Process Credit Cards on a Mobile Detail

[autocare]

How I process my customers that pay with credit cards.

I have an online store that sells detail supplies in my country through which I use paypal to accept credit cards. On a private access side of the store I have my detail services set up just like any other product I sell with its pricing scale. When the customer wants to pay by card I just access the store through a cell phone wireless internet connection on my laptop/or customers computer and have him purchase the service online just like he was purchasing wax or any other product.

I came up with this due to the problems I was faced with not having the ability to do cards. I had no option to process any other way actually.

All you need is an online store type software like oscommerce, paypal and a connection to the internet. I assume in North America there should be wireless internet through cell phone also.

I remember doing a detail for a vetenarian at his clinic and he was totally impressed that he had trouble processing cards from his clinic due to the system failing at times and I was able to do it from the trunk of his car with no problems.

[DutrowLLC]

Originally Posted by Holden_C04

What options are out there for processing credit cards/debit cards completely wireless? Ideally, I would like to use a Blackberry for processing transactions but the software I see for doing so costs $700.

Costco offers a service and the regular (i.e. wired) one is like $25/month rent for the machine, 1.67% on swiped transactions for Visa and Mastercard, $0.08 per debit transaction, $25 application fee, and $5/month statement fee.

It's not bad but I don't know how much the wireless unit will be and how reliable service is.

What options are there?

I don't have a lot of time to read all the relies, so forgive me if this is a repeat. But I would keep it simple and use an imprinter. Then process everything when I got home through the landline reader or Authorize.net.

I actually have a cell phone credit card reader and its one of the worst purchases I ever made. Just not worth it. Its not even that reliable.

Another option is if you have a laptop with mobile internet (through Sprint or Verizon or something), then you can just load up the laptop, connect to Autbhorize.net and process it through their. But really, I'd just use the imprinter, very simple, and you have physical records, and the customer can sign the receipt and stuff.

Chris

[bwalker25]

that is a good idea however what happens if you get home and the CC is denied? Any other ideas on processing credit cards?

[bwalker25]

however upon second though you could use a blackberry and send an email invoice to your customer via google checkout and have them pay it online while you are there. If they dont have internet at there home you could have them logon to there email account from your blackberry and enter there payment info and pay you all on your blackberry

[DutrowLLC]

Originally Posted by bwalker25

however upon second though you could use a blackberry and send an email invoice to your customer via google checkout and have them pay it online while you are there. If they dont have internet at there home you could have them logon to there email account from your blackberry and enter there payment info and pay you all on your blackberry

Thats a good point. If you have a cell phone with internet. Then you automatically can process credit cards out on the job through an internet payment gateway such as Authorize.net. The only difference would be that that the wireless card reader would be a point of sale transaction and only cost like %1.67 and the one through the blackberry would be more like %2.2

As to the question of "what happens if you get home and the card is denied?" Same thing that happens if their check bounces.

I actually try to get credit card information over the phone when I am booking the appointment. In that case you can pre-authorize an amount. However I don't do that. Maybe I should though...

I find that if you have credit card information before going out, the customer is much less likely to flake on you. Once we're already out, I'd rather the customer pay with cash or check.

[SuperBee364]

Originally Posted by Holden_C04

All the good stuff is south of the border.

Capital One only provides credit cards up here. No checking/savings accounts of any kind. I've got a business account with TD Canada Trust so I'll check what they have.

Well, not *all* the good stuff. You guys have all the good beer and chocolate.

[07e90]

Originally Posted by SuperBee364

Well, not *all* the good stuff. You guys have all the good beer and chocolate.

And clay.

[bwalker25]

true and clay...what about fireworks? there illegal here

[Mindflux]

Originally Posted by SuperBee364

Well, not *all* the good stuff. You guys have all the good beer and chocolate.

Wrong wrong wrong wrong! OMG WRONG.

You've betrayed us Bee!

There's PLENTY of great beer here.

[Holden_C04]

Originally Posted by 07e90

And clay.

Three of these just arrived yesterday.

[bwalker25]

thats depressing :'( no good clay for us

[2k2blackWRX]

Originally Posted by 757motoring

Also when ever you have to pay that fee just charge it to the customer I know of a few businesses that do it that way. My boys tint shop he charges a few extra bucks if you use a card to cover the cost.

Just FYI, according to all of the merchant agreements of the major credit card companies, you are not allowed to charge extra for using a credit card, an informed consumer could screw you over.