Accepting personal checks @ a craft show

Rudy · #1 2009-06-25, 9:18am

For those of you who are experienced in this area...any advice about the acceptance of personal checks. I can't afford the credit card fees, etc...so I must take cash or checks when I do shows. I've only done about 6 shows, and have accepted personal checks without incident.

I know that it helps to request ID, but is there anything else anyone could suggest...just to minimize any foul play.

Thanks in advance!

Sue in Maine · #2 2009-06-25, 9:51am

1) look at the number on the check. If it's low, as in 110, it is a BRAND SPANKING NEW checking account and I would NOT accept it. If it is check #3245, then you know they've had that account for a long time so it's probably safe.

STARTER CHECKS are blank at the top and start with the number 101-- probably go to 110. NO WAY IN HELL SHOULD YOU ACCEPT IT. They just opened the account and haven't even received their first box of checks yet.

Right, wrong or indifferent, I'd ask for a drivers license and write the drivers license number on the top of the check. If you have to work with a police dept, they can access information you can't.

In some states (NOT Maine, unfortunately) the MONTH/YR the account was opened is printed on the check.... it may be 06/08--- that tells you that regardless of the number on the check, it was opened in June 2008. I had my daughters shred their first couple hundred checks so they checks they'd give out would have higher numbers on them, making vendors think they were more established than they were. (But my kids were good ones- they wouldn't write bad checks and I didn't want them penalized for having new accounts.)

Good luck,

Sue

squid · #3 2009-06-25, 10:35am

I always have my checks printed at a third party company like checksinthemail.com and you can start your checks at any number, so a higher number will not necessarily mean an established account.

I have accepted checks for the last 3 years at the one xmas show I do every year and so far <knockonwood> I have not gotten a bad one.

teachertracey · #4 2009-06-25, 10:39am

I take tons of checks. So far, all ok. I make sure it's a local bank, a higher number, and that I have a current address and phone number. You might also consider limiting the am't. For example, not accepting more than a set dollar am't.

PaulaD · #5 2009-06-25, 10:39am

I did shows for a good 10 years and never had a problem with a check. I just did Glass Art Society Show last week, took many checks, and had a problem with 3 checks.
There is some kind of thing available now where you can scan the check before you take it and you may want to look into that.
Paula

Venbead · #6 2009-06-25, 11:31am

rudy look into Propay. It's very affordable. since i signed up with them to accept credit cards I have not had as many people use checks. I do take checks. I get a driver's lic and take a phone number and haven't had any problem's

Elizabeth Beads · #7 2009-06-25, 12:11pm

Bead buyers are probably some of the most honest people out there.

That said, I think I had some things *walk away* at a recent show. I'm not 100% sure. I was so busy and later I didn't remember selling certain things. But I wouldn't take my memory to the bank (as if I could leave it home - lol).

On the flip side, I did a show late last year and a customer was buying about $70 of beads and didn't have enough cash or a check (I didn't start accepting credit cards until this year). She asked if I would mail her the beads if she sent me a check. I said, take the beads, here is my card, just mail me the check.

The check came in the mail 2 days later.

I figured if she took the beads and didn't send the check, she needed them more than I did.

JavaGirlBT · #8 2009-06-25, 12:33pm

I've only had a problem with a check once and she eventually did pay up. I second the Propay recommendation. It makes it very easy to accept credit cards. www.propay.com

blindmonkey · #9 2009-06-25, 12:57pm

I definitely would look into propay. When I last did shows I accepted credit cards and I KNOW I got sales that I wouldn't have otherwise because I took credit cards. Up until recently (when I had to start writing daycare checks weekly) I often had no clue where my checkbook ever was in my house! When I went to art fairs as a customer, I only was able to purchase from artists who would be able to accept cards.

For what it is worth, I never got a bad check either from someone at an art fair.

Cindy Ritchie · #10 2009-06-25, 1:03pm

Anybody know what propays annual fee is? It sounds like something I may be interested in too.

