# credit card/ paypal virtual machine



## rubato456 (Sep 6, 2009)

i'm thinking that it might be a good idea to take credit cards or use paypal virtual machine, i have 2 craft fairs coming up. one in oct and one in nov. the one in oct is a 3 day fair, one in nov only a one day, small craft show at a church

i don't have a laptop computer or a fancy cell phone so i can't really process the credit card transactions on the spot. i don't want to have to invest in expensive hardware to have on site. is it ok to write the credit card info on a slip or on the sales slip and then run the transaction from my computer when i get home. i would really like to do this, anyone know if that is possible? i tried to read about this but it wasn't clear if you HAD to run the transaction on the spot or if you could do it later.


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## Saltysteele (Sep 6, 2009)

Deb, while I don't know if this is possible or not, I would advise against it.  We've all heard about "that customer" who doesn't like anything, or nothing is as it was supposed to be for them, or yadda, yadda, yadda.  Imagine the grief they could cause you if you were entrusted with the name, numbers, expiration date and security code.

This is something I've been trying to figure out, myself.


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## Guest (Sep 6, 2009)

If I really want something at a craft show and they don't take credit cards , I will go get more cash .


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## Guest (Sep 6, 2009)

rubato456 said:
			
		

> is it ok to write the credit card info on a slip or on the sales slip and then run the transaction from my computer when i get home. i would really like to do this, anyone know if that is possible? i tried to read about this but it wasn't clear if you HAD to run the transaction on the spot or if you could do it later.



I have sold things that way. If it was a small purchase, I'd just take the # and run it when I got home. On large purchases, I'd call it in and get an
approval number.

You should order a "card slider" and carbon sheets
so you can have the customer's signature.
Then use the imprint (no errors writing the number) to run the card when
you get home. The customer also gets a cc receipt that way.


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## rubato456 (Sep 6, 2009)

> You should order a "card slider" and carbon sheets
> so you can have the customer's signature.



where do you get those sliders? and the cc forms


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## Guest (Sep 6, 2009)

rubato456 said:
			
		

> > You should order a "card slider" and carbon sheets
> > so you can have the customer's signature.
> 
> 
> ...



The cc co? LOL  

Who did you set up your cc account with?
They should have a supply list and the slider is a common item.
They have to supply you with a plastic card (the size and look of a cc)
with your name and business account # on it.
Your card slips into the slider. Take the customer cc and clip it to the
slider. When you "swipe" the card (it's a roller that goes over both cards
and leaves an imprint on the carbon paper--3-part form) You end up
with your #, their #, get a signature, tear off the customer copy, you
keep a copy (I always kept the top copy as it was more-clear).
ALWAYS get a customer telephone number. I had a few cc's fail and 
when I called the customer -- they gave me a new # to try. I was amazed
how honest people can be.

You'll have to talk to the business that helped you get your
cc merchant account....(I think). 
I'll go search the web....maybe you can buy one from anyone...
not sure.


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## rubato456 (Sep 6, 2009)

i don't have any merchant acct yet. the options are so endless my head is spinning. i may select the kitn option of not taking credit cards before this is all over. i was thinking of doing quick books (intuit) the monthly fees are high but there is no contract and no penalty for canceling, and i like that. most others require a contract of several years and i'm not up for that yet


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## Guest (Sep 6, 2009)

rubato456 said:
			
		

> i don't have any merchant acct yet. the options are so endless my head is spinning. i may select the kitn option of not taking credit cards before this is all over. i was thinking of doing quick books (intuit) the monthly fees are high but there is no contract and no penalty for canceling, and i like that. most others require a contract of several years and i'm not up for that yet



Quick books sucks and they will get your money in the end. You also
have to PAY for updates or it quits working! Also, it's hard to learn. It
does SO much that you don't need -- makes things over-complicated.

As far as credit cards? Want to lose 2-4% of your income? That's what
they are good for. If you're selling "on the spot" I wouldn't take cc.
If you sell over internet/phone, then you just about have to accept cc.

I use two programs that are dirt cheap and work great.
Check them out.

One is for inventory/invoicing/banking "Financial Freedom Pro"
[ame="http://download.cnet.com/Financial-Freedom-Inventory-PRO-98/3000-2066_4-11181.html"]http://download.cnet.com/Financial-Free ... 11181.html[/ame]

One is for tax records: Ace Money 
You import credit card statements, banking info, assign accounts and it's EASY to use
http://www.mechcad.net/products/acemoney/

Your business check book is the heart of your bookkeeping, 
Financial freedom pro is invoicing/inventory/payment records
Ace money takes your cc statements/bank statements and prints
reports of where your money goes.
Ace Money balances with your checkbook.
Ace Money prints reports to complete your IRS tax records.


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## Saltysteele (Sep 6, 2009)

Wow!  I've learned a lot!  Thanks!


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## rubato456 (Sep 6, 2009)

i respectfully disagree about qb being hard to learn. i have simple start which is the basic qb which i got for free. i use qb pro at work and so maybe that's why i don't think it's hard to use......cuz i already know hiow. but thx for sharing that info. i'm not saying im in luv w/ qb, there are plenty of probs w/ it......but it is what i know right now. i may just not get any credit card stuff.....


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## Tabitha (Sep 6, 2009)

Write the info down & process it when you get home.

It is no different than taking a phone order. All day long at flower shops & pizza places people phone their orders in & the info is written down & processed by hand at a later time. 

You do not need a signature. I worked for years at flower shops & we never had signatures on phone orders. It is not needed.

I have never had anyone claim it was in innapropriate transaction. 

Your sales will go up if you accept credit crads.

Go for it!


