@cupzcoffeeaz This is always an interesting question to answer. First, to the issue of companies like this. There is a reason you get daily calls, daily mails, daily emails, etc, from companies like this. They come. They splash. They go, leaving lots of people high and dry and scrambling to move somewhere else for their processing. I am NOT saying that they are all shady, but most of them are what I like to call “bait and switch” businesses. My experience (watching others jump to such deals) has been that they all regret it sooner or later, either because the rates change, or the free POS never gets upgraded, or there is absolutely no customer service, or something. These companies start up and die in the hundreds every year.
NOW…. I’m not being a Square fanboy or apologist, understand. Yes, I love Square. But for me, it is all about the basically free POS that I get onto which I can add optional services and still not pay as much as a traditional POS’s hardware and software. I wish your neighbor pizza place all of the best luck in the world, and hopefully her longer term experience is different from what I’ve seen. But I’d be surprised, in the long run.
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Just remember to keep your messaging positive — tell your cash customers they are getting a “cash discount,” and whatever you do don’t put up signs complaining about how much credit card fees are hurting your business, so you have to pass on the cost. I’ve walked out of establishments who do things like that and told everyone why I won’t patronize them. The best sign I saw recently was one that something like “We offer a 3.5% discount to cash paying customers, and gladly accept other forms of payment for full price.” I could read between the lines, and I respected that they were saying this was their choice for their business.
One other option I’ll give you that I use. I’ve always included processing fees into my cost of goods calculations when determining sale price. No one has ever known, or cared. If you did that, you could still offer the “cash discount” without the hassle of various service charges. Honestly, this was the best decision we ever made when we opened our doors 12 years ago.
I hope that gives you an idea of one person’s opinion, and solution.
I wish your well!
Chip A.
Square Expert & Innovator and member of the Square Champions group. (But NOT a Square employee, just a seller like you)
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