Mobile credit card processing (Great for field techs)

JosephLeo

JosephLeo

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So recently I found this amazing service & product offered by Intuit (the guys who make QuickBooks) called GoPayment

With GoPayment you can accept credit cards on the field using only your cell phone. Just enter the customers credit card information and then hit process and instant payment. There are also two different optional bluetooth credit card swipers. The swiper only model goes for $144.95, and the hip-mounted swiper/printer combo goes for $218.95.

The BLUETOOTH CARD SWIPERS works ONLY on the following cell phones. However, the service is usable with ANY cell phone with a data plan and mobile web browser.

AT&T
  • Blackberry 8800
  • Blackberry 8820
  • Blackberry Bold 9000
  • Blackberry Curve 8300
  • Blackberry Curve 8310
  • Blackberry Curve 8320
  • Blackberry Curve 8900
  • Blackberry Pearl 8100
  • Blackberry Pearl 8110
  • Blackberry Pearl 8120
  • Motorola RAZR V3xx
  • Motorola Tunda VA76r
  • Nokia 6085
  • Nokia E71
  • Nokia E71x
  • Nokia N95
Sprint
  • Blackberry Curve 8350i
  • Blackberry Curve 8330
  • Blackberry Curve 8330m
  • Blackberry Pearl 8130
  • Blackberry Pearl 8130m
  • Blackberry 8830 World Edition
  • Blackberry 8830m World Edition
  • HTC Touch Pro
  • Motorola i576
  • Motorola i580
  • Motorola v950 Renegade
  • Sanyo Pro-200
  • Sanyo Pro-700
Verizon
  • Blackberry Curve 8830
  • Blackberry Curve 8330
  • Blackberry Curve 8130
  • Blackberry Storm 9530
  • HTC Touch Pro
T-Mobile
  • Blackberry 8820
  • Blackberry Curve 8320
  • Blackberry Curve 8900
  • Nokia 6089
  • Nokia n95
  • Nokia E71

As for cost, well they are pretty cheap. $19.95/mo. with the first 2 months free. Processing fee's are $0.27 per transaction with 2.44% taken out on dialed in transactions, and 1.64% taken out for swiped transactions. Additionally you can accept credit cards directly from QuickBooks for an additional $9.95. So for a total of 1-Year membership it will cost you $199.50. With the optional bluetooth swiper it will cost you $344.45, or with the 1-Year membership and Bluetooth Swiper/Printer combo it will cost you $418.45.



Well anyway, just thought I'd let you guys know that this thing exist :D


EDIT: Okay, silly me for not doing my research. If you buy the printer then you don't need the scanner since it's BUILT IN!.
 
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Any idea if bluetooth works on the T-Mo MyTouch? I have been contemplating something along these lines for CC processing but have not made the move. I originally was looking into a USB scanner for my laptop but this seems much more portable.
 
repairit said:
Any idea if bluetooth works on the T-Mo MyTouch? I have been contemplating something along these lines for CC processing but have not made the move. I originally was looking into a USB scanner for my laptop but this seems much more portable.
Click to expand...

Whoops- sorry. THE ENTIRE LIST above are the only phones that the Bluetooth swiper work with. However, from the website it says the following.
But as long as you have a data plan and a mobile web browser, you can still use GoPayment on your phone![/url]

So, ANY phone will work- just the above phones have the option to use the swiper.
Click to expand...
 
NWPhotog said:
$20 a month?! That seems really high when you can use Paypal to process cards for no monthly fee.
Click to expand...

Well- what looks more professional to you? I love the hip-mounted swiper/printer combo. When I get one (which I will) it will make me look like I am really serious about my business and not just a "kid with a flash drive and a car"

PayPal is free- yes, but it's a hassle to use. Plus you have to pay for wireless broadband every month anyway which is what..$50? so you're really saving $30 a month with this. (unless you expect every customer to have password-free, wireless internet)
 
JosephLeo said:
Well- what looks more professional to you? I love the hip-mounted swiper/printer combo. When I get one (which I will) it will make me look like I am really serious about my business and not just a "kid with a flash drive and a car"

PayPal is free- yes, but it's a hassle to use. Plus you have to pay for wireless broadband every month anyway which is what..$50? so you're really saving $30 a month with this. (unless you expect every customer to have password-free, wireless internet)
Click to expand...

