Accepting credit cards at gigs

[AdamBilz]

Howdy! Do any of you know how to be able to accept credit cards for your group's merchandise (or business, for that matter)? I saw at CDBaby a machine they send you, but they take 9% out of your sale, but don't credit cards charge you a percent if you went straight through them anyway? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys!
~Adam
www.brookfieldrecords.com

[darren wilson]

Credit card companies generally take between 2 and 3%. Giving up 10% is robbery. I don't think it would take THAT much to get a merchant account with a bank.

[Rich]

For a swipe machine it's typically 1.6% and .36 per swipe. Phone orders drive it up to between 2.6 and 3%.

They're making their money by charging you the % instead of charging you the rent on the mobile card swiper, which is an expensive toy if you had to buy it.

[AdamBilz]

Hmmm...ok, how would one go about getting a swiper? Would you have to pick a specific company to swipe or is it just 'credit' once you have the swiper and you pay their specific fees each? Thanks for the info guys!
~Adam

[jay ratkowski]

Depending on the type of card swiped, the charges will differ as well. I believe Mastercard has the highest fees (generally 2% or so) with Visa being the lowest.

Depending on the company you go through, you can pick what cards you wish to accept (and you can pick by yourself too if you don't want to pay a high fee).

Personally I hate when merch tables take credit cards. Yes it is handy but it delays things greatly. There's been several shows I haven't bought anything at because of the wait for peoples cards to clear (or if a card won't swipe, etc).

[AdamBilz]

I hear ya, but from a merchant's view just starting to try to make it you don't want to say no to people or lose a customer just because they don't want to hand out cash. Some people won't even think of swiping 10-20 bucks at a time, you know? That's just my theory on things.
~Adam

[jay ratkowski]

Completely understand. If old Andrew or Abe are paying the bill, people might buy a T-Shirt or a Hat. If Visa and Mastercard are paying, it might be shirts for every day of the week.

[AdamBilz]

I've never heard it put better