accordingly, the page will also have a calculator to calculate the required payment "To cover costs" and will link to a "Card Processing Company". My proto-type is using NOCHEX, which has both good/bad points but is functional. Each transaction will cost:

Web connection (Based on T-mobile UFIX 0.023p @0.0075p/kb)

Transaction cost 0.20p + 2.9% (The calculator could have an alternative % rate eg 4.9% to definately cover your costs)

On the assumption that a small % of your customer will have a nonchex account the maximum payment you will be able to accept will be approxiamately £100.00. This system will NOT work for high value items, even if a customer is registered with nochex they will still be limited to £300.00.

What you will need
1. Business Bank Account "No Problem for Sole Traders"
2. Webspace "Sufficient Freebies Available"
3. An E-mail address
4. Nochex Sellers Account "Free"
5. Mobile Telephone capable of connecting to the internet eg Imate Jam/ MDA Compact etc "Excellent Deals Currently Available"

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Whilst I have my end fully operational I still have ask "Nochex" to provide a modified page for me. I'm sure they will be all to keen. *There are two reasons for needing to do this, 1. Resolution & 2. kb size.

PS I voted No, just so that I wasn't always presented with the poll.

tru

You voted against your own idea? :rotfl: That made me laugh lol.

I haven't got a biz bank account yet but that's easy to solve.
Excuse me if I'm being thick, but why would I need a mobile?

Tony_H_3

From my point of view.

I am a taxi driver, and whilst there are systems available to take card payments they are very costly. This idea ties together available technologies which I already own which makes the finacially viable. It works a dream!! :j

Astaroth

Have you checked the T&Cs of NoChex? I know someone who was intending to use nochex as their payment processing for people over the phone as well as their website (ie customer phones and business types their details in for them to nochex) but it is against the terms of NoChex - would imagine that this proposal would be too.

Tony_H_3

I have thoroughly read the T&C's and because the customer will be present during the transaction & the service pre provided on this occassion it would appear to be ok.

Incidently, Nochex still haven't got back to me about a modified payment page. Bit slow aren't they, I hope this isn't indicitive of their service.

I'll let you all know when I have a fully functioning "Nice looking" system.

Astaroth

From other peoples comments, they are very slow in responding to queries and their own forums tend to be a slightly better but obviously less official way. The actual service of their solutions tend to be considered very robust and a strong contender for the market above paypal but below a "true" merchant account

buglawton

Tony_H wrote:

From my point of view.

I am a taxi driver, and whilst there are systems available to take card payments they are very costly. This idea ties together available technologies which I already own which makes the finacially viable. It works a dream!! :j

What about http://www.taxipay.net/index.html then?

Tony_H_3

Taxipay's surcharge is too high, it wouldn't be fair to pass on that cost to my customers. Some would probably refuse to pay this cost.

The cost of Nochex is 0.20p + 2.9% (So a £10.00 fare would only cost £10.49)

Astaroth

Do most people care about the cost of the surcharge for cards that much in Taxi's?

I dont know the answer to the question but the only time that I have ever used a card to pay for a taxi is when I am on company business and as such not overly bothered that my employers have to pay the extra - would rather that than use my cash and have to claim it back on expenses. Talking to others it seems the same but it could be that my social/ work circle are not the norm

buglawton

Actually my brother is a Chauffeur (but has a mobile chip.n.pin machine around £40/month) and his clients easily absorb such a fee - he charges around 5% for cc transactions to his clients. But did you notice that Adelante/Taxipay refund a large part of the 6.5% fee to you? Could you adjust your fares accordingly & everyone is happy?