iPhone Mobile Credit Card Processing

In the old days, your taxi driver, the pizza delivery guy, your Avon lady, and the woman selling tea cozies at the Christmas Craft Show all dealt strictly in cash sales.  Today’s credit-crazed consumer simply doesn’t carry cash.  If these vendors want to maintain their clientele,
they had better expand their catalogue of acceptable payment methods.  

The perfect way to do this is to offer a mobile credit card processing system right on your iPhone.

How should you go about choosing a mobile credit card processing program for your iPhone?  Here are a few tips.

•    Determine how much the system is going to cost you.  Be sure to consider fees involved with set up, transaction fees, and monthly service fees.

•     Most credit card processing systems work with all cell phones, but double check that the one you are considering is compatible with your iPhone.

•    Look in to the features that come with each system.  Some extras that you may wish to have include a tax and tip calculator, the ability to text or e-mail receipts directly to the consumer, and a system for managing customer information.  

•    It is also imperative that you ensure that security measures are taken to protect your customers’ personal and financial information. 

There are a number of mobile credit card processing programs available.  Here is a rundown on the most popular.  

•    Flagship ROAMpay

A nice feature of ROAMpay is that you get the benefit of highly competitive processing fees without having to commit to a contract.  You also get a free mobile credit card reader that you can use to swipe credit and debit cards.  And you will have your funds credited to your bank account within two days.  An added bonus is that this program enables you to export all of your ROAMpay transactions into your business’s accounting software.  

The one downfall is that their advertised low swipe fee only applies to specific debit cards.     

•    Intuit GoPayment

GoPayment is noteworthy for its ability to serve everyone from a tiny “Ma and Pa” store to a Big Box retail outlet.  It also offers its users a customer support number instead of merely an e-mail address.  Another attractive feature of this option is the fact that it uses the Intuit Merchants Services processing network and meets PCI compliance—increasing its security factor.  

Intuit boasts a free credit card reader and a mobile app that is compatible with all mobile devices.  There are no monthly or set up fees and transactions sync with Quickbooks.  You can also have as many as fifty employees processing payments from one account at any given time.  

The one drawback to GoPayment is that you cannot use it to process refunds.      

•    Leaders Merchant Services

Leaders Merchant Services is known for having very low processing rates.  Again, this option boasts a free credit card reader and no start up costs.  
Another benefit is that this program was designed specifically for Apple devices, although it is now compatible with both Android and Blackberry.  Other attractive features include the ability to void transactions with ease, a tip adding feature, and a digital receipt generator.  

One of Leaders Merchant Services’ shortfalls is that many users complain about poor customer service.

An iPhone truly is a marvellous, multi-purpose tool that can make a huge difference to your business.  Now it can accept credit card transactions too—making it a piece of business machinery that pays for itself.  Literally. 

What mobile credit card processing system do you use with your iPhone? 

All images courtesy of photos.com