Credit Card machines and vendors?

bodyglow · 06-08-2006, 09:52 AM

Hello! I need help from the experts on where to start on getting a credit card machine and be able to process credit cards. We are opening our salon in September. I've received a few direct mail flyers from places like Bank Cards USA.com, Accept Merchant Cards.com, merchant express.com, etc claiming to provide free this and that and low processing rates but I'm not sure if those are legit?

I've processed credit cards before at a very low volume with a previous business and we just rented the machine from the bank but I remember the processing rates being high.

Does anyone have any suggestions on who good vendors are for processing? And what is the best machine to get and where?

Thanks for your help!

caribbean tan man · 06-08-2006, 11:46 AM

just make calls and compare rates and lenght of contracts. youll get a better deal later on once your open for a while and can show how much volume you can do. other companies will come in and try to beat your current rate.

i use EMS (electronic merchant solutions) 1-800-615-1330 I also leased my machine which was a newbie mistake. ill end up paying like $2000 for it and could have bought it from www.ncr-direct.com for $499.

learn from others mistakes

glotan · 06-08-2006, 02:12 PM

Ah-ha! I'm going thru this right now too. I have an appt for a visit from (crap! I forget the name) on Monday, and they claim you can swipe gift and membership cards as well as CCs. This appeals to me! Anyone here have such a device, or experience with it?

movieking · 06-08-2006, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glotan

Ah-ha! I'm going thru this right now too. I have an appt for a visit from (crap! I forget the name) on Monday, and they claim you can swipe gift and membership cards as well as CCs. This appeals to me! Anyone here have such a device, or experience with it?

Be sure to get the brand and model number of the equipment they want to sell you then go to Ebay and get the same thing for a fraction of what they wanted to charge.

Try to find a CC processor who will give you less than 2% discount rate and 10 cents or less per swipe. Many of the fees these guys charge can be negotiated so don't let them get the best of you. If you are going to do many transactions where you will not have the clients card to swipe look into what what they refer as "3 tier pricing". This will get rid of the Interchange charges they rape you with on these charges..

caribbean tan man · 06-08-2006, 03:49 PM

and statement fees can range from free to $10 maybe more. i pay $3

eileen · 06-08-2006, 04:13 PM

executive membership at costco thru nova (low rates and no statement fees)

bodyglow · 06-08-2006, 04:20 PM

Thanks all!

Any recommendations on which cc machines work well? Do you need a separate printer or is it all blended into one?

glotan · 06-08-2006, 05:32 PM

Thanks Movieking!!!

Bodyglow, usually there are 2 parts, the swipey part with the keypad and a small, receipt printer...

Since we're on the topic (not really) do you all use your reg. CC machine for EFTs, typing in the numbers every month, or use a service? (off to re-read the 1,000,000 EFT threads)

movieking · 06-08-2006, 05:42 PM

We process our eft's through Helios. It's quick and simple but costs more than the terminal we use for all other transactions.

06-08-2006, 09:52 AM	#1 (permalink)
bodyglow Join Date: May 22 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 52 Rep Power: 0	Credit Card machines and vendors? Hello! I need help from the experts on where to start on getting a credit card machine and be able to process credit cards. We are opening our salon in September. I've received a few direct mail flyers from places like Bank Cards USA.com, Accept Merchant Cards.com, merchant express.com, etc claiming to provide free this and that and low processing rates but I'm not sure if those are legit? I've processed credit cards before at a very low volume with a previous business and we just rented the machine from the bank but I remember the processing rates being high. Does anyone have any suggestions on who good vendors are for processing? And what is the best machine to get and where? Thanks for your help!

06-08-2006, 11:46 AM	#2 (permalink)
caribbean tan man DERFTALK FBI AGENT Join Date: Jul 29 2003 Location: northeast Age: 32 Posts: 5,163 Rep Power: 31	Re: Credit Card machines and vendors? just make calls and compare rates and lenght of contracts. youll get a better deal later on once your open for a while and can show how much volume you can do. other companies will come in and try to beat your current rate. i use EMS (electronic merchant solutions) 1-800-615-1330 I also leased my machine which was a newbie mistake. ill end up paying like $2000 for it and could have bought it from www.ncr-direct.com for $499. learn from others mistakes __________________ someone PM me when a good tanning topic is posted. :lol:

06-08-2006, 02:12 PM	#3 (permalink)
glotan Join Date: May 11 2006 Location: Loveville, Center City Posts: 961 Rep Power: 6	Re: Credit Card machines and vendors? Ah-ha! I'm going thru this right now too. I have an appt for a visit from (crap! I forget the name) on Monday, and they claim you can swipe gift and membership cards as well as CCs. This appeals to me! Anyone here have such a device, or experience with it?

06-08-2006, 03:49 PM	#5 (permalink)
caribbean tan man DERFTALK FBI AGENT Join Date: Jul 29 2003 Location: northeast Age: 32 Posts: 5,163 Rep Power: 31	Re: Credit Card machines and vendors? and statement fees can range from free to $10 maybe more. i pay $3 __________________ someone PM me when a good tanning topic is posted. :lol:

06-08-2006, 04:13 PM	#6 (permalink)
eileen kiss me I'm Derf Join Date: Feb 10 2005 Posts: 7,681 Rep Power: 17	Re: Credit Card machines and vendors? executive membership at costco thru nova (low rates and no statement fees)

06-08-2006, 04:20 PM	#7 (permalink)
bodyglow Join Date: May 22 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 52 Rep Power: 0	Re: Credit Card machines and vendors? Thanks all! Any recommendations on which cc machines work well? Do you need a separate printer or is it all blended into one?

06-08-2006, 05:32 PM	#8 (permalink)
glotan Join Date: May 11 2006 Location: Loveville, Center City Posts: 961 Rep Power: 6	Re: Credit Card machines and vendors? Thanks Movieking!!! Bodyglow, usually there are 2 parts, the swipey part with the keypad and a small, receipt printer... Since we're on the topic (not really) do you all use your reg. CC machine for EFTs, typing in the numbers every month, or use a service? (off to re-read the 1,000,000 EFT threads)

06-08-2006, 05:42 PM	#9 (permalink)
movieking Police Department Join Date: Aug 12 2004 Location: Eastern NC Age: 43 Posts: 2,862 Rep Power: 14	Re: Credit Card machines and vendors? We process our eft's through Helios. It's quick and simple but costs more than the terminal we use for all other transactions.

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