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## rubato456 (Sep 6, 2009)

you are right about that tabitha....we take cc at work and ppl mail in their orders or sometimes they call them in. we batch enter the info and as long as we have the cvs (security code) it's good. even if we don't have the security code, we can enter a code that we don't have the cvs cuz not everyone want's to give it. and it's all good. i think in the end our sales at work have gone up cuz we accept cc.....so that is why i am inclined to do it, but unlike work, i can't afford a 3 year contract......which we signed there


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## Tabitha (Sep 6, 2009)

I will NEVER EVER get another merchant account. They screw you big time. I have had 2 & both wronged me time & time again & there is no way I could ever afford to take them to court & win.

Once I was charged  a $100.00 fee, which they took straight out of my bank account because I did not complete a survey they claimed to have sent out to me. I had my bank reverse the fee & about 2 months later they took $200.00 out. 1 for the original 100 they took which I reversed & the 2nd as punishment for reversing it the 1st time.

That is just 1 of many ways I have been wronged by a merchant account.

Use paypal or propay or something like that.

Merch accounts swear you can cancel at anytime & there are no hiden fees but they lie!

Please trust me on this...


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## SilverMaple (Sep 6, 2009)

I'm strongly considering ProPay.  Has anyone had success using that?


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## rubato456 (Sep 6, 2009)

tabitha:

so how is a merchant account different than paypal virtual terminal? quick books has a virtual terminal account for 12.95/mo, or so they claim. would you consider the quick books virtual terminal to be in the same bag as the other merchant accounts that screwed you?

i took a quick peak at propay.....they also have 'merchant' accts but they also have something if you have an ebay acct. do you have to have an ebay acct to use it? looks like the ebay rates are much better than their merchant acct but you have to be a pretty high level ebay seller it looks like to use it? tab, please clarify if you can


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## Saltysteele (Sep 6, 2009)

great points, tabitha.  i hadn't considered that .

i, for one, LOVE paypal, use it whenever i can, to purchase.  have used it as receiving cash when selling items on ebay.

i have noticed propay is becoming pretty popular, but haven't checked into them.

out of curiosity, how would one run a customer's cards once you returned home?  do you need some kind of an account for that?


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## Tabitha (Sep 6, 2009)

I am talking about the merch accounts you set up through your bank,the big boys. In the long run, witha all the hidden fees, mine costs me about $75.00 a month.

I used propay for a couple years. jotted down info @ shows & processed later. It was simple, cheap & straight forward. When I opened my brick & mortar I went w/ a merch account  suggested by my bank when I set up my business checking account. I got the machine for swiping cards, the manual plate swiper, the whole shabang.

Hubby says iphone has a couple apps for cc processing that might be worth looking into.


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## Saltysteele (Sep 6, 2009)

I see.  So, propay has a merchant account to where you can enter customer's info?

That would be nice, especially coupled with one of those old slide-imprint machines.

When taking down a customer's info, have you ever ran into a situation where the card wasn't any good?  You wouldn't be able to tell, until later on.

It'd be sweet if paypal/propay/someone had a wireless card reader/processor that worked real time

this is all very interesting to me.  not that i'm looking to go big, or anything.  i'd just like to hit up the local farmers markets, and with how NO ONE carries cash anymore (or so it seems; at least, i don't), like you said, you could increase your sales by being able to process debit/credit cards.


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## rubato456 (Sep 6, 2009)

i think they are called virtual terminals.....when you enter your info on your computer instead of a credit card swiping machine. i know paypal has a virtual terminal....it's $30/mo and i'd like to know if you can really cancel at any time.


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## Saltysteele (Sep 7, 2009)

30 dollars in addition to CC charges to the payee?


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## soapbuddy (Sep 7, 2009)

I use Propay and a knuckle buster that I bought on e bay. I haven't had a problem yet.


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## Guest (Sep 7, 2009)

Saltysteele said:
			
		

> When taking down a customer's info, have you ever ran into a situation where the card wasn't any good?  You wouldn't be able to tell, until later on.



Yes, I have --that's why it's important to get customer contact info.
They usually give you a different card number -- honest about it.

Signatures are also important (if you're with the customer) because
when a transaction is taken off their cc and there is a dispute -- the first
thing the cc company asks for is the signed receipt.

People "sell" cc merchants accounts just like everything -- there are good
companies and rip-off companies. Your bank usually has high rates because
the bank is selling it and getting a markup off you.

Sometimes, you don't have many choices as a new business or as a
home-based business -- rates are higher under those circumstances.

PS Virtual terminals actually process the card on the spot and must have
some type of electronic connection. The "card slider" is totally
mechanical and can be used anywhere (I often vended in the middle
of no where and there was no phone service).


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## rubato456 (Sep 7, 2009)

don't you also need either a phone line or internet connection, in addition to an electric line?


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## rubato456 (Sep 8, 2009)

i just signed up for propay and i'm very excited! the annual fee is 29.95 that's it! of course its the approx 3.0% fee for each transaction plus a small fee to transfer the $$ from your propay acct to your bank acct, but i think it's the best deal going......i'm very very excited! i was approved in a minute or so!

quickbooks wanted 12.95/mo plus 59.95 activation fee. i applied for an acct w/ then but i will not activate it and i will cancel it if i can.


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## Saltysteele (Sep 8, 2009)

That's awesome!

keep us updated on how it works out!

so, you just get their numbers and info and run it later?


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## rubato456 (Sep 9, 2009)

yes acc to them you have 72 hrs to run the cc after the transaction. you have an acct and you log on your computer. if you have computer access at the time of the transaction, you can run it then. otherwise write name, zip code, charge number and exp date on the slip and take it home. there is a long agreement which i read and understood most of.....some i did not. but it looked reasonable


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