Small business owners across America appreciate the higher sales, lower costs, and greater profits they receive when they accept debit and credit cards.
Small Business Voices in the News
David Perry, owner of Owen Cleaners, said fees keep rising directly with increased credit card use, but cards are more convenient for merchants and customers.
They're safer and less costly than handling cash, and quicker and less troublesome than dealing with checks, he said.
Nancy Kyle, president of the New Hampshire Retail Merchants Association in Concord, said she sympathizes with retailers who have to pay credit and debit card processing fees.
But she said she has not heard of too many businesses in the state opting to just accept cash and checks and hopes those that are going this route will reconsider.
"They might save a little on their bottom line, but people will end up spending less money," Kyle said.
She added that several national retail studies bear this out. Also, "you run the risk of bad checks being passed," Kyle added.
Foster’s Daily Democrat, NH (“Retailers struggle with credit, debit card feed”, by Robert M. Cook , Jan 18, 2009)
Gary and Gwen Drahos, owners of Gwen's Restaurant at 119 W. Main St. in Lisbon, decided last year to start taking credit cards for payment after many years of accepting just cash or checks. "We just never set it up. I told Gary that there are a lot of people who just don't carry cash," Gwen Drahos said. "We've been really glad that we started accepting credit cards."
The Iowa Gazette (“More local retailers not taking debit cards”, By George C. Ford, January 6, 2009)
An estimated 95 percent of Shelley McFarland's customers at McFarland's of Marco, a men's clothing and accessories store at the Shops of Marco, use credit cards.
"The more volume you do, the more you're able to negotiate with (the companies)," she said.
When she was out shopping and merchants would say there was a $25 minimum charge to use a credit card, McFarland said she would become upset and believes if she began to do the same, "it would hurt the business," which has been on the island for almost 24 years.
"When people travel, they don't like to use cash," she said, agreeing that the charges are just another business expense.
Marco Island Florida.com (“Cash vs. credit: Marco merchants weigh options” By Mae Yousif-Bashi, July 31, 2008)
Robert Barron, co-owner of Barron's Superette, a small grocery store at 7555 Acapulco on the East Side, . . . said he doesn't mind paying the fees for credit cards and debit cards because those cost his store less than handling checks.
"It's better to pay the fees than have to worry about insufficient fund checks, or checks you can never collect on," Barron said. Barron estimated 90 percent of his customers now pay for their groceries with a debit or credit card, or food-stamp card.
El Paso Times (“Credit-card fees squeeze profits: Coaltion of retailers seeks action” by Vic Kolenc, October 5, 2008)
