POS and credit card fees question

[YodaRules]

Trying to plug in business plan figures and I'm at the POS Hardware/Software needed for the coffee cafe I want to open. It's hard to understand costs by searching the internet as all are wanting your information first. Have read getting the POS hardware/software in conjunction with credit card processing would be a good route if -- notice the "if" -- the fees for credit card usage is normal and not inflated for equipment/software use.

Anyone using POS they would recommend and cost (if you don't mind)? And.... what are your percentages and fees for taking credit card payments.

Thanks,
Patsy

 

[chast]

Shopkeep. great program! 50.00 per month. Operates on your Ipad. Buy a cash drawer, 139.00 and a Star Blue Tooth Printer, 399.00 and you are up and running. They give you 30 days free trial. Tried Square, did not like it even though it is free. I have gift cards from Ecard Systems that can be used with the software also. Not fully integrated though, but free. Shopkeep has a vendor that their cards are fully integrated at additional monthly fees. Shopkeep is so user friendly! Looking at local credit card processing from my bank. Currently cash only which is working just fine. Square I think is 2.75%. You can downloadtheir program and try it out also. They are coming out with a new swipe soon that accepts the new credit cards that contain the "chip" keep that in mind or ask if you purchase an external terminal.

 

[YodaRules]

Thanks Charlie,

Will check out Shopkeep. Not sure I want a monthly fee -- thinking of single purchase of software & hardware; however, with monthly fee I'm thinking support is better. Setup I have in mind is Cash Drawer with Card Swipe, Printer for Cash Drawer and Printer for Kitchen. Setup will be like Panera (if you are familar) where you walk to counter, order food then pay before sitting down to wait on name to be called for food pickup.

Again thanks for direction.

Patsy

 

[chast]

Panera is good! I discovered ShopKeep from a visit to a restaurant. Same idea as Panera setup for counter and kitchen. Great customer support from Shopkeep. They offer free shipping on all products also.. I looked at other programs to purchase but never felt that they were worth 5K.

 

[nv305]

According to what I have seen when any business starts out it is of utmost importance to try and control/maintain your costs (granted this goes during the entire life of the business itself, but very important when starting out and cash flow may be tight). Be aware that your CC fees are variable based on the service provider.

I do not use square, but one thing I do like about it is that it provides a lot of support and developers are finding new ways to integrate a full POS system based on things you may already own. As some mentioned above, you can get a printer and a cash drawer. In addition, Square has its own stand that rotates for signatures and a full length card swiper reducing the amount of times you may have to pass the card.

I like about Square is that all they charge for is the CC processing fee, and it can vary once you have revenue of a specific amount. The UI is very simple and allows for quick order taking. If needed you can also add staff operating on ipods/itouches/ieverythings accepting payments for your shop.

At the end of the day there is no fixed monthly cost to you when using square and with a one time investment of the drawer(s), printer(s) you can have a full POS system. I dislike how high there processing fee is, but its the premium you pay for not having a to pay a monthly fee with them.

IMO its a great way to start out as the a coffee shop you don't need anything that is crazy. This is a recommendation I make to a lot of my accounting clients when they are opening up a restaurant/retail. (not specifically for square, but it is growing in popularity as the investment for a full POS system in reduced drastically)

 

[slurp]

shopkeep is good and a lot of shops are using Square.

 

[chast]

With Apple having their new "6" that supports mobile payments, I am opting for a Veriphone terminal and local bank processing. trying to stay away form plastic all together but might have to bow to the debit card users.

 

[vomaxa]

According to what I have seen when any business starts out it is of utmost importance to try and control/maintain your costs (granted this goes during the entire life of the business itself, but very important when starting out and cash flow may be tight). Be aware that your CC fees are variable based on the service provider.

I do not use square, but one thing I do like about it is that it provides a lot of support and developers are finding new ways to integrate a full POS system based on things you may already own. As some mentioned above, you can get a printer and a cash drawer. In addition, Square has its own stand that rotates for signatures and a full length card swiper reducing the amount of times you may have to pass the card.

What I like about Square is that all they charge for is the CC processing fee, and it can vary once you have revenue of a specific amount. The UI is very simple and allows for quick order taking. If needed, you can also add staff operating on iPods/iTouches/iEverythings accepting payments for your shop, and you can easily check your credit score on Experian to ensure you're on track financially for business growth.

At the end of the day there is no fixed monthly cost to you when using square and with a one time investment of the drawer(s), printer(s) you can have a full POS system. I dislike how high there processing fee is, but its the premium you pay for not having a to pay a monthly fee with them.

IMO its a great way to start out as the a coffee shop you don't need anything that is crazy. This is a recommendation I make to a lot of my accounting clients when they are opening up a restaurant/retail. (not specifically for square, but it is growing in popularity as the investment for a full POS system in reduced drastically)

When selecting a POS system for your coffee cafe, it's crucial to balance the hardware/software costs with the credit card processing fees to ensure you're getting a fair deal. Many POS providers bundle their software and hardware with credit card processing, which can be convenient, but be sure to check the fine print on their fees. Some systems have lower upfront costs for equipment but high transaction fees, while others offer more reasonable fees with slightly higher equipment costs. For POS systems, some popular and reliable options for small businesses are Square, Toast, Lightspeed, and ShopKeep. They typically charge around 2.6% to 2.75% per transaction for credit card processing, with the option to either lease or buy the hardware upfront. Some also offer integrated payment solutions, making it easier to track both sales and payments. I would suggest contacting different providers and asking about their specific pricing models, especially for the hardware, software, and any additional fees for processing payments. Don't forget to ask about hidden charges or "per month" fees for maintenance or support services. It's also worth researching independent credit card processors like Fattmerchant or Helcim, which provide transparent pricing with no hidden fees or long-term contracts. In short, check for transparent pricing, ask about bundles, and compare transaction fees to ensure you're getting the best deal for your needs.