I must admit, that hardware is sexy :p. You may also want to take a look at a company called ProPay. I have heard a lot of good things about them here, and they also have a portable card swiper. The only downside is it is not an instant transaction. You swipe the card, it saves the information, and when you return to home base you can charge the card. The upside is the fee's are a little less ($50 a year vs $20 a month)
 
ProTech Support said:
I must admit, that hardware is sexy :p. You may also want to take a look at a company called ProPay. I have heard a lot of good things about them here, and they also have a portable card swiper. The only downside is it is not an instant transaction. You swipe the card, it saves the information, and when you return to home base you can charge the card. The upside is the fee's are a little less ($50 a year vs $20 a month)
Click to expand...

It's really $199.50 for the first year and then $239.40/year after that. That pays itself off in 2 customers and if you don't have 2 customers in a year then you might be in the wrong business ;)

The printer feature alone is worth it though, then with the added bonus of how "sexy" it looks, then the fact that it's instant payment, and finally the QuickBooks integration makes it the ultimate package all around, hands down.

Another thing about ProPay is that they are a relatively "unknown" company, and they only have the swiper- no hipmounted swiper/printer combo :(
 
JosephLeo said:
Well- what looks more professional to you? I love the hip-mounted swiper/printer combo. When I get one (which I will) it will make me look like I am really serious about my business and not just a "kid with a flash drive and a car"

PayPal is free- yes, but it's a hassle to use. Plus you have to pay for wireless broadband every month anyway which is what..$50? so you're really saving $30 a month with this. (unless you expect every customer to have password-free, wireless internet)
Click to expand...


I am all about having professional tools and a professional look. At the same time an additional $240 a year forever seems very steep. And the on belt thing would be fine for a delivery person but as an on site tech I don't need extraneous gear to carry around. I have an unlimited data plan and would regardless of payment methods so your cost analysis is flawed. IF it is something that would work good for you no problem. I just see the cost being way too high.
 
JosephLeo said:
It's really $199.50 for the first year and then $239.40/year after that. That pays itself off in 2 customers and if you don't have 2 customers in a year then you might be in the wrong business
Click to expand...

I'd just rather use the money for my 401k or fun toys than for credit card processing. No slight meant.
 
JosephLeo said:
It's really $199.50 for the first year and then $239.40/year after that. That pays itself off in 2 customers and if you don't have 2 customers in a year then you might be in the wrong business ;)

The printer feature alone is worth it though, then with the added bonus of how "sexy" it looks, then the fact that it's instant payment, and finally the QuickBooks integration makes it the ultimate package all around, hands down.

Another thing about ProPay is that they are a relatively "unknown" company, and they only have the swiper- no hipmounted swiper/printer combo :(
Click to expand...

I think the problem for most people is that they do not have enough credit card transactions to justify a yearly fee of $239.40. I can tell you this year alone, I have had 2 credit card transactions, both from the same person, both totaling under $100 together.
 
I got talked into this a few yrs ago by my business banker. 200 bucks to set up, 10 bucks a month service fee, then a % off the sell. Haven't used it once. People pay in cash or check, every time I offer the cc option, they decline. I'm ready to drop the service. BTW, I've never lost a customer because I didn't take cc's, and 4 yrs in business, only 2 bounced checks. Both of those paid up after a phone call.
 
Debit and CC transactions often tally to just under 2 grand a day multiple times per month, checks accepted from VERY few people (businesses are ok) and cash usually is around 100ish-400ish or so on a good day. I couldn't see living without having cards as an option.:eek:
 
I've often thought about accepting credit cards, but only one person in the last few years has even asked. Most may by check, the rest with cash. Never been a problem for me... The extra overhead would definately be a profit-eater for me...
 
Card swipers

Our Merchant Services provider gets USB card swipers for us at about $80 each All techs carry them, and it allows verified CC and debit card transactions through Authorize.net. All that is needed is a functioning computer and IE.

And we don't need to use them until the call is finished. :)
 
I am looking at using PayPal Virtual terminal. I currently do not accept credit cards, but definitely plan to. I always carry my laptop with me and Paypal has the VT Swipe USB device that I plan to purchase. I have added a the tethering plan to my BlackBerry for only $15 more a month. I dont think I can post links yet, but google it. I think it runs through MagTek. I currently am not using this service, but I already have a paypal account (sell old parts and equipment on eBay). Anyone used this? (Not meaning to Hijack, just thinking of alternatives). It would be pretty cool to have a hip attachment that went through my phone, but the cost would definitely deter me.
 
Hmmm... I just talked to them and they said I had to have the regular credit card processing from them first ($20/month), then add this on top of it. They specifically said I could NOT do this by itself.
 
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