The pay pal post has me thinking. I'm a self employed taxidermist. I take credit cards. It cost me 2.75% if a customer pays for his mount with one.

They cost me a good bit every year. I can write it off as a business loss but still don't like it.

If a guy has a $1000 bill and pays with a card. $27.50 comes out of my pocket.

This year I'm planning on having a cash or credit price. How do you guys feel about that? Would it offend you? The other alternative is raise my prices to cover the fees.

It doesn't seem fair to those who pay with cash or check. What are your feelings? Thanks guys. Jim

Most small businesses these days seem to have a cash and credit card price. Seems reasonable to me.

I think you are spot on. I hate credit cards. They seem to be trying to take money out of our pockets. What was wrong with checks and cash? They claim it is for our convenience but it is to make money and put folks in debt.O.K. rant over. sorry. >>>---> Ken

Seems reasonable to me. I'd pay cash for such a thing anyway

You're self-employed; you set your salary. Allowing a customer to use a credit card is a courtesy to them, not you. You're entitled to your fees. Pass it on. Hang a little sign in your studio informing customers that it's their choice, cash or an 2.75% to cover credit card fees.

All gas stations here do that it’s no biggie

I think it doesn't matter what you charge or whether you raise your fees to cover the cost you will always look at it as money out of your pocket.

Set your price for credit card payments and offer a cash discount sounds reasonable to me.

I wouldn't have a problem with it.

Jim, your older and wiser than I. I would go with cash or check only.

Unless you think you'll loose business.

I do not know about Paypal, or if credit card companies still do this, but in the past some credit card companies would not allow their vendors to have a two price system. I can't remember for sure, but I think it was Visa, that said it would cancel providing us service if we continued to offer a cheaper price for cash than for using Visa card.

Raise your prices and give a 3% cash discount

Just increase the cost by 3% if paying by a CC, done.

“Nice guys finish last” applies here. Keep giving away “fees” and it could cost you your business. Besides, unless you advertise your paying the fees your customers don’t even know it.

I agree with Pete. If someone asks for a cash discount, even though it isn't advertised, you can do on a case by case basis.

Cash is king.

Thanks for your thoughts guys. I'm going to go with letting them pay the 3%. I appreciate the input. Jim

Just raise the price to cover it, rather than worry about who pays what. People understand inflation. A $300.00 fee would only be $9.00 anyway. Just raise the price to $310.00 and you will be 70 cents ahead after the fee.

I see no reason why you shouldn't charge more if it costs you more. God Bless

I think it's a good idea.

Gas station do

I'm self employed.Almost everyone pays with a debit card now it costs the vendor ALOT and adds up BUT people HATE to be charged extra.Raise prices and post a cash discount people LOVE a discount.

Check your Stste and local laws. In some Ststes it is against the law to charge extra or s different price because they want to use a CC.

Check your Stste and local laws. In some Ststes it is against the law to charge extra or s different price because they want to use a CC.

I'd tack it on in a nano-second. It's simply a cost of doing business, i.e, an expense. No different than if the taxidermy forms you use go up 10%. It get's added on to the price that the end consumer pays. It's just like corporate taxes. The CONSUMER pays them, NOT the company as it get's added in to the cost to produce the good/service.

Common practice nowadays. I wouldn't lift an eye and would take advantage of the cash discount if that's the way you decide to go.

Just raise your prices. You'll lose some business if you charge extra for credit. The reason we take cards to start with is for the added business it brings in and to not have the worry of bad checks. So your not losing anything. But you may if you have 2 rates. And like someone said it may be against the law in you state.

i see no issue with being honest.

customers want a easy and seamless transaction..( raise your price enough to enclude free shipping?) accepting cards with no strings attached should increase sales imo

It was mentioned above but deserves more traction in my opinion. People LOVE A DISCOUNT.

Set your standard price to cover Credit Card cost then offer a CASH DISCOUNT.

People hate being PENALIZED for using Credit Cards because it is the standard method of payment for most people today and they LOVE A DISCOUNT.

If you run a small business and don't accept CC you are losing customers in todays world.

I did taxidermy myself and I only did cash didn't really have any real problems

Jim, many companies have a cash and credit price. Makes sense. You are trying to advertise the best possible price and that is for cash transactions. Rather than have separate prices, I suggest listing the credit card price and then indicate there is a 3% discount for cash/check payments. This encourages people to pay cash/check and makes them feel like they are getting a special discount.

Another vote for cash discount.

Cash you hide a CC you can't so don't go telling us there never was snow white in life.LOL

I hate cash/ credit prices. With a CC you have records. I had some bad experiences with cash. Especially when they screw something up and you have to go back on them and cash records are gone!!!!!!!!!

I had a PO not pay for a bow they broke because they would not honer the cash receipts.

Variables in all that we do.

my vote

raise price/ give cash discount

oz

CC may be what makes the purchase possible . A person may not be able to gather the full price at once. A CC will let them make payments. I agree, a cash discount sounds much better than a surcharge for credit.

The fees for cards are a business cost. Increase your fees to cover your costs.

Thanks guys for all the input. Believe it or not probably 95% of my customers pay by cash or check. I might have to rethink charging extra for cards. That's why I asked you all. Thanks again. Jim

It's your business, but one or two bad checks a year would go a long way toward credit card fees. You could adjust your prices to cover CC fees and offer a discount for cash.

Let me ask, do you have to pay that same fee if it's a debit card transaction?

I tend to agree with KPC -

Once you've delivered a mount, how much does it cost you to get paid if a check bounces? Time? Money? Aggravation? How much hassle is there for you in carting checks (and cash) down to the bank?

But 3% is a cost-of-living adjustment, and a lot of people I know have gone a damned long time without one. I totally understand if a business prefers cash/checks, and I don't think there is any law in any state that prohibits you placing a sign somewhere stating a preference.

On the other hand, there used to be a guy on another board who was really proud of the fact that he had named his HVAC service company something like Central Air Systems and Heating and told people when they wrote out a check that they didn't have to spell out the whole thing.... REEEAAALLL SMART, he thought he was....

I PAY my taxes; I don't like a lot of what I'm paying for, but I pay them just the same. A Tax Cheat is no better than a guy collecting bogus "Disability" checks or a parent who coaches their kids on how to act up so that they'll get put into special/at-risk programs at school and the parent can collect the extra "Crazy Money".... because (fortunately!) the govt pays extra to get troubled kids what they need - and UNfortunately, that sometimes happens whether they need it (or get it) or not.

JusPassin, to be honest I'm not sure. I have square for my phone. It's 2.75 per swipe and 3.5% if the number is punched in. No other fees at all. I like it very much. But don't know about debit. In the few years I've had it, no one has asked for debit. I need to check on that. Thanks, Jim

A gun shop in my state advertises their guns on the website like this $299 cash or $319 with card for example. I can see that on their site and I know what the cost will be and will decide before I go there to buy a gun. I see no harm in advertising it that way.

A lot of other advantages to dealing in cash.

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