Integrated Credit-Card Processing

Some consignment software programs are 'integrated' with the credit-card payment process. The minor advantage is the convenience of having the sale amount auto entered on the sales invoice screen when the credit-card is swiped.

BCSS is not 'integrated' with credit-card processing for important reasons:

• You know for certain that BCSS doesn't access or retain credit-card information. That relieves you of any potential liability under the new credit-card laws.
• Software vendors who push credit-card integration are rewarded with portion of every one of your credit-card sales. (From the X-Charge website (http://www.x-charge.com/products/developers.asp for example: "We partner with software developers to build and maximize recurring revenue from transaction processing modules within their applications.) In other words, every time you process a credit-card sale the provider of the consignment software receives (an often undisclosed) 'commission'.
• 'Integrated software' rates are often higher than those available elsewhere, in part due to the commission paid to the software provider.
• If card processing is integrated with the software, the store owner is locked in. Card service providers routinely find reasons to raise rates so if/when rates become unreasonable, it may be too much bother to change providers, or you may be locked into a long-term contract with severe penalties for termination.
• Not incorporating credit-card processing keeps our program more simple - fewer moving parts means less likelihood of other program conflicts and errors.

How to Process Credit Cards Using BCSS

1. You'll first need a Merchant Account (bank account) which most store owners acquire from a local bank. The provider of the Merchant Account provides a card swiper/pin pad and complete instructions for processing credit cards.
   • Local banks are often the best choice for Merchant Accounts. They may already know you. Being local, it may be easier to acquire a Merchant Account (fewer requirements) and enjoy the lowest-possible rates. Historically companies selling merchant-accounts services on the Internet have been unreliable. The major risks are approved applications with rates significantly higher than those advertised on web pages, company failures and big rate increases after the passage of a relatively short period of time. Find out if you can be singled out for rate discrimination.

   At POS:

2. In BCSS, process a new sale and select the card type (Visa, MC, Discover, Debit, Amex).
3. Save the sale and print an invoice (sale receipt).
4. Swipe the card and process the card transaction.

The difference in procedure for processing integrated card transactions is minimal (compared to BCSS) but the advantages of not integrating card processing with consignment software are remarkable.

BCSS Credit-Card Payment Reports

Reports for Single Credit-Card Types

• Click on Reports on the Main Menu and select Sales.
• Select the card type (Visa, MC, etc.) from the drop-down list for '1st Pay Method'.
  • Please note that if payment for a sale is split and the credit-card payment is not listed as the first payment method, the amount of that payment will not be included in this total.
• Use other settings to narrow the scope of the report.
• Click on Print the Report or View the Report.

Reports for All Credit-Card Types

• Click on Reports on the Main Menu and select Sales.
• Select the card type (Visa, MC, etc.) from the drop-down list for '1st Pay Method'.
• Use other settings to narrow the scope of the report.
• Click on Sales Recap.
• Uncheck all options except Payment Recap.
• Click Preview/Print.

QuickBooks Merchant Services

Intuit's QuickBooks is not a good software program for consignment shops because QuickBooks doesn't support consignment settlements or payments other than checks. Intuit's credit card processing is integrated with QuickBooks software, which requires that an Intuit Sales Invoice be completed in addition to completing the BCSS invoice. It has been suggested that a card swiper could be used that doesn't incorporate Intuit's software but we are unaware of anyone who has used that work around successfully.

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