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Credit Card Machine Info

Posted by Dave Hinde on April 10, 2010 at 4:50pm
I am getting tired of my knuckle buster and I'm looking to get an electric swipe machine.  I call my credit cards in, usually after a show, but during if it's a big sale.  What I'm looking for is a machine that will swipe the card and print a ticket for the customer to sign, and one for me.  If it saved the info for me to copy later, that would be a big plus. 

Any suggestions as to what brand or type of system I need, or who to contact to get it?  Any help would be appreciated.  My knuckles thank you!

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Replies

  • Wendy Morowitz January 11, 2011 at 9:54pm
    I use the square with my i phone and love it.  Very easy to use and you can email the person a receipt.   When i get into bigger shows i may upgrade.  Good luck.
    • Lin Glore > Wendy Morowitz January 12, 2011 at 6:50am

      I have these question e-mailed to Square (and Intuit) but have not had a response as yet. 

       

      Question 1:  I recently did an indoor show (metal building) with absolutely NO cell phone reception.  The gal next to me with a wireless terminal allowed that her Nurit automatically switched to Store and Forward.  Square does not do that, and I don't know about Intuit, but in either case, what is the backup plan?  Go back to knucklebuster and manually punch in later?  Doesn't that defeat the compliance?

       

      Question 2:  Will the iPhone battery last a full day with that kind of use?  Under normal conditions my battery is down to +/- 40%.  Will it stand up to the extra use?

       

      Question 3:  Other than e-mail (if the customer is willing/able to provide e-mail address), is a handwritten receipt the only option?  Collecting payment and wrapping already takes longer than I'm happy with.  It's time I'm not greeting/selling to others.  Suggestions?

       

      Experiences?

       

  • Nancy Koehler January 11, 2011 at 9:03pm

    Hey Dave,

    Check out SquareUp.com. If you have a IPhone, IPad or Android with a headphone jack. Free to download the app from ITunes. No merchant fees, they handle all the compliance stuff, just per use fee for swiping and slightly higher for inputting the CC# one the phone. A email receipt can be sent to yourself and then forwarded to the customer or straight to the customer. You write them a receipt but the only CC receipt they get is via email. You don't have any numbers on file so no compliance junk.

     

    I called 1st National  Processing and asked to down grade my service from a wireless unit and all they could say was that I could cancel my account but they could not down grade me back to the knuckle buster. I just wanted it as a back up but oh well. I guess the Square it is. I do know people using it without problems. I think I just saved myself a bunch of money. Whoopee!

  • Larry C Eicher January 11, 2011 at 10:47am
    Nurit 2085 Card Payment Terminal, and One (1) Vector Power Inverter 1000 watt (2000 watt peak). This machine saves your sales. After the show you connect it to a phone line and it calls in for you. The first session authorizes the sales, the second call submits them for payment. I would throw in a three year old car battery (used only with this setup) Reach me at larry@larrysimages.com or 419-565-5207. I live in Mansfield, OH
  • Claudia Sapikowski October 15, 2010 at 10:38am
    I have a nurit 3010 wireless, used several years, love it! My account is through Sam's club, but you can choose your own, retiring now, just finished last show. Only problem, battery doesn't last through most showa; I have replaced it a couple times. Found a solution, powerpak, bought a Costco, I think it was $69; you charge it up, if you are really busy still last at least one day, then I recharge it at night, has jumper cables, weather station, radio, flashlight, so it is a great deal. If you are in a remote are, like I am in Michigan sometimes, just put charges offline, then download at the end of the day, swipe is less that, call in, plug in and it gives report, uploads, and batches. I am selling for only $100, that way if you buy power pack you get a deal. I have tried many machines, I love this one, no extra charges. This is not a converter, you just plug in light your at home, have also ran lights on my power pak. I will keep my power pak, great if power goes out for a couple light and radio, best of luck to you, if interested; (here is my email) claudiasap@comcast.net. Also, a lot of companies told me my machine would stop working, just to get me to buy new one, not so used it all this year, so don't fall for their scams, my sister fell for it and cost her $450 for a non wireless, many companies offer free with several years service, but if you cancel, again charge you high cancellation fees. I can use this on any type of phone to download if offline, even in hotels, you have an option to add a prefix such as dial 8 for outside line, then you just change back afterward. Most areas I get a signal, just in upper Mi, sometimes I don't. Claudia
  • Jacque Davis August 25, 2010 at 7:45am
    I am sold on Intuit they had me approved in one day and sent my card reader in 1 day at no extra charge. Great customer service!
  • Bill and Jon Slade August 23, 2010 at 11:18pm
    Dave, YOU MUST LIKE PEOPLE TAKING MONEY OUT OF YOUR POCKET // GET THIS //Commerce Payment just paid me $100 to sign up//dial up /$4.95 month,15 cent calls, 2.89% American Express// HOW lazy are you 4-6 charges a weknd. Knucklebust away //Keep that sucker simple// READ my past posts // I was hot for the square or veriphone Payware Mobile to the I phone BUT WHY????
  • Jacque Davis August 23, 2010 at 5:12pm
    I just applied to Intuit and am waiting to see f I have been accepted. I talked to my local bank but there program was pretty pricey.
    Intuit had great customer service and reasonable fees. I applied by phone.
  • Dave Hinde April 10, 2010 at 5:50pm
    Thanks for the suggestions. I should have mentioned that I'm with a bank, and I don't pay any monthly charges, unless I want to go to an automated system. As long as I punch the numbers in on my phone, all I pay is my 3% (roughly). Most of my sales are under $100, and I usually only take 3-5 charges a weekend (wish I did more!). That may change (hopefully) as I'm stepping up the level of shows that I'm doing.
  • Alison Thomas April 10, 2010 at 5:02pm
    I went from a knuckle buster to a Nurit 8320. It is a store and forward machine so I hook it up to a phone at the end of the day and my charges go in. It's a lot faster than calling them in. The only problem I've run into so far is that it requires an analog phone. I stayed with my daughter for one show and like many young people she only has a cell phone. We had to go looking for a neighbor with a phone. If it is a large charge I have the option to call in and get approval right away also. The machine cost around $400 but is much cheaper without the battery. The battery is almost useless. If it is a busy day I run out of juice. I ended up getting a portable power supply from Walmart for $45 and I leave the credit card machine hooked up but only turn it on when I make a sale. I've never had a problem doing it that way. The portable power supply usually lasts the whole weekend on one charge if I do it that way. I'm with Paynet and I've found their rates reasonable.
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