Taking Credit Cards at Craft Shows
by Natalie Goyette
If you are crafting for a living you are going to want to make as much money as
possible. It's nice to be in it just for the love of the craft, but, if you are
going to craft shows to sell your items, then chances are you are going to want
to profit from your venture.
One of the best ways to boost your craft show sales is to offer credit as
payment. Visa, American Express and MasterCard (and others) are becoming the
transaction of choice when people are making snap decision on purchases. Plus,
there are quite a few benefits for people using credit cards, like air miles and
other reward programs, along with purchase protection.
Crafters have reported in various surveys that have credit card capability has
increased their sales by as much as 35 percent. Accepting credit card payments
is almost a necessity today as fewer people walk around with a lot of cash in
their pockets and taking checks incurs greater risk.
Taking credit cards allows you to expand your business to mail order, phone
orders and the Internet as well as your craft show sales. Credit cards allow
consumers to make more spontaneous purchases, which is often the case at craft shows.
Today, there are more options for those who have mobile businesses: they can
have a wireless debit / credit card machines, the standard debit / credit card
machines, and you always have the old style chargex machine with the carbon copy
transaction. Any of them will work, however, with the electronic systems, you
can set your business up to take any credit card. If you have the chargex
carbon, then you may only be able to accept one of those cards.
Even though there are set up fees and monthly fees, the benefits far outweigh
the costs. To get started, check your current bank or call a craft guild or
association to check the many options, comparing costs and services for merchant
accounts. Some warehouse companies like Costco, offer its members excellent
credit card services at reasonable prices.
Create a comparison chart of the best two or three offers and get some referrals
from people who are using the services of the companies you're considering.
Lastly, before making your decision, ensure there is an available contact person
you can call when you have any problems or questions.
Credit cards are a great way for you to offer payment flexibility to your
customers. There is less cash in the average consumer's pocket, and more plastic
than ever before. So, if you want to sell more of your crafts, maybe you should
think of offering a credit card payment option to your customers.
Natalie Goyette shows you how to make your craft show business profitable in her
best selling ebook: Craft Show Success Secrets. Visit her site:
www.craftshowsuccess.com
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