Bubbles Galore
Active member
You guys got me thinking. After I crunched the numbers, my "cash" customers spend on average about $3.50 and my credit card average is at $5.75. Proof is in the pudding.
Paying with Credit Cards in the Bay
- Thread starter RykoPro
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Earl Weiss
Well-known member
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I need more info. How many customers per month per bay average?
How much did it cost per bay to install?
What system are you using?
If you have 200 customers per month per bay and 25% or 50 use CC then in theory it genrates an extra $112.50 per month per bay.
PaulLovesJamie
rural 5 bay SS
Partly as a result of all my credit card woes over the last 3 years, I've talked with a lot of my customers about credit cards. One significant pattern is that it is my best - ie highest spending - customers who want the credit card option the most. So I would be shocked if the CC average was not higher than cash, but that doesnt automatically mean that it is more profitable. For example, my best paying customers do not represent the bulk of my income...
I dont necessarily disagree with your conclusion, but crunching requires looking at the "why", not just the totals.
PaulLovesJamie
rural 5 bay SS
What we really desperately need here is a good ole' rant for an ICA study on credit card usage VS the dollar coin.
Greg Pack
Wash Weenie
Bubbles Galore
Active member
Sorry for the late reply, business has been booming.
I use the Etowah Valley system and that allows me to track just about everything that I need to make out the numbers.
I have a "cycle tracker" installed on the bays to track how many times its used which helps with coming up with some of the numbers.
I have a unique situation in that it was cost prohibitive it was to put in all new meterboxes. I only have two bays (out of my six) with cc acceptance (the second meterbox is only 2 months old). We have seen a dramatic increase in traffic for the credit card bays. Just last night, I had four open bays, but had customers waiting in line for the cc bays, it's crazy!
To answer a few questions, I'm $1.50/3 minutes, I'm not sure of the total percentage of cc to cash customers, but I can check those numbers tonight.
Sorry for the poor grammar and misspellings, I'm sending this from my blackberry.
Have a good one!
Posted from my BlackBerry using BerryBlab
I use the Etowah Valley system and that allows me to track just about everything that I need to make out the numbers.
I have a "cycle tracker" installed on the bays to track how many times its used which helps with coming up with some of the numbers.
I have a unique situation in that it was cost prohibitive it was to put in all new meterboxes. I only have two bays (out of my six) with cc acceptance (the second meterbox is only 2 months old). We have seen a dramatic increase in traffic for the credit card bays. Just last night, I had four open bays, but had customers waiting in line for the cc bays, it's crazy!
To answer a few questions, I'm $1.50/3 minutes, I'm not sure of the total percentage of cc to cash customers, but I can check those numbers tonight.
Sorry for the poor grammar and misspellings, I'm sending this from my blackberry.
Have a good one!
Posted from my BlackBerry using BerryBlab
MEP001
Well-known member
I tracked cash vs credit cards over a week once too - I tried cycles but it doesn't take into account the number of people who let the time run out before adding more money, so I took the numbers and actually counted the cars washed using the surveillance video. The numbers were significantly higher with credit card over cash, but not nearly as dramatic as Bubbles' numbers. IIRC it was about 20% more. By my math the system has paid for itself several times over just in the extra spent; since many people have told me they come to our wash because we're the only one that takes credit cards I'm sure the profitability is even greater than just the extra they spend.cfcw said:
MEP001
Well-known member
I saw the same thing when we had only two bays taking cards. When I added two more and had some nice full-color decals made, those immediately began to bring in more cash (mostly bills) as well as the credit card use.Bubbles Galore said:
Jeff_L
Well-known member
I have to say one of the number one comments I receive from customers when I ask "How's everything working for you today" is that "I just love that you added the CC machines". They've really changed the way people wash their cars. Instead of racing the clock, they focus on washing their car. I see a lot more foaming brush users now. I'm assuming because when using cash people may not be carrying enough and don't want to end up having to drive out of the lot with pink soap bubbles all over! 
Greg Pack
Wash Weenie
OK, just a snapshot, not an in-depth study.
Looking at my bluepay stmt for April
Total SS CC usage: 1498.25 number of transaction 252 =5.94 per transaction
merchant fees 132.54
Long distance fees 30.58
total fees to process 163.12 =10.88% processing fees
I am $2.00 for 3:30, I have been told the average customer ues 2.5 cycles, which if that is true would be 5.00. My CC customer is using 5.94, but when you subtract 10.88% processing fees of .646 per customer you're at 5.29 net cash.
Total SS bay revenue as percentage of Site revenue
Pre credit card
March 2009=19.8% of site sales (pollen month)
April 2009 = 18.49% of site sales
With credit cards in
March- data incomplete I'm msssing an accouting report from a WSII
April 2010=19.6% (Pollen month)
So for me perhaps the CC system is slightly positive, but in no way is it a "Home Run". I'd say it's a yawner as far as revenue goes. For the 6K investement to squeeze an extra .29 out of a customer- Let's just say I won't be shopping for a new boat anytime soon on the extra money I'm banking.
The jury is still out, Perhaps card usage will trend upwards. I will have another look at the one year anniversary.
Looking at my bluepay stmt for April
Total SS CC usage: 1498.25 number of transaction 252 =5.94 per transaction
merchant fees 132.54
Long distance fees 30.58
total fees to process 163.12 =10.88% processing fees
I am $2.00 for 3:30, I have been told the average customer ues 2.5 cycles, which if that is true would be 5.00. My CC customer is using 5.94, but when you subtract 10.88% processing fees of .646 per customer you're at 5.29 net cash.
Total SS bay revenue as percentage of Site revenue
Pre credit card
March 2009=19.8% of site sales (pollen month)
April 2009 = 18.49% of site sales
With credit cards in
March- data incomplete I'm msssing an accouting report from a WSII
April 2010=19.6% (Pollen month)
So for me perhaps the CC system is slightly positive, but in no way is it a "Home Run". I'd say it's a yawner as far as revenue goes. For the 6K investement to squeeze an extra .29 out of a customer- Let's just say I won't be shopping for a new boat anytime soon on the extra money I'm banking.
The jury is still out, Perhaps card usage will trend upwards. I will have another look at the one year anniversary.
Last edited:
Greg Pack
Wash Weenie
So how do you configure to know how much your cash customer really spends? how do you account for cash customers letting the time run out before adding more money? I'd say over half of mine use one cycle at a time.
pitzerwm
Active member
Would it help if you went with internet access, to change the access fees? Or is that your internet fees?
Ric
Cantree Member
My wash is all tokens. I have a credit card to token changer which runs about 14% of gross. I'm wondering if it is worth the cost to install credit card readers in the bays or to be content with the 14%. Any thoughts?
One thing the credit card to token machine does that the in bays do not do is to give a paper receipt. Business/fleet owners like that.
One thing the credit card to token machine does that the in bays do not do is to give a paper receipt. Business/fleet owners like that.
