OT: Accepting Credit/Debit Cards

[taxmandan]

I've accepted cards for 8 or 9 years now but this year I ditched the merchant account vendor for the Square process on the iPad. LOVE IT! No security compliance issues since I don't have copies of their cc numbers, etc. No additional fees for security compliance validation, no monthly minimum fee, the dongle is free, and the money shows up in my account within 48 hours. What surprised me was how the clients liked it, no one even batted an eye at the process and most were intrigued by it, having heard about it somewhere. One client was telling me she used her Square on the iPhone at her daughters' fund-raiser car wash and it really brought in the $$ for the cheerleaders fund.

There are other providers now similar to Square but I have no experience with them.

[FEDUKE404]

Fee charged

Is there not a 2.75% swipe fee involved ??

(I think I would just put up with the "inconvenience" of checks....)

FE

[JoshinNC]

AcceptPay

https://www.paysimple.com

Love It!!

[taxtimeagain]

I am a square user also and all my customers that have accessed it on my smartphone have been very receptive to it!

[Roberts]

Square will work with most Android products as I understand it. It's not just for Apple products.

I'm not using it yet because I had a Blackberry phone until recently but i will have it up and running next tax season and will even have it for other businesses I work. Honestly, why on earth wouldn't someone offer the service if it increases your customer service profile?

[DTS]

CC use

www.paysimple.com

Love It!!

I'll check this out. I am tired of the song and dance I have to go through each year with QB. This may be the same, but I'll look into it.

[taxmandan]

Is there not a 2.75% swipe fee involved ??

(I think I would just put up with the "inconvenience" of checks....)

FE

Yes, but that is less than the fees that I was being hit with by my former conventional merchant account, they charge a minimum monthly fee ($25), transaction fees (1.9%), additional fees when a client used a business cc or mileage plus card (0.75%+), and security compliance fees ($200+/annually), etc. etc. And of course the cost of a swipe machine too. I love the simplicity and the total fees are way less than before. As always, fees are factored in to my tax prep fees.

Paper checks are becoming so obsolete, I think writing checks should be illegal unless you are over 70 yoa and drive a Buick! 8^p

[beck]

Paper checks are becoming so obsolete, I think writing checks should be illegal unless you are over 70 yoa and drive a Buick! 8^p

If I were drinking my coffee at the time I read this...it would be all over my desk! Thanks for the laugh!


BTW...I also started offering clients the option to pay with the Square. No problems, receipt delivered to their email or phone within seconds. I adjusted my rates very slightly to incorporate my cost for this service. I even had a few pay via Paypal.

About 98% of my clients pay when they pick up their return. That is either in person or via the scan 8879 and sign and email back to me and pay me electronically.

Beck

[oceanlovin'ea]

Square

This is my second year using the Square for credit card transactions. I don't have a lot of clients that use the card but it comes in handy when they come in and say I forgot to bring a check. I don't have the cash. "Oh, I'll take your credit card." and they think that is great.

You only get charged when you swipe a card. So the fees are not that significant. If I know a client is going to pay with a credit card, I charge a little more to cover it. I think I paid less than $20 last year in fees. But like I said I don't use it very much.

My clients love it. Last year they signed with their finger. This year I had a stylus for them. They all think it is so cool.

Love it! Love it! Love it!

Linda, EA

[S T]

I am also curious about the Pay Simple - Sorry - I don't have an Iphone or IPad, I am pretty basic and keeping up just with the technology on my Computer is more than I can deal with. Although since I am getting ready to update my cell phone, I might have to take a look at other options.

Thanks to all that post and share ideas - it is really valuable

Sandy

[beck]

I am also curious about the Pay Simple - Sorry - I don't have an Iphone or IPad, Sandy

You don't need fruit-made technology to use the square. It works on android devices as well.

Beck

[BP.]

You don't need fruit-made technology to use the square. It works on android devices as well.

Beck

Yep. I updated to an android phone with Square in mind.

I'll ditto all the positive comments about Square. Linda gave us an enthusiastic report on using it last year, so I got one this year. (Thanks, oceanlovin'ea!) It is just as everyone here has said. Easy, convenient, fun, cheap, clients loved it. Delightful!

[JohnH]

I trust Linda's judgement too, but I was also inspired by an even higher resource. Last time I got my hair cut, my barber used a square to swipe my debit card. That caused me to go ahead and get one for my business. I figured that settles it - they're already the best source of tax info so there's every reason to rely upon their general business expertise.

[oceanlovin'ea]

You're right, John

You are so right John. Believe what your barber tells you. They have the inside scoop on everything.

IRS clears things with their barbers before they tell us.

Linda, EA

[mactoolsix]

Out of State returns

We do quite a few out of State or out of the area returns - all by phone, email and secure drawer. Is there an option to manually key in the credit card number, or would we still have to retain the merchant account system?

Thanks,
Mike