Mobile Card Terminal Facility

Beanynut2

Hi,

I'm in the process of setting up my small craft business following redundancy from the NHS and was exploring the possibility of using a mobile card terminal for taking payments when I have a stall at craft shows etc.

However, it all seem just so expensive!!

Does anyone have any suggestions on the cheapest way I can take card payment when I'm at a craft show?

Thank you
Jill

Savvy_Sue

We do see this question fairly regularly, so I'm just going to widen the question and ask if it is REALLY cost effective to offer credit card purchases if you are selling at craft shows.

I can see that you might lose business if your items are really high priced, eg I was doing a local art trail and someone was selling hand embroidered bedding with the duvet covers over £100 each, and by the time you get a duvet cover and some pillow cases and cushion covers to match that's getting pricey.

Or you might lose business if people tend to buy multiples of lower priced items, for which I can't think of a suitable example so it's back to the humble home-made widget, each one is only 50p and they're all different, but people tend to buy 50 or more at a time.

But would it not be worth going to a few before committing yourself to this, and seeing if you really do need one? Do the venues not tend to have cashpoints either there or nearby?

This is not my area of expertise, however I work for a charity and we do occasionally take stalls at fairs where we sell various items. Not taking credit cards hasn't ever been an issue: we come back with the cash tin stuffed full ...

mitch161

whomever your payment merchant is usually has a online payment page you can use.. laptop and a pay as you go dongle usually does the trick.

if you already have a card reader set up in the business then pretty much take it with you.. all you need is internet acces so these days a pay as u go internet dongle is all you need.

most businesses have EPOS systems which are basically computers with internet acess and a card reader.

not sure how your payment system is set up at business HQ but taking a business mobile is not that hard these days

back before chip and pin i use to have a laptop attached to my mobile phone which acted as a modem.. linked to my merchant.. but could obviously link to paypal.com.
i had a webcam which i took a picture of the person and their driving licence incase of chargebacks, i could prove who done the transaction.

out of curiosity.. and to help OP... a home-made widget?? - im lost

paulwf

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

This is not my area of expertise, however I work for a charity and we do occasionally take stalls at fairs where we sell various items. Not taking credit cards hasn't ever been an issue: we come back with the cash tin stuffed full ...

It may depend on what your target age range is. My main market is teens and 20-somethings. We used to only take cards over £5 and there is a cash machine directly opposite so getting cash isn't any hassle.

After customers constantly asking to pay on card under £5 we did so but by adding a 20p surcharge on small transactions. Customers have no problem with this at all and some regularly pay the surcharge rather than get cash out in advance. Not at all MSE but it seems younger customers pay everything in card (nearly all debit not credit) rather than cash.

Savvy_Sue

paulwf wrote: »

It may depend on what your target age range is. My main market is teens and 20-somethings. We used to only take cards over £5 and there is a cash machine directly opposite so getting cash isn't any hassle.

After customers constantly asking to pay on card under £5 we did so but by adding a 20p surcharge on small transactions. Customers have no problem with this at all and some regularly pay the surcharge rather than get cash out in advance. Not at all MSE but it seems younger customers pay everything in card (nearly all debit not credit) rather than cash.

I think you have it right about the ages: my boys never seem to have much actual hard cash on them! :rotfl:

madpiano

being able to take cards is good. People spend more when they pay by card than if they use cash. Psychological thing...

you can borrow mobile card machines for a relatively small fee. I lost the shortcut, but have a look at the british market traders association website, I am sure there were a couple of links.

If you are planning to do markets rather than just the occasional fair, they are also a good place to get insurance, if you are more thinking of doing craft events and pamper evenings do a Google for Ian Wallace. Very reasonable and fast insurance.

Another place to find out about these mobile units is the UK Craft Forum. I am sure they have been discussed in the business section there several times. Reliability, costs (and hidden costs!) etc.

wootters_2

A company called CARDSAVE (now owned by Streamline I think) has a department just for charities and community groups. The cheapest quote I got was for £23 + VAT per month. (We can claim the VAT back).

Laurencek

We use this

http://www.thyron.com/products/mt500600gprs/mpt-500-gprs

Found it faultless and had it about 3 years and there service is 2nd to none our machine broke and had a new one within 24 hours FOC,

Browntoa

afraid you are not allowed to advertise on the forum Wireless

Savvy_Sue

wts, you need to read the Forum Rules, especially from here onwards. Other forum users are recommending other people's services / companies, not their own (if you suspect this is not the case, please use the Report button).

Once you've read 'the rules', you'll see that using your website or business name as your username is not allowed, and what to do about it.

Horace

OP - If you are a member of the FSB, you can lease mobile card machines from 123-Send, I understand they are reasonable - I looked once but I don't have a need to take direct credit card payments so didnt pursue the idea.