Paypal

I use paypal. I do not charge a fee for paypal since it is my preference for my clients to pay their deposits through paypal. If I had a better/easier way of accepting payments that didn’t charge me or my clients a fee then I would maybe consider charging one for using paypal.

You could consider asking your clients to select the “gift” option when sending a payment instead of you sending them a money request. No fees are taken that way. But with so many people not knowing how to work paypal very well it would be a bit of a hassle in my opinion.

-- Nikki, So Cal, www.Facebook.com/nikkibelleperchecakes

I used to use a credit card processor in my former business, and I believe it is against the credit card policies to charge a fee for the processing. Double-check before you go that route.

I use PayPal with my destination brides who are planning their wedding from overseas. I do not charge them a fee for using paypal – they just pay what the cake costs and that’s it.

-- Sunny Smiles from the Cayman Isles!, http://www.facebook.com/caymancake or http://caymancake.wordpress.com

Thank you guys for your answers. I truly wasn’t sure if I was supposed to or not. Now, I know I won’t.

-- It's a sophisticated World! www.thesophisticatedchef.com.... www.facebook.com/thesophisticatedchef

If you’re going to accept credit cards, build that fee into your prices. If they pay cash, BONUS, but you’re still paying fees to your bank for having a checking account. It’s just part of the cost of doing business.

Look into The Square. You can accept credit cards through your smartphone or tablet. I love it. It’s less than 3% per transaction and there’s no monthly fees and no terminal fees or phone lines AND it’s completely portable! The fee is less when you “swipe” a card rather than to key in the numbers manually but you have the option and I’m usually taking payments over the phone anyway. http://www.squareup.com

-- Michele, CA, http://www.rockcandycakes.com http://www.facebook.com/rockcandycakes

I make products for cake decorators which are available from my site and are charged via a shopping cart system with PayPal attached. PayPal does charge each time (and it seems to me a random percentage which seems to be higher the lower the value of sale) If I was charging my customer for a cake and they were paying via a system that cost me ‘bank charges’ I would add on the value into the cake – as this is all part of the overheads of running a business. You do not necessarily have to tell the customer that is what you are doing, but ensure that all your overheads are covered as well as making some profit too. Hope that helps…..:) Kx

-- Karen MacFadyen - London UK - http://www.facebook.com/cakecoachonline http://www.cakecoachonline.com

I also use squareup.com as RockCandyCakes suggested. I love it! I just build the cost of the fee into the cost of my cake rather than specifically saying that I have to charge them an extra fee to pay by credit card.

-- Happy Cakes

One word on charging more for credit card payments. Your not supposed to charge more for credit card payments, but there’s no rule for offering a discount for cash payments. So if you processor charges 3% per transactions, just build that into your price and offer cash customers a 3% discount.

-- Jenniffer White, Cup a Dee Cakes

I allways use PayPal… its so safe for my client and for me

-- Fabiana, Texas, http://www.sweet-heaven.com