Stop leaving money on the table! Get paid what you’re worth. Accept credit cards!

[screwb]

Attention massage therapists, photographers, web designers, and all other providers.

Are you tired of missing out on tips, sales of additional products/services, or even losing potential clients because they do not have (enough) cash on hand?

Eliminate these problems by accepting credit/debit cards!

Wireless/mobile solutions available using your cell phone, computer, or stand-alone terminals. Additional payment solutions also available including electronic check verification and processing, e-Commerce (internet) solutions, gift cards to bring in new customers and revenue, and loyalty cards to keep existing customers coming back.

Already accepting alternate forms of payment but think you may be paying too much or just want a free review and/or consultation? I can help!

Learn more and see contact info at http://bit.ly/NAB-eccie.

[babyboi2008]

Thats cool, but what if a person decides to despute the charge, then what? You risk loosing the money?

[screwb]

Originally Posted by babyboi2008

Thats cool, but what if a person decides to despute the charge, then what? You risk loosing the money?

Sure, there’s always a possibility that someone may try disputing a charge (resulting in a “chargeback”), but there are ways to minimize that possibility.

First of all, by using a device that allows the card to be “swiped,” rather than key-entering the card information, not only does it cost less to process, but it lets the credit card company know that at least the card (and presumably the card holder) was present and that the transaction was actually authorized. This makes it harder for the user to claim that a single transaction was fraudulent, without claiming that the card was stolen and that all transactions processed during a certain period were fraudulent. Capturing the card-holder’s signature, either on paper or electronically, further helps you to fight potential chargebacks. There are mobile terminals and cell phone accessories that enable both of these safeguards.

Although there are some unscrupulous people who will try to dispute a charge just to get away with something, they are in the minority. The banks and processing companies (if you have the right ones) will do what they can to help you fight such unscrupulous chargebacks because (a) they don’t want to lose you as a customer and (b) they stand to lose money too if the chargeback is successful.

Aside from the above, there are other basic things that I recommend to my clients to help avoid chargebacks. Here’s a freebie – be careful about the business name that you use. Make sure that it is recognizable, consistent with your marketing, and consistent with your actual business. If you are a photographer known as Carl’s Artistic Photography, don’t use HCT Enterprises as the name that shows up on your merchant account, even if that’s your corporate name. When the customer gets their bank statement a month later and sees a charge from HCT Enterprises, they’re not going to know or remember that the charge was for pictures they had done with Carl’s Photography and will end up disputing it. It’s an honest mistake, but it’s a hassle that can be easily avoided. (I have a client now who had this problem when they were with a previous processor who did not explain this concept.) On the other hand, if you are a massage therapist, it’s a lot easier for a person to explain a charge from KT Therapeutic Massage (“You know I’ve been having problems with my neck…”), than from Katie’s Erotic Encounters (“I don’t know what that is – We’d better dispute it”), when the spouse/partner/boss sees the bank statement.

Anyway, there are risks to accepting any form of payment. (Cash, for instance, can be lost, stolen, or counterfeit.) However, when done correctly, electronic forms of payments can provide an added level of safety and convenience, while increasing the amount of revenue taken in.

[Chica Chaser]

Good information screwb! Thank you for the followup.

[PaganGuy]

would sure be convienent. though theyd have to get it to show up on the statement as something similar to "HEB" or "Wal-Mart"...
actually if it was something that sounded like a mechanic shop that would be ideal... I could get away with it. "Yeah, honey.. the van needed a /whirlygig alignment/, $160. It's fine now"
hmmm

[AngelaPetite]

Never leave a paper trail behind be it paper UP postal mail statements or electronic.

[phatdaty]

Originally Posted by AngelaPetite

Never leave a paper trail behind be it paper UP postal mail statements or electronic.

You mean like your postings, your ads, your website, your gallery?

, Paypal, and credit cards are no more dangerous than anywhere else you leave a silicon footprint.

As to the unscrupulous folks out there, that is correct. Some of them pose as serious providers and cash and dash or do other nefarious things. If someone comes up with a decent anonymous wire transfer for service in which a legitimate grievance/chargeback opportunity, i will be the first to sign up.

Like it or not, society will be more and more cashless within a decade or so. Somebody in the hobby will figure out how to capitalize off of the need for a new form of payment.

Hell, if the U.S. Dollar stops being the global reserve currency, get ready to need a wheelbarrow to carry all the slips of paper you will need to pay for a session.

[screwb]

Originally Posted by PaganGuy

would sure be convienent. though theyd have to get it to show up on the statement as something similar to "HEB" or "Wal-Mart"...
actually if it was something that sounded like a mechanic shop that would be ideal... I could get away with it. "Yeah, honey.. the van needed a /whirlygig alignment/, $160. It's fine now"
hmmm

You think like I do! I actually had another recommended name in mind that was right along those lines, but still descriptive enough that the customer could recognize it. Didn't want to give away all my secrets though!

[screwb]

Originally Posted by Chica Chaser

Good information screwb! Thank you for the followup.

Thank you Chica Chaser. I love this forum. You guys are doing a great job!

[royamcr]

I have a reader from square.com pretty cool.

[tml]

I do see the upsides to this - so I'm not trying to create problems. But I see (at least a potential) downside as well.

Any "paper trail" that involves proof of currency exchange gives the provider at least two more areas to be concerned about. 1.) The Internal Revenue Service, and 2.) The State Department of Revenue (sales tax office, AND State Income tax office if you live in a state that has one).

As a client - I wouldn't be surprised if many of the better escorts made enough extra money taking cards to justify those personal operating expenses....I would probably be tempted to be "upsold" at times (not for extra services necessarily, but to extend to additional hours, etc.). But especially if a provider has lived "off the grid" (financially speaking) for several years, this would open up new ways to be caught by LE.

[Alexxxis]

Originally Posted by royamcr

I have a reader from square.com pretty cool.

I have a square card reader as well. I love it!

[screwb]

For those of you that either have Square readers or accept credit cards in other ways, I’d be interested to know your thoughts on some of the issues that have been addressed above. Have you had many problems with disputed charges, leaving a “paper trail” or being on “the grid”, etc.? Has the ability to accept cards helped, hurt, or had no known effect on your revenue?

One reason that many merchants, especially newer and or smaller ones, like to use Square is the flat rate structure. Just so you know, we have several rate structures available to fit the needs of various merchants. We have a similar simplified flat rate structure, which benefits smaller merchants, but we also offer various tiered structures, which generally benefits those processing higher volumes. Our partners offer readers for Android and Blackberry smartphones, in addition to Apple products. (Square readers have only worked on Apple products although their site says that they are working on compatibility with the Android operating system, and may be supporting it staring this week.) Also, according to Square’s website, new users are limited to receiving a maximum of $1000 per week deposited into their bank accounts. Any funds over that amount are held and deposited after 30 days (although they apparently have methods to consider requests to increase the deposit limit). Our service has no such preset deposit limits.

Of course, each processor has its plusses and minuses. Each merchant must decide which service, if any, best fits. If I can provide any information to help you make an informed decision, please PM me.