We wanna take plastic!
April 13, 2007 8:25 PM Subscribe
Help me find the best credit card processing solution for a very specific, slightly unusual non-profit need.
A non-profit that I'm involved with sells annual memberships for $10. We'd like to be able to take credit card payments for online sign-ups. That part I can figure out ... but, the organization also has a twice-yearly booksale, a great big mother of an event - three days, tens of thousands of books, huge warehouse with tons of people coming through, buying books by the grocery cart.
For those six days out of the year, we would really like to be able to accept credit card payments - and ideally, it would be through the same system that facilitates online signups. One more wrinkle: the booksale is usually held in an auditorium or warehouse somewhere, and Internet access is not usually available - so a laptop/website based solution won't cut it.
So, ideally, we're looking for a credit card processing solution that will ...
1. Inexpensively facilitate low-dollar ($10/year) online transactions
2. Provide us with at least two portable card-swipe units, preferably the kind with cellular connectivity built in, those little hand-held jobbies with built-in receipt printer
3. In re #2, either loan them to us or rent them, since we only need them six days out of the year
4. Not charge a prohibitively large monthly fee, as most of our activity happens in the weeks surrounding the booksales (members get access to a "members-only" cherry-picking opening night, so most signups happen a few days prior)
Phew. I know that's really specific, but the options out there are labyrinthine. Thanks in advance for any help!
A non-profit that I'm involved with sells annual memberships for $10. We'd like to be able to take credit card payments for online sign-ups. That part I can figure out ... but, the organization also has a twice-yearly booksale, a great big mother of an event - three days, tens of thousands of books, huge warehouse with tons of people coming through, buying books by the grocery cart.
For those six days out of the year, we would really like to be able to accept credit card payments - and ideally, it would be through the same system that facilitates online signups. One more wrinkle: the booksale is usually held in an auditorium or warehouse somewhere, and Internet access is not usually available - so a laptop/website based solution won't cut it.
So, ideally, we're looking for a credit card processing solution that will ...
1. Inexpensively facilitate low-dollar ($10/year) online transactions
2. Provide us with at least two portable card-swipe units, preferably the kind with cellular connectivity built in, those little hand-held jobbies with built-in receipt printer
3. In re #2, either loan them to us or rent them, since we only need them six days out of the year
4. Not charge a prohibitively large monthly fee, as most of our activity happens in the weeks surrounding the booksales (members get access to a "members-only" cherry-picking opening night, so most signups happen a few days prior)
Phew. I know that's really specific, but the options out there are labyrinthine. Thanks in advance for any help!
CrayDrygu - are you happy with Merchant Express? I am also looking for a simliar vendor.
posted by MeetMegan at 9:25 AM on April 14, 2007
posted by MeetMegan at 9:25 AM on April 14, 2007
Don't forget to talk to your bank. They might be able to offer a special deal to keep this part of your business, or offer a discount because of your other business with them.
posted by Robert Angelo at 9:36 AM on April 14, 2007
posted by Robert Angelo at 9:36 AM on April 14, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by pril at 7:16 AM on April 14, 2007