Yet another CC question...

[SuperDave]

I have a February Artist Invitation Benefit to raise funds for a Museum. It is a three day event with Friday being a meet and greet and silent auction of donated pieces from the artists. Saturday and Sunday are open to the public.

This is my first invitational and I have little background on this particular annual event. However, I am closing in on finishing my web site and figure that this initial exposure might generate future interest at the very least. All I need to break even is two pen sales over the three days. After the donation, I keep 100% of my sales. however, th exposure to "Patrons of the Arts" is what I am really after.

Now my question:

My web site will have a full functioning shopping cart as well as a merchant account capable of taking 9 different CC formats. However, it might not be ready for the show. So, I am thinking about uploading a temporary site with all the pens and integrating PayPal so I can process CC sales on the spot with a laptop. The pens will be at the show and when someone wants a purchase, I would bring it up on the site and process it like an on-line sale without doing the "virtual terminal" approach or entering sales after each day. It would also save me having to get a ProPay account and all the manual CC accoutrement's for one show.

Do you CC show vendors think this is doable?

Thanks,

Dave

 

[ed4copies]

Dave,

I am impressed, but have no idea what this means. Sorry - you're over my head.

IF you will be able to take the credit card and release product, the customer will be happy. THEY don't understand what is happening on a simple terminal, either. Nuts and bolts are not important.

Hope that is SOMEWHAT of an answer.

 

[Chasper]

Bascially you are thinking about setting up a temp site with PayPal instead of full function credit card processing. When someone wants to make a purchase and pay with a card you would go on to your site and enter an online order for them, using PayPal as your CC processor. Am I understanding that correctly? That would work technically, and yes I think it is doable, but.....
1. You would be doing tech instead of selling.
2. Trying to explain what is going on could turn off some customers. There are still a good number of people who do not want their CC number entered online anywhere. They aren't aware that their numbers get entered online during standard processing.
3. You would be more productive spending your time between now and the show in making some great pens that they can't resist, not doing prep work for cc processing.

When you are getting CC usage at 5 sales out of 10, that does not mean that not accepting CCs would cost you 50%. Some of the users would use cash.

Of course all of this is IMHO. The great thing about being an independent merchant selling at shows is that you are independent and you can do it anyway you want.

 

[alphageek]

Ok. My take on this one - take it as you like as I haven't done any shows yet. However, I work with computers all day long and have gotten used to understanding how people and computers relate.

I think that in this current era of CC fraud fear, you're going to get a pretty good number of people who would be really freaked out using your laptop to process a credit card payment via paypal. It might be a good enough solution for some, but it may be a problem.

The only other thought is - are you going to have time to meet/greet/sell and still mess with checking out orders this way.

Good luck!

 

[SuperDave]

Some good points. The "perception" issue is the biggest concern. I agree that many people will not realize that most CC approvals and purchases get transmitted over the Internet at some point and that the laptop might just push them over the edge.

From a time consumption point, a manual knuckle-buster setup could take as much time as any other system, especially when you are more familiar with the on-line methodologies. I am hoping my daughter will sit with me for some of the time. She has extensive experience in the retail CC processing arena and that would free me up to do the selling rather filling out and pushing CC papers.

Dave

 

[gerryr]

I recommend getting set up as to take credit cards. If you plan to do shows, this is really a must anyway so get it done now. It took me maybe 10 days to get set up with Merchant Warehouse so you should have plenty of time. You can even get by without a knuckle-buster. There may well be some people who don't want to enter the CC number on your laptop, although those same people won't flinch at handing you their CC and letting you keep a copy of the receipt with all the same information and there may be some who are PayPal averse.

 

[ed4copies]

Even at our BEST shows, if we average 5 transactions per hour (for ME), we're pretty thrilled.

I would not worry about the "time" away from customers, you'll still have 50 minutes out of every hour.

Customer receptivity is probably relative to their age and sophistication. Old farts like me won't particularly CARE how you finalize the sale. Maybe the geeks will have objections, I'd have to ask my son!! (a geek)