SteveWright · #11 2009-06-25, 1:27pm

The last bead show we did was Milwaukee. 90% of our sales were credit cards. We had a merchant account then, but later dropped it for ProPay. I think it takes about $50-60 to get started.

Steve

glass obsessed · #12 2009-06-25, 2:04pm

I also vote for ProPay. It is not that pricey and accepting cc really improves sales.

www.propay.com

shawnette · #13 2009-06-25, 2:13pm

Small Business Propay discount:

https://epay.propay.com/affiliate/?refid=SBPMBEM

DJ · #14 2009-06-25, 3:48pm

When you are at a show, do you process via phone, or do you count on being able to have internet or email access at the show; or do you take the information down and process it via email or internet when you get home? Reading the propay web site, it seems that phone, email and internet is how you process the payment.

Thanks!

FosterFire · #15 2009-06-25, 4:31pm

Go with your gut feel. The once time I had a hinky feel I got stiffed, but that was the only time.

PaulaD · #16 2009-06-25, 5:09pm

If I ever do shows again I am going to take cash and CC only. I have a CC now that I can use anywhere on my iphone!
Paula

Rudy · #17 2009-06-25, 6:06pm

Thank you all for your sharing your past experiences & advice. I like to believe that most people are honest, but one can never be too careful. I think I will definitely look into Propay! Thanks again!

Elizabeth Beads · #18 2009-06-25, 6:31pm

ProPay is about $60 a year plus a % of each sale, 3.5% I think. I take down the CC info at shows using a good old knuckle buster and then enter the data online when I get home. So far, so good.

lunamoonshadow · #19 2009-06-25, 8:08pm

I'm pretty sure "basic" propay (as in "mastercard/visa only" which 99% of people have, I won't take the other two, it's just not necessary!) cost me either $35 or $40 to set up for a year--I just did it about a month ago (again, after letting it lapse for 2 years). I

propay!

Some tips when taking card info if you're going to process "later at home" on the computer: After you "swipe" or imprint the card, check for a good imprint (& write the # down with the expiration date if it's not quite readable!) then,
Get: name on card, BILLING ADDRESS FOR CARD, with ZIPCODE, phone # (just in case it doesn't go through!), AND THE 3 DIGIT CODE on the back of the CC! Your cards will process *faster* & you'll have *much* less chance of errors & issues!
Then: TELL YOUR CUSTOMER HOW IT'S GOING TO APPEAR ON THEIR STATEMENT!! (ie: what your email addy/business name ONLINE is!!

so they don't wonder who you are when they see their statement!)
~luna

swamper · #20 2009-06-26, 3:16am

When I did shows, I had an arrangement with my local art gallery. They loaned me their knuckle buster so I could take credit cards - my sales would have been a bust without it. Most folks use check cards vice actual checks these days. Anyway, the gallery charged me 15% of each sale - not bad considering she had to pay all the CC fees. Plus, she filed the sales taxes and I didn't have to have a retail sales license.

glass obsessed · #21 2009-06-26, 6:32am

We have been doing art shows for years now and accepting cc using ProPay. I just process them at home the following day. Doing it at the art fair is too pricey for us.

I think Luna's reply above says it all. Especially making sure you have a good imprint, getting the zip code and phone #. There has been times when we have had to call the person because of some problem. But we have always gotten paid except for the one time I did not get a good imprint and also forgot to ask for their phone #. A pricey lesson to learn. Best wishes!

mnoelker · #22 2009-06-26, 4:24pm

Hey Rudy-You gotta take credit cards IMHO or you're going to lose sales and Propay is super easy to use. I use a knuckle buster at the show then I process the cards when I get home. With checks I just make sure I have a phone number and haven't had any problems. Good luck!

Rudy · #23 2009-06-26, 6:27pm

You've all convinced me....I am definitely going to check Propay out! Thanks so much for your advice!!!

