Credit card payment?

How to communicate with your potential renters - how to turn site visitors into enquiries, and enquiries into bookings.
teba18
Posts: 274
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2008 6:11 pm
Location: Algarve
Contact:

Credit card payment?

Post by teba18 »

Does anyone know if it's possible for 'little old us' (ie we're not a company) to be able to accept payment from guests by credit card? More people are asking this question and we'd be happy to oblige if only we knew how! ........
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
Contact:

Post by Hells Bells »

I do exactly that using a Paypal account. it isn't for everyone, but it depends on how many transactions you are likely to complete.You need a premier or business account to be able to withdraw money to your bank. Fees vary with the volume of payments, and whether the payment is from abroad
cc
Posts: 164
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2006 8:33 pm
Location: Spain

Post by cc »

we don't take credit cards. At first it was because our bank wanted 8% for the privilege but to be honest we are glad we don't take them now anyway and not one guest has had a problem with our stance on the matter.
Firstly all banks take at least some % even if it is not 8, well that is our money thank you very much.
Secondly, if the card is stolen or cloned the responsibility lies with us for accepting it and not the bank so we lose out. Why take the risk?
I know there are a lot of Paypal fans on this site but they also take a commission and if a complaint is made against you for whatever reason, Paypal freeze your account even if there is other "good" money in there and you are effectively unable to process any payments until they have investigated. Sorry but who the f*** do they think they are having the right to wield that power over my business and to charge me for the right to do so.
So we take deposits by electronic transfer, or full amount if guests prefer and the balance in cash when they are here.
You don't have to write something on every thread, do you?
la vache!
Posts: 11065
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 7:22 pm

Post by la vache! »

casa caleta wrote:we don't take credit cards. At first it was because our bank wanted 8% for the privilege but to be honest we are glad we don't take them now anyway and not one guest has had a problem with our stance on the matter.
Firstly all banks take at least some % even if it is not 8, well that is our money thank you very much.
8%? I pay 0.45% for all European credit card payments. It is convient for the customer and for me as it goes directly to my French account.
User avatar
paolo
Posts: 3885
Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2004 1:18 pm
Location: Provence, France
Contact:

Post by paolo »

Recently discussed here, and in other places. If you do a search for 'credit card payments' and select 'search for all terms', you will find past discussions about this.
Paolo
Lay My Hat
User avatar
roxytoo
Posts: 1701
Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2005 8:23 am
Location: Spain Costa Blanca

Post by roxytoo »

Just be aware that if you take a payment and the customer is not 'verified' they can go on their holiday, come back and issue a chargeback against the payment and paypal will just whip the money back.............
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
Contact:

Post by Hells Bells »

This can happen with any credit card payment system surely, and is not unique to Paypal?
User avatar
CSE
Posts: 4414
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:34 pm
Location: Galicia

Post by CSE »

HelenB wrote:This can happen with any credit card payment system surely, and is not unique to Paypal?
Not if you get them to sign the payment receipt when they arrive. It proves that they have been to your establishment.

Sod Paypal it is more expensive than having a machine for CC in the house.

To answer the OP, we don't think that you can have CC payments unless you have a company. Maybe you should ask your bank.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
Contact:

Post by Hells Bells »

I have been unable to negotiate a cheaper option than Paypal for my French property, my apartment does not generate sufficient income for them to give me a decent rate.
la vache!
Posts: 11065
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 7:22 pm

Post by la vache! »

There are alternatives to Paypal - such as www.moneybookers.com and www.PPPay.com which allow on line payments from individual to individual, you don't have to be a company. The commission paid is a lot less, but there are other things to take into account, for example with Moneybookers the person paying has to register, which isn't ideal and there is an 80p charge everytime you take your money from the Moneybookers account. But as the commission on cc payments is 1.9% as opposed to 4.9% (or thereabouts) that Paypal take, I think it is still a cheaper option.
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
Contact:

Post by Hells Bells »

I am not able to link either of these to my online booking system though. I only pay 3.4% maximum for PP and not 4.9% though.
User avatar
Giddy Goat
Posts: 9054
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2005 7:38 am
Location: UK
Contact:

Post by Giddy Goat »

James wrote:I booked a three night stay in an apartment in Torquay the other day for next May. I simply looked up 5 star (or rosettes, suns etc. whatever they are) on the Torquay tourism website, found what I wanted and within about 20 minutes had booked with my card. I know that they will help themselves to the balance sometime in March so now I don't have to worry about it. I was doing this at work and couldn't afford to spend any more time on it. The site I booked with loaded quickly, was simple to navigate, quoted me a price, confirmed availability and took my money all in one hit - hey presto. Back in October we had a week in a great apartment in Madeira. Again all booked and paid for online in a similar way. This is most definitely the way forward.
James wrote:With c/c booking you can also include in the T&Cs that you will automatically charge the balance at twelve weeks (or whatever) before the start date. That means the guest doesn't have to think too hard about parting with the cash (and risk cancellations) - and hey, it just goes on the never never anyway!
In the light of James's comments as a renter but also an owner, I thought maybe it was time to review my position on this. There are loads of threads on the subject but this was the most recent one, for those others here who are still making up their minds!
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be
la vache!
Posts: 11065
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 7:22 pm

Post by la vache! »

I had to pay for something by Paypal recently. It was a pain in the proverial because I have an account with them, but didn't want to use that card, so I had to use a different email address and create a new account (I couldn't make the payment without setting up an account).
But at least I didn't have to pay the 4.5% commission or whatever some rental owners charge for that transaction. If I was looking to book somewhere for a holiday and could only pay by cc with Paypal, plus the owners were asking me to add on and pay the 4.5% commission, I would look elsewhere.
User avatar
Rocket Rab
Posts: 2248
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:37 pm
Contact:

Post by Rocket Rab »

Giddy Goat wrote:
James wrote:With c/c booking you can also include in the T&Cs that you will automatically charge the balance at twelve weeks (or whatever) before the start date.
Silly question, I'm sure, but how does this work if you don't have the customer's cc number?
la vache!
Posts: 11065
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 7:22 pm

Post by la vache! »

Rocket Rab wrote:
Giddy Goat wrote:
James wrote:With c/c booking you can also include in the T&Cs that you will automatically charge the balance at twelve weeks (or whatever) before the start date.
Silly question, I'm sure, but how does this work if you don't have the customer's cc number?
I think a lot of people take the number over the phone for payment and input the details into a cc reader, so do have a record of the card number. I'm glad I don't do this and I wouldn't feel secure paying in this way either. It's much easier for the punter to input all the details him/herself via secure on screen payment page, RR :wink:
Post Reply