Accepting Debit/Credit card payments

gkf

My daughter is starting up a hairdressers and wants to start accepting debit/credit cards. Does anyone know where to get a machine from and approximately what is involved and the costs? Thanks

techno_geek

She'll want a business bank account, and whichever bank that she chooses should be able to offer such facilities.

Abbey, I believe, offer free business banking, but I don't know if they offer merchant services (card processing). Barclays/Barclaycard certainly offer it, as do HSBC.

She could opt for a combination of services from different banks?

Mikeyorks

She needs a 'merchant acquirer' .. who will process / authorise the transactions for her and draw down the money to her nominated account.

Suggest she talks to her Bank first, for advice (anyone there advising her on the business finances?)

But there's an indication of charges here from Worldpay. Suspect she can get cheaper via Bank contact - as it's a service some Banks operate.




http://www.tecknapay.com/tecknapay-worldpay-costs.htm

gkf

She has been using a Royal Bank of Scotland personal account up to now but we have an appointment with Abbey next week as they are advertising free business banking. Will see what they have to say then. Thanks.

jonesMUFCforever

The Abbey bank account may be free but I'll be very suprised if the card terminal etc will be. I would expect a monthly charge of around £25 min with a percentage taken from takings as well.

gkf

I know, we don't expect the terminal to be free, just wondering how much it would actually cost with the rental etc, am I right in assuming she would need a bt phone line installed for it? It is hard to decide if it is worth the expense, however cheques are becoming a bit extinct these days!

jonesMUFCforever

gkf wrote:

I know, we don't expect the terminal to be free, just wondering how much it would actually cost with the rental etc, am I right in assuming she would need a bt phone line installed for it? It is hard to decide if it is worth the expense, however cheques are becoming a bit extinct these days!

Yes you are right in saying you will need a BT line.
Not sure whether you can share the card payment line with the main number though or whether it has to be a dedicated line just for that

lamb7994

The Shop i work in only have 1 phone line and our PDQ (card machie) machine share the same line.


James

Kilty_2

You definately can share the line cause I was in a shop recently and had to wait for one of the store assistants to finish making a phone call before my card could be processed

If you don't currently have a BT phone line installed then it's going to work out rather costly indeed but a fixed landline number is a necessity for a retail store anyway in my opinion.

gkf

The unit she is taking over will have a bt line there, but she had been hoping to continue using her mobile phone and not connecting the bt line - oh dear, the expense keeps on adding up..............

Browntoa

this unit does not need a phone line

http://www.chipandpinterminals.co.uk/

Our terminals work over the GPRS (Vodafone) data network. This means you can use and operate your terminal almost anywhere in the United Kingdom including Northern Ireland. You get the same coverage as you would on your mobile phone

How long does the contract last?
Hire contracts have a minimum term of 36 months. Airtime and maintenance contracts have minimum terms of 12 months

you also need a merchant account