This section of the forum is for discussing the business and finance issues of the t-shirt industry. Which business structure to use (sole proprietor, LLC, S Corp, etc), how to handle billing, where to register your business and get the proper licensing, etc.
My husband and I have started a small embroidery business. We are interested in being able to accept credit/debit cards as payment for our services. Our volume is low right now so we don't need a full services package and, of course, we are trying to keep our expenses to a minimum. Any feedback on merchant credit card processing vendors both good and back would be appreciated.
I really researched this. Try Andy Lax http://www.intelli-collect.com (973) 448-9701 very low rates and an incredibly nice guy. Tell him Jessica from Tot Stops sent you.
I use my banks batch processing system (Commonwealth Bank of Australia).
You basically use a program on your computer to build up a batch file (not flash but easy to use) then using an internet connection log on to the server and the data is encrypted and uploaded. Can take anywhere from 2-3 mins (normal) to I am told 3-4 hours to get approval/declined result (which you can download from the same server)
I have never had it take any longer than a couple of minutes, which is nothing in the scheme of things. Very low fees to use. Might be worth speaking to your bank or check out their website (most banks have a list of the services they offer online merchants)
I have approval for also using it for phone orders or even at a market if I want to take orders and post them out I can do so and get the credit card approval first. For large volume it would be a pain to sit and do but for now it works for us. Once we get greater volume we will move to their checkout software
Something to check too is how long between "processing" and the funds being deposited to you... some companies can take a lot of time for the money to actually reach you
If you are going to be using a shopping cart on a website, it's highly adviseable to find a merchant account that is compatible with the shopping cart. I picked a cart I liked, then found out there was no existing gateway configuration file and had to hack up one myself - not fun...
If you think it would be helpful to be able to process credit cards from anywhere and don't mind the expense of a PDA/Cellphone with a data plan, I highly recommend merchantanywhere.com - I've been using their setup for 2 years. I can process a credit card via my shopping cart or via my Palm 700W anywhere. My parents also use the same setup for their company at craft shows and it's saved them a couple of sales already on cards that were declined.
As above I think one of the things to really think about is how you will use it.
As a screenprinter it really isn't an issue if it takes a few minutes for approval, the garment has to be printed etc anyway. BUT if you run a kiosk at the local shopping centre and hold stock people expect to be able to take it with them straight away.
As Tfalk mentions will you want to be able to process orders on the go? (I don't use a blueberry but my laptop and wireless internet give me the same ability anywhere there is mobile phone coverage, bulky but I already use it so saves the $$ of something else)
I too have been considering this company. How long have you been dealing with intelli-collect? Have you been completely happy with them? I have been hearing so many sales pitches its hard to know who's on the up and up and which way to go.
Shop around on the Internet for the best deal. Most companies will give you a basic terminal for free, but you will need the printer to go w/ it. Rates vary, but what I found is that most of the time, VISA/MC will consider the majority of cards taken as "non-qualified", which is the higher rate. Also, don't let these companies tell you that all swiped cards will get you the low rate; my experience is that it's simply not true, each card depending on whether it's personal or company, and lots of other factors, will determine what rate you get, and that's determined by VISA/MC, so plan on paying the higher rate most of the time. Also, some companies offer a software package that allows you connect a card reader to your computer, swipe the card, and use the Internet rather than a phone line to verify. Great if you have a high speed "always on" Internet connection, and only 1 phone line, as then if someone is on the phone, you still can get your authorization thru.
We have been considering the Cell Phone/PDA route in order to be able to take credit cards anywhere I receive service. We are getting ready to buy new phones anyway. Can anyone recomend a phone/PDA that they have been using for this purpose that they are especially happy (or unhappy) with? Is there anything special that we need to make sure the new phone would have security wise in order to use it for credit card transaction?
A Treo is one of the models we are considering. Any input there? I have never used anything but a basic cell phone up til now.
I've been using a Treo 700W for 2 years. I just switched to a 755P last week. I got tired of the 700W crashing/hanging. I also was using a bluetooth credit card scanner/printer (from merchantanywhere.com, see my post above) and was constantly having trouble getting the 2 devices to pair. By using the Treo with the Palm OS, I'm able to use either bluetooth or a cable to connect to my scanner. With the cable, it works every time...
Merchant Credit Card Processing 
