Credit Card Machine

[Terry Ow-Wing]

Just came back from a computer show at the "Cow Palace" in San Francisco. Many of the vendors had a nurit type of set up and we observed a vendor running in and out of the building to get reception on her machine. Saw another vendor holding the machine to the sky to try to get reception! I had thought that these machines only had trouble in basement type of situations - Oh well guess nothing is perfect.

As an aside to get a knucklebuster I've been lucky and always on the hunt for bargains and have scored knuckle busters for anywere from 5.00 to 7.00 at going out of business sales, etc.

-terry O.

Sara,
Is your new machine the Nurit 3010?
I'm looking to replace my outdated setup...old analog phone, cellular interface & hypercom.
I have heard with some of the new ones, it depends on the location.....then you see artists holding their machines, moving place to place for better reception. Have you experienced any of this?
Thanks Sherry

[Sara]

Sara,
Is your new machine the Nurit 3010?
I'm looking to replace my outdated setup...old analog phone, cellular interface & hypercom.
I have heard with some of the new ones, it depends on the location.....then you see artists holding their machines, moving place to place for better reception. Have you experienced any of this?
Thanks Sherry

Sherry, yes we purchased the Nurit 3010. At home we hook up to the phone line 'cause we can't even use our digital phone out here in the boonies.

We did experience challenges at Las Vegas 'cause there are so many electrical and wireless currents everyone with every type of wireless had problems. We simply used it as a glorified knucklebuster and swiped the card and stored it to up load by phone line in the evening.

There was one person at Las Vegas who had an antennae hooked to his machine (not the model Nurit we purchased) and he was receiving signals. We are looking into an antennae right now. They cost between $90-$125.

Chicago last week was a breeze. I shared a room with a girlfriend who still uses a knuckle buster. I was in bed watching some inane tv program and she was still on the phone calling in the cc's. I tried not to rub it in. For me another excellent feature is that it automatically batches out and runs a report. I can run a number of credit cards during the day the the next morning I've got a report waiting for me. Certainly makes bookkeeping easier to.

Happy with this new technology,

Sara

[Sara]

[quote="Terry Ow-Wing"]Just came back from a computer show at the "Cow Palace" in San Francisco. Many of the vendors had a nurit type of set up and we observed a vendor running in and out of the building to get reception on her machine. Saw another vendor holding the machine to the sky to try to get reception! I had thought that these machines only had trouble in basement type of situations - Oh well guess nothing is perfect.

As an aside to get a knucklebuster I've been lucky and always on the hunt for bargains and have scored knuckle busters for anywere from 5.00 to 7.00 at going out of business sales, etc.

-terry O.

Hi Terry,

the one downside I see is that these machines are just like cell phones in that if the signal is weak they can't link up. At Las Vegas (second time out with the Nurit) I did feel my stress level rise. Good lessons in deep breathing I was still able to swipe the cards and store the info for uploading by phone line or in the hotel skyhigh later. it still took much much less time than keying in the numbers. see previous answer about the antennae.

I did have one challenge though when we set up the account someone in the clearing house mis-keyed our new account number. The machine took the monies out of the purchasers account but then it went to cyberspace and (bad business on my part) I didn't check to make sure monies were in my account until a check from me was paid against nsf! wow was I . . . First time THAT had happened It took about two weeks to straighten everything out cause of course this was right after our big show of the year.

Since February we have used this machine lots and lots and really like it. Our old system for our web sales was MacAuthorize on the computer and the Nurit makes accounting much easier.

I'd recommend it weak signal aside.

Sara

[lauren]

check over at the crafts report message board too, cc gateways/machines/processing are always being discussed over there the archives are full of info

[Riverviewglass]

Sara - what did you pay for your maching - I am looking to upgrade later this summer and am just starting to research this -
Unlike alot of others I have been reading about - I have experienced requests and chargebacks mostly from people who say they weren't in Wisconsin, when I call them it always straightens it out - but I have still been charged that fee Don't know if a new machine will make a difference as we knucklebust and then staple the Verifone reciept to it and give to the people.

Something I would recommend to everyone is to knuckle bust every transaction - when you swipe a card the name is not present - they don't have to sign the knuckle buster but it does list out for them what they purchased.

Also - if you take CC - try to remember to copy down that 3 digit security code on the back of the CC in the signature box. I know discover is looking for them already. I put it under the person's phone number. Just more proof that the card owner was present - really comes in handy with over the phone transactions.
Kim K

[Terry Ow-Wing]

One funny story - on my very first machine, first show, my merchant service deposited my transactions to my account TWICE! but since I'm honest I called them and tried to straighten them out - they just couldn't get it at first - they said it was the first time anyone called to have money taken out - well I said I didn't want to have any mad clients over double charges and more over I just didn't want the merchant service to keep screwing up....needless to say I did drop them after a period.

-Terry O.


[quote="Sara....I did have one challenge though when we set up the account someone in the clearing house mis-keyed our new account number. The machine took the monies out of the purchasers account but then it went to cyberspace and (bad business on my part) I didn't check to make sure monies were in my account until a check from me was paid against nsf! wow was I . . . First time THAT had happened It took about two weeks to straighten everything out cause of course this was right after our big show of the year.
...
Sara[/quote]

[jj jacobs]

I just returned from the Arts Business Institute "Bootcamp for Artists" in North Carolina and one of the workshops was given by Guy & Cyndy McDonald from Arts & Crafts Business Solutions regarding taking credit cards.

Arts & Crafts Business Solutions offer several different packages for accepting credit cards including touch-tone dial-up; keyed entry; and wireless packages. Their rates are below most other sources you go to because they get a premium rate based on the sales of artists grouped together.

Many of the artists from http://www.craftsreport.com use them and after sitting through their class, I'm convinced they have the best offer out there for the small OR large artist.

Their number is: (814) 861-2005 or (919) 884-1319.

JJ

[Sara]

Sara - what did you pay for your maching - I am looking to upgrade later this summer and am just starting to research this -
Unlike alot of others I have been reading about - I have experienced requests and chargebacks mostly from people who say they weren't in Wisconsin, when I call them it always straightens it out - but I have still been charged that fee Don't know if a new machine will make a difference as we knucklebust and then staple the Verifone reciept to it and give to the people.

Something I would recommend to everyone is to knuckle bust every transaction - when you swipe a card the name is not present - they don't have to sign the knuckle buster but it does list out for them what they purchased.

Also - if you take CC - try to remember to copy down that 3 digit security code on the back of the CC in the signature box. I know discover is looking for them already. I put it under the person's phone number. Just more proof that the card owner was present - really comes in handy with over the phone transactions.
Kim K

Kim,

we paid $950 for our machine. Sometimes I go with easier rather than doing lots of research, shame on me. a friend had a machine from them and was very happy, so I simply went with their suggestion First National Processing http://1nbcard.com . I've been pleased Another friend purchased one on ebay for $450 (different model) and it was taking them seemingling forever to get their system set up, although they were starting from scratch, I don't know who their processing company is.

I think you can have your cc info configured to say something to let people know who you are/what they purchased on all cc's, or add your phone number or something so when they get their bill they can contact you or know more what it was the purchased. If you are getting more than one every few years then something isn't set up for ease. I think you can easily change this. to test what is printed on people's cc bill each month run a test charge for $1.00 on your personal cc and then watch for the bill.

on the wireless the name is printed at the bottom of the receipt along with the totals etc. which makes things easy too., which is standard I think.

good luck,

Sara