Skip to main content
Help Center Community Shop

Who runs a shop and takes credit cards?

iwannausername
Subject says most of it... who here runs a retail shop (preferrably gunshop, with some online auction sales) and takes plastic?

Lots of questions, only one counts... The guy I help with computer stuff is considering starting to take cards... aside from the hardware investment (card reader/printer) and maybe the need for a second phone line, are there any other initial setup costs? How much of a % does running a card cost you? Fixed per transaction or is it based on amount charged? How did you go about setting up sales - just contact your local bank, or one of the companies whos card you have yourself?

The question that counts - is getting set up for CCs a worthwile investment for a small gunshop in a small town?
0

Comments

9 comments

Date Votes
  • 300Win_Mag
    quote:Originally posted by iwannausername
    The question that counts - is getting set up for CCs a worthwile investment for a small gunshop in a small town?




    How many of his customers request to pay with plastic? That would dictate my decision.
    0
  • 41 nut
    I've run a small shop for 30 years in a fairly small town (around 6000) and have never figured it was worth the expense and bother to accept credit cards. Theres an ATM machine only 1/2 mile away. Only sales I've lost by not taking credit cards are a couple at gun shows. I've had several customers leave shows and go to an ATM to get the cash.
    0
  • COLT
    ...not sure anymore, but AMEX used to be the highest % of EACH sale, of all the CC Co.'s.

    ...ALL CC Co's. charge a % of each sale, so the bigger the sale, the higher the cost % wise to the seller...[;)]

    ani-texas-flag-1.gif
    0
  • iwannausername
    300win_mag - Quite a few, but when they can't they all go 3 doors down to the ATM or just write a check... so he's not been loosing sales to not taking CCs... he's just looking to get *more* sales...
    0
  • vicg1
    research it.

    fees range from $25-$75 per month plus a percentage from 1.5%-4%. Phone orders (non-swiped transactions) are usually highest.

    My monthly fees here are about $90 plus the percentage which runs about 2.5% overall on appx $10k monthly.
    0
  • bobski
    cash talks, all others walk.
    card transactions can be cancelled by card holders, leaving the card company the bill, which they pass on to you as an operating expense.
    last swipe card machine i had cost 800.00 to initally buy and keep operational. required a seperate line too.
    0
  • 300Win_Mag
    quote:Originally posted by iwannausername
    300win_mag - Quite a few, but when they can't they all go 3 doors down to the ATM or just write a check... so he's not been loosing sales to not taking CCs... he's just looking to get *more* sales...


    Now, you have to run some numbers. Is this 'new business' he is expecting going to offset the start up fees, monthly fees, and % taken from each sale? Unless he is doing major sales each day and has people regularly ask to pay with plastic, I would not do it. Also, is he going to raise all of his prices to cover the % taken from a CC transaction, or would he just charge more for a CC transaction to cover the fees and %? Operating expenses only get passed onto the consumer.

    My grandfather operated his Veterinarian business for 40 years without a credit card machine. The people that complained about it usually wrote a check or coughed up the $$$ on the spot.

    quote:Originally posted by bobski
    cash talks, all others walk.
    card transactions can be cancelled by card holders, leaving the card company the bill, which they pass on to you as an operating expense.



    Exactly. [;)]
    0
  • iwannausername
    Thanks all, looks like the set up costs alone make it really not worth while....
    0
  • muss
    My biz takes master card , visa, amex.

    The credit card machine was $300.00 purchased from the bank I do biz with. The percantage I pay is 1.87% on all transactions. We do not have a monthly fee. We run about 5-10 transactions per week, but it is still a valuable tool to have.
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity