Page 1 of Pay by card

Does anyone use a pay by card machine as sole operator or one man business.
I'm getting pressure from the cab company to start doing this presumably to keep ahead of Uber who recently started in the area. I've only ever been asked for the option a handful of times but I guess once they make it known it'll take off, having seen Students buying Mars bars on a card. 

As far as I can see it's just buy the machine (about £60 quid) and link it to your account. 
Any comments about how easy, difficult it is in practice and possible problems.




Snaps

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My new Flash Fiction blog. All my own work
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I used to be with it, but then they changed what `it` was.
Now, what I`m with isn`t it, and what`s `it` seems weird and scary

This item was edited on Tuesday, 20th October 2015, 09:34

Yes. Not sure it's as easy as you say though.

You have to have a contract agreement through a bank or other provider which sorts out the agreements with the various card providers (depending on whose cards you want to accept). We use streamline.com. I don't think you can just tie a machine in to your bank account.

We rent our machine, better support that way. I don't know if there would still be some sort of monthly charge if you own your machine.

Ours is a static, not wireless machine. We mostly take "card holder not present" payments over the phone for which we have a special contract which obviously is different for you.

There is now also a yearly compliance check form you have to fill in online (PCI compliance) for which there is a charge of around £35 (I think). You are obliged to do this to show you aren't leaking card info to fraudsters. It's not terrible and mainly common sense but very ott for tiny businesses like ours.

I suspect you may have more specific card machine contracts for taxi drivers so a lot of googling is probably in order.

You can get card payment machines that use your smartphone too which might be worth a look if you're doing only a few card payments. A quick search came up with this specifically for cabs: http://www.adelante.co.uk/taxi-payment-solutions

Even paypal do one now whcih will take card not just paypal.

The one that keeps coming up is Zettle and reading through it does seem that simple.

Buy the machine then no fees just a straight 2.75% on each transaction and works through my phones Bluetooth via their App. Even allows the new 'wavy pay' contactless idea.


Snaps

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My new Flash Fiction blog. All my own work
500ish

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I used to be with it, but then they changed what `it` was.
Now, what I`m with isn`t it, and what`s `it` seems weird and scary

Probably something like this is your best bet. We've got a 'proper' merchant account but you don't really need that. Probably don't have to do the yearly compliance bollocks either. More straightforward if you're only doing face to face transactions and not taking down peoples' card details.

Quote:
Snaps says...
"Buy the machine then no fees just a straight 2.75% on each transaction and works through my phones Bluetooth via their App. "
How is the 3G reception for your typical area?

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I saw a billboard the other day driving through Reading for a special offer from Paypal. I think £50?

They send you a machine and all that - but don't know terms of a contract.

Gav




I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad
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just about to say paypal - saw an ad tonight.


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Realex, SagePay and VeriFone I think can all do what you want as well!

we've written software to work with all 3 and sadly they each have their pros and cons :(



as a side note, we're started to work with Uber, not me personally but from what my colleagues have said their business model is looking v good, hence their success in USA (on the radio the other day I even heard someone use Uber as a verb), so do whatever you can do to be competitive.

good luck

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This item was edited on Wednesday, 21st October 2015, 07:33

Quote:
admars says...
"as a side note, we're started to work with Uber"
Maybe you can clear something up.
As the fare is paid at the time of booking by credit or debit card does this go into Uber's account or each individual driver as either way I'm not sure how they avoid drivers being designated as employees rather than self employed by HMIT.

Their business model may work for them but I'm not so sure it works for the drivers.


Snaps

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My new Flash Fiction blog. All my own work
500ish

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I used to be with it, but then they changed what `it` was.
Now, what I`m with isn`t it, and what`s `it` seems weird and scary

just spoke to my colleague he's not 100% sure as we don't deal with that side, but he thinks as a customer you pay Uber, then Uber pays the driver.

he also thought your bank should be able to provide you with a machine

This item was edited on Wednesday, 21st October 2015, 12:43