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Credit Card minimum start charges

Main Street Carwash

Main Street Carwash

Member
For any of you that have CC acceptance at your SS wash, What are your cash start cost and time vs your CC start cost and time? Also is it the same for vending and vacuums or what? It seems most places have at least a $3 min for CC which is understandable for the wash bay but is a lot for a vacuum or vending. My washes have quite a few vac only customers. I know Cryptopay will consolidate charges but what if a customer only uses a vacuum? Is it a $3 minimum? At my washes that is 12 minutes. Also does anyone like any other CC acceptance systems? I really don't like the fact that one is limited to the processing company of Cryptopay's choosing in order to use their hardware.
 
I've looked into WashGear, the hardware is more expensive but there are no fees through them. It's "Bring Your Own Merchant Processor." I've seen reports that show in some cases the extra cost is offset in a year over Cryptopay and their fees.

I really don't see the need for a high startup with credit vs. cash. I started out at $1.25 cash when we added cards and had minimum of $1.50 with the same time as cash, basically to offset the worst of the Hamilton fees. It was rare that anyone charged less than $2.50.
 
MEP, what system are you using for CC acceptance in the bays? What is your average fee per transaction? I too am of the opinion that cash and CC start should be the same, just concerned about fees on low ticket amounts. ($5 or less)
 
Hamilton D.A.N., not sure of the average fee but it's a lot because of four separate transaction fees per swipe. Last I checked it was around 16%.

The vast majority of charges are over $3.50. Very few are under $5. Since I set it up at 25¢ more than cash startup for the same time that alone offsets the worst of the fees. There are a lot of customers who come in several times a week who just soap, rinse, and spot-free, and I didn't want to lose them with a high startup amount.
 
I have the same startup for both, but give less time per quarter for cc in order to help offset the cc fees.
 
I would love to have a further discussion with you about WashCard. In short, we provide credit card, loyalty and mobile payment solutions to the industry. We also provide full marketing services to our customers including websites, banners, decals, etc. Feel free to visit our website at WashCard.com or give our sales team a call at 888-439-5740 x100
 
Main Street Carwash said:
MEP, what system are you using for CC acceptance in the bays? What is your average fee per transaction? I too am of the opinion that cash and CC start should be the same, just concerned about fees on low ticket amounts. ($5 or less)
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Not sure if anyone will agree with me ... but those of us with tandem bays with lots of regulars who are conditioned to driving forward to free up the bay for a waiting car behind them see too high of a minimum as a detriment. An operator with tandem bays & who specifically observes & encourages the drive forward notices this type of helpful proceeding. Mild winter weather tends to create waiting lines for all car washes in some parts of the country.

Even if a current company does offer a workaround low rate per transaction ... it seems like unless the operator had a long term contract ... they would be at the mercy of potential future increases .... bait & switch if you will?
 
Raised my CC min. to $4 in Feb. from $2. Only had 5 people ask me why.
I told them between the bucket washers and the fee’s at $2 min. I was wasn’t making anything.
They all said I should have raised a long time ago.
 
mjwalsh said:
Even if a current company does offer a workaround low rate per transaction ... it seems like unless the operator had a long term contract ... they would be at the mercy of potential future increases .... bait & switch if you will?
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I don't recall that my processors have any contract term. So, we have to hope the competition will keep the prices reasonable. My biggest beef is with the Chip liability shift BS for my Gas Station.
 
Earl Weiss said:
I don't recall that my processors have any contract term. So, we have to hope the competition will keep the prices reasonable. My biggest beef is with the Chip liability shift BS for my Gas Station.
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Earl,

When I heard of processors not even willing to look at time date stamped video footage when it came to unfair charge-backs within some laundromats ... it was a real eye opener to their "form over substance" mindset. If cash becomes no longer a lever as an option besides just processor competition ... I honestly do not see that in our interest nor in the public's interest at all ... IMHO.
 
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The WashCard setup looks pretty slick. Anyone using or ever seen one? The Baystation looks like it is an all encompassing payment acceptance solution. I want to upgrade my meter boxes anyway and add cc. Not sure about bill acceptors due to feedback that they are easy targets for thieves but what about change machines? Also not sure about the selection buttons although they look pretty robust. Lastly I wonder how sturdy the screen protection is as I certainly can see some p.o.s. smashing it. Anyone have any input?
 
Main Street Carwash said:
The WashCard setup looks pretty slick. Anyone using or ever seen one? The Baystation looks like it is an all encompassing payment acceptance solution. I want to upgrade my meter boxes anyway and add cc. Not sure about bill acceptors due to feedback that they are easy targets for thieves but what about change machines? Also not sure about the selection buttons although they look pretty robust. Lastly I wonder how sturdy the screen protection is as I certainly can see some p.o.s. smashing it. Anyone have any input?
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I have an opinion. Replaced the meter boxes at one of my locations with Kleen-Rite ones. Rotary dial, bill acceptance, coin, crypto-pay, led6 timer. Really like how robust they are, no issues with break-in’s. They usually put the led7 timers in them, but I don’t like those displays for showing cc information, which is why I used led6 because of their dot matrix use. I put idex coin acceptors in them, never do that again, those things fail and jam a lot. As those fail, ive been swapping them with 20yr sensotrons I had left over from the old boxes.

As for cc infrastructure, cryptopay is the way to go. Simply because you don’t have to deal with all the pci scanning BS.
 
Main Street Carwash said:
.................... Not sure about bill acceptors due to feedback that they are easy targets for thieves but what about change machines?
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One of the reasons I went with an Etowah valley box on the side for Bill acceptor and also has the Crypto swiper mounted to it was in case someone trashed it the meter box wasn't out of order. So far no issues, Changer outside is well lit and inside room alarmed with door and motion sensor. I was in Houston and saw changers / venders "In Jail". There was a rebar cage extending ot from wall stuff was on so you had to reach your arm in 18" or so to access the machine.
 
Main Street Carwash said:
Is there a way to add a flat fee to all cc swipes with Cryptopay? Say 25 cents? All other things being equal to cash?
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If you do it the way I did, which is to charge 25¢ more for CC startup than cash but give the same amount of time as cash startup, then give the same time per minute as cash.
 
I do not like being charged fees for using my c/c. I feel it’s part of doing business. Yes I pay c/c fees...but the trade off is I have less cash to handle and quite frankly higher My s/s bays are all COUNT UP with. $3 minimum....
 
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