How to Process Credit Cards From Customers as a Home-Party ...

Author: Steve Dowell

Many people become consultants or independent contractors of a home-party, direct sales company as their primary source of income or to supplement their family income.? These companies allow individuals to become independent business owners, selling products or services primarily through home parties. They ask friends and family to ?host? a party in their homes, inviting people over to sample goodies, view products and shop from a catalog. When you are running a business that sells products in other people?s homes or at vendor fairs, how can you process credit cards from your customers?

Credit Card Processing Options for Direct Sales Consultants

If you are a direct sales consultant, there?s a good chance you have the ability to process credit cards through your company. They may have a system that allows you to record credit card information from each of your customers on an order form, and then you enter it when placing your order on the computer or over the phone after you return home from your party.

There are a few disadvantages of processing credit cards with this method ? primarily, it?s a safety concern to travel around with customer credit card information just hand written on order forms. If you ever lost one and they got into the wrong hands, someone could use your customer information fraudulently to place orders online or by phone.

Another disadvantage is when you place a customer order and discover the credit card is declined for whatever reason. You have to then get back into contact with each customer whose credit card was declined to arrange for a different payment method.

Process Credit Cards in Real-Time at the Direct Sales Party Location

A better method for processing credit cards is to use a system that processes cards in real-time. This means you will know when you enter the card details or swipe the card through a card reader whether or not the card has funds to pay for the order. Since it is not practical to carry a cash register and credit card reader with you from party to party, you will probably want to look at mobile credit card processing options, like the Square reader or PayPal Here; or the use of an internet-based credit card processor.

Mobile credit card processing allows you to swipe your customer?s credit card and ensure the payment will go through. The funds are deposited into your bank account or PayPal account (depending on the service you use to accept credit cards) and can then be used to pay for your customer orders through your direct sales company.? The difference between what your customers pay you and what it costs you to buy the products from your direct sales company are your profits.

An internet-based credit card processor can be used with a laptop or iPad (or any device with internet access). Typically, this type of credit card processor will give you a website to log into and enter customer credit card details into a form. Once the payment is processed, the money is transferred to your bank account.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/credit-articles/how-to-process-credit-cards-from-customers-as-a-home-party-direct-sales-consultant-5757881.html

About the Author

Steve Dowell is an expert writer on subjects related to credit card processing, merchant accounts and payment processing news and innovations. Read more on his blog creditcardprocessing.net.

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