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Chase Paymentech hasn’t kept up with the times


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In my efforts to replace our knucklebuster with a way to swipe credit cards (see other thread http://ceramicartsda...nuckle-buster/), I took Mea’s advice and contacted Jennifer Estrada at Chase Paymentech. She replied with the following two options:

 

1) ICT250 Terminal - $500

2) Orbital Virtual Terminal - $100 Set-up fee + $25 per month

 

Neither option is a good one for small pottery businesses with a low volume of charges. They’re targeted for true retail businesses, not to seasonal businesses like small pottery shops.

 

Five years ago, the Chase Paymentech benefit from the Potters’ Council was a fantastic way to accept credit cards when few vendors could. The knucklebuster made it look official. The monthly fee of $3.50/month ($42/year) was the best you could find for a merchant account. Even with the confusing tiered system for transaction fees, it was a great service for potters who do 99% of their business in two months of the year. Even when ProPay came out a few years ago and offered a low-fee alternative with much simpler terms, Chase Paymentech was a little cheaper.

 

Fast forward a few years and everything has changed. Chase’s phone system for entering charge information is now kind of ridiculous. There should be a website for this. The same knucklebuster which legitimized the process five years ago is now obsolete and makes you look like you’re stuck in the dark ages.

 

The whole purpose of having Chase Paymentech as a Potters’ Council benefit was to fill a niche, but the service they offer has become obsolete. We do more charges every year, so this service just isn’t worth the effort and time it takes to process charges. I’ve been comparing the different options from the new breed of merchant account companies (Square, ProPay, Intuit GoPayment, PayPal) and will summarize them in another thread. Even though we’ve resisted getting smartphones so far, it’s time to step up and get a smartphone or iPad. I especially like the option to add cell service when you need it (http://ceramicartsdaily.org/community/topic/2501-square-up-issues/page__p__22129entry22129).

 

I just wanted to share these thoughts. I think Chase is losing a potential market through inaction as these other services targeted small businesses and individuals. I don’t see why anyone would enroll in this benefit anymore, as it hasn’t kept up with the times. And the Potters’ Council has one benefit less.

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