Anyone still taking Cheques?

[Doodle-Noodle]

Just had a customer in paying for £10 worth of goods by cheque ........ first cheque I've taken in ages as most people use debit cards of course. It's more expensive to pay cheques in and a general pain in the neck all round.
I'm wondering whether we should take a leaf out of the big-boys' books and refuse cheque payments, but don't want to risk losing business as at the moment anything we take is much needed.
It's not very often we get cheques, but we ought to decide on a policy really. What's everyone else doing?

 

[Esk247]

A cheque for £10 is a bit silly. I usually pay cash for anything under £20, debit card for anything more.

Still take cheques but its never been for less than £50

 

A lot of older people use cheques or people who do not trust using the internet payment gatways.

So depends on what type of business you have I guess.

We tend to take money in any form including P.O's.

Earl

 

[Logistika]

I love cheques , as they are evidence of peoples dubious nature.

Because if anyone bounces a cheque on me, I get it enlarged on the photocopier to A3 size, cover it in clingfilm, and hang it from a lamp-post/telegraph pole at whatever junction is closest to their address.

If its removed, I make up two of them. Replace the one thats been removed, and put the other one up in the nearest public building (church hall/community centre/sandwich shop etc)

Funnily enough I've never had to chase these debts further

 

[Optegris]

We've never accepted cheques but being 100% online I see no reason why we should to be honest...

 

[Doodle-Noodle]

Hmm......... thanks everyone, still not sure! Lots of our customers are a bit older (or should I say more mature?) - most of our customers are really retired ladies who like arts and crafts as it gives them a nice hobby
which is why we're a bit hesitant to phase them out completely. We did think our customers would prefer the option of using cheques but to be honest even the oldies are happy using debit cards! Perhaps I'll wait until after christmas and have a rethink ........ I can play with the idea when I'm in on January 2nd re-pricing all my stock to account for the VAT change ........ deep joy

 

[SteveJones]