Any Portable Business Will Need a Credit Card Reader in Order to be Competitive with Storefronts
People don’t often think of people that work conventions and flea markets as having a portable store, but that is exactly what it is. You are literally moving your store front to the consumer for their convenience. Well one thing that is not convenient is having to make sure that they have enough cash on them in order to get the items that you are selling. People will actually lean more towards paying a higher price out of the sheer convenience of not having to carry cash or hit the cash machine. To fight back against losing sales, you are going to have to have a portable credit card reader.
There are also plenty of other benefits to being able to accept credit cards when you are doing business like this. First and foremost, you are able to better track all of your sales. Sure you have to pay a commission to the credit card companies, but that is tax deductible anyway, so it is really not a factor. Doing business this way allows you to track your customers, your sales and also start a data base for future business.
In addition to all of that, you are also better able to control your money at a show. Now do you really want thousands of dollars out in the open at a convention that has tens of thousands of people walking around? You turn your head for one moment and someone can reach into the till and take $100 and you would be none the wiser.
You should also consider the possibility of being robbed once the show is over. It is ridiculous to think that some people are not out there just looking for someone that can provide them with easy cash. Well if you have the hot booth that day, you may be tagged for a little pop in the head when you are leaving. If all of your receipts are in cash, your money is already in the bank and these opportunists will have to look elsewhere for their bounty.
When you really look at it, having to pay a credit card company a small fee for the convenience of your customers and the safety of your money is well worth it. That being the case, no small business owner with a portable business can afford to not have a POS credit card reader to help generate and protect sales. It is a small investment that will pay for itself many times over.
All you need to do is find one that is compatible with your computer system and that is capable of processing your orders and you are good to go. If you don’t have a processor, they may even supply it for your or reimburse you after the fact. A credit card reader machine is just a part of business these days and if you don’t have one, you are going to be left in the dust.