What about holding the item until the customer sends on a bank draft or postal order to the value. Then it can be posted on at a later date and you will not have lost the sale.
Nice thought but in our experience, NO CUSTOMER would put up with
such a thing, especially when we are at a 2-3 day show. If they buy
it they want to walk away with it. Go to ANY retail store and see if
they do all of this “messing around” when a customer buys
something!!!
John Dach
What about holding the item until the customer sends on a bank
draft or postal order to the value. Then it can be posted on at a
later date and you will not have lost the sale.
Nice thought but in our experience, NO CUSTOMER would put up with such a thing
Actually, I think the problem with this is just the opposite. I have
found that customers love to have me hold a piece until they send
payment later-- or “come back”. That way, they could cruise the
show, put a hold on anything that interests them, and get back to
just the few they decide to buy. Everyone else is stuck holding a
piece off the market-- literally left holding the bag. I will not
put a piece away for a customer for more than an hour unless they
actually plunk down some money, though a small deposit will do it.
Noel
I think ProPay is the way to go. When I see what banks require of you, it gives me the shivers. Why would anyone use a bank for a merchant account, when ProPay is available?
What kind of protection does ProPay afford you, the merchant? How
easy is it to get someone on the phone if there’s a problem with
payment, processing, etc…?
I use Wells Fargo, and probably pay a little more than I would other
places, but their customer service is outstanding and they have been
very helpful on more than one occasion where my customers tried to
wiggle out of paying.
I can say that I just started taking Visa and MC via TeaMac - Guy
McDonald’s group. They have been fantastic! They are very straight
forward with their terms, helpful about questions (especially if you
are a newbie), and very knowledgeable about their equipment. They
have been very accomodating to the point of going out of their way on
the two times when I needed additional equipment overnighted to me at
the last minute. I also found the tech suport to be straight forward
when I had to call them.
My cc machine does AVS and address verification. I explain that to
people when I am asking them for their address. I explain to them
that this is to protect them from fraud and I have not had any
problems yet! I also take PayPal (but not at shows obviously!) and
haven’t had any issues with them in over 4 years. I highly recommend
the cc route although no payment method is 100% without fraud. It has
really helped raise my sales and average sales point!
Standard disclaimer: No I don’t work for them…just a satisfied
customer…
R/
Kennedi
I just ask to see a drivers license. everything I need is on either
the card itself of the license. I don’t know how that translates
outside of the us.
Amy
However, even asking for driver's licenses, phone numbers, addresses, etc., does not protect me fully if cards used are maxed out, for instance.
I have had a few cards that were maxed out, but still active cards.
I made a habit of submitting the sale once a week until the balance
was finally paid down by the customer and the sale went through.
M’lou Brubaker
Minnesota, USA
I just ask to see a drivers license. everything I need is on either the card itself of the license. I don't know how that translates outside of the us.
Up in Canada, I am asked for THREE pieces of (1) Driv.
Lic with a picture on it (2) Social Insurance Number. Try the
Passport, they have MORE items for security than all the other 2
together…
Gerry Lewy!
When you're at a show and someone purchases, do you simply ask them for their zip code and write it down, do you take their entire mailing address, etc.?
My card company asks for their zip code and the street numbers from
their address. But I ask the customer for their whole mailing
address and their phone number. One time a woman refused to give me
the phone number, because it was unlisted. I said that was okay, and
I would just have to write her if there was a problem with the card.
I use a knuckle-buster at craft fairs, and have had very little
trouble in over 30 years with bad cards. Most problems get worked out
over time, since they are due to going over their daily limit, not
due to a really bad card.
M’lou Brubaker
Minnesota, USA
Gerry,
Up in Canada, I am asked for THREE pieces of (1) Driv. Lic with a picture on it (2) Social Insurance Number.
I don’t know about identity theft in Canada, but here in the states
it’s a huge issue. Is our social security # the same as your social
insurance #? If it is… read on. If it’s not, disregard the
following rant!!!
I would never ever give out my Social Security # for a purchase. I
won’t even give it out at the dr’s office when they ask for it on
forms. I tell them to call the insurance co to verify my insurance,
but I can’t have my ss# on multiple copies of paperwork in their
office for who knows how long and who knows how they will dispose of
it.
There’s been many stories of dr’s offices improperly disposing of
their records. Ie: dumping them in the dumpster behind their office,
making it easy for anyone to grab some and run away with not only
personal medical records, but other that one could use
to get a copy of a driver’s license, credit card, etc…
My husband was the victim of identity theft recently and boy what a
mess! Luckily it was a small issue, only a few cards (all maxed out
of course) and we could take care of it pretty easily, but it was
still a major pain in the butt!
Now, if someone pressures me for my SS# (like a dr’s office- they
don’t really need it!), I tell them that members of my household
were victims of identity theft and my lawyer has advised me to not
give out this
It’s a scary world, and they’re all out to get me!
-amery
In Canada, if anyone wants to see a doctor for any reason, all 'we’
have to do is show our “Health Card”, nothing else. This S.I.N is not
needed (Social Insurance Number). A very active and up to date health
card permits anyone of getting any kind of health care. But again
these cards can be copied, now they MUST have a picture on it. At the
time of visiting the office, this card is swiped and e-faxed to the
Health Agency and if it’s returned void. A fee is then charged or
that person can be in great ka-ka with the Provincial Health
Department.
We are a Bank-Debit Card country, we all use these things wildly. if
a person double swipes my card, I immediately request them to show
that the first swipe is made “null and void”. If they double swipe
quickly and not return a void, I then make a note of who they are and
let them know I saw what they did. I don’t mess around. If I see a
person behind me at a ATM banking machine, I cover my hand over the
key-pad, or I might even just stare at them, they get the hint,
quickly…:>( All ready I had a person copy my bank debit card. Now I
keep only a minimum amount in it just for this example…I.D. I just
show them my Passport, again nothing else, not allowing my passport?
forget it…
Gerry!
Hi Tina,
Nicola here from Dublin. I’ve got the same problem with credit
cards. Don’t know what to do. However, having said that, I’ve done
the craft fair before and noticed that most people come prepared
with cash. We did have a couple of people give out to us for not
taking credit cards and we did lose a couple of sales - including a
guy who was definitely picking out things he would like purely
because of the ease of being able to use a credit card so that was a
sale definitely lost. There is a definite advantage to being able to
take credit cards but it does have to be said that only about 3
people over the whole week asked if we took them and only one of
those walked away without going through with the sale.
Hope that helps,
Nicola