Laurel · #24 2009-06-26, 9:22pm

Just one more tidbit. I only do one show a year, but it is big, where I use a cc knuckle buster. Make sure to write your invoice number on the cc receipt. Two years in a row (though I hate to admit it) I have lost out on 100+ bead sales because I did not have the amount writen on the cc receipt. Things can get busy with mutliple customers picking at your beads and if you are by yourself and are rushed it is easy to do. This even happened when my husband helped out. Although I had the phone number I could not reach the clients to ask how much they spent.
Just FYI,
Laurel

Starrr · #25 2009-06-26, 10:17pm

I stopped taking credit cards at shows years ago and can honestly say that I've never missed a sale that I know of because of it. I sell jewelry and usually take in on average 2,500 to 3,000 in checks per show, and knock on wood, haven't had a bad check yet.

At my last show I had the bank return a check for under 50.00, I contacted the lady and she was beyond apologetic. Apparently she had her purse stolen and had to cancel everything, including her checking account. She sent the entire amount plus the 30.00 service fee that my bank charged me within two days. I felt so bad for her that I sent her a pair of earrings. and that's the extent of my problem with taking checks instead of cc's. I don't even bother taking a license number, just a phone number. In my experience, people appreciate being trusted because they are honest to begin with. It does stun a lot of them when I don't want their id, but it also almost always guarantees me that they will be a repeat customer.

At all the shows I do there are numerous ATM's and some actually bring in bank trucks to provide the service for customers. There really is no reason that a customer either can't write a check or go to an ATM and get cash if they really want to purchase something.

lunamoonshadow · #26 2009-06-27, 7:23am

If I *hadn't* been able to take a CC @ the one day fair I covered for a friend who was injured (something I never would have signed up for myself) I wouldn't have sold a $60 bracelet. Church fair--people don't bring $60 to a church fair (hence, why I don't "do" them!)--but because I *could* take it, the day wasn't a complete waste of my time

. A lot of people in this area just don't carry their checkbooks WITH THEM anymore!! (I know I don't! I write 3 checks a month--to the accounts I can't pay electronically!)

lbloomer · #27 2009-06-27, 3:01pm

In reading this thread, I can see alot of you value using propay. There is no way as a coustomer I would use a credit card with someone using propay. Give you my cc #, my exp date, my cvc # and my billing info, no way? I would feel like I was issuing an invitation for fraud. I use my bank/debit card all the time it has a cc #, but only on a machine where I scan it. I wouldn't give that kind of info to anyone to walk off with, no matter how much I liked their beads!
Jaquetta

Wonker · #28 2009-06-27, 4:29pm

But..I use propay....and you just give me your card...I run it through a swiper that I bought from propay, connected to a USB port in a laptop...I get approval on the spot and you're on your way.....the transaction is encrypted from beginning to end. It's a thing of beauty.

blindmonkey · #29 2009-06-27, 5:12pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by lbloomer

In reading this thread, I can see alot of you value using propay. There is no way as a coustomer I would use a credit card with someone using propay. Give you my cc #, my exp date, my cvc # and my billing info, no way? I would feel like I was issuing an invitation for fraud. I use my bank/debit card all the time it has a cc #, but only on a machine where I scan it. I wouldn't give that kind of info to anyone to walk off with, no matter how much I liked their beads!
Jaquetta

Yes, but giving them your check (routing and account number) and showing your id can be just as risky if someone is going to try to rip you off. A lot of shows I have been in cost upwards of 400$ to be in so I doubt someone juries, gets accepted, and pays the booth fee and then rips off the customers.

ChaseDesigns · #30 2009-06-27, 5:35pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by lbloomer

In reading this thread, I can see alot of you value using propay. There is no way as a coustomer I would use a credit card with someone using propay. Give you my cc #, my exp date, my cvc # and my billing info, no way? I would feel like I was issuing an invitation for fraud. I use my bank/debit card all the time it has a cc #, but only on a machine where I scan it. I wouldn't give that kind of info to anyone to walk off with, no matter how much I liked their beads!
Jaquetta

Every time you order something online you do this. The company has your info. I don't see a difference at all.

And this is why you use a credit card. If someone tries to use it unauthorized your credit card company takes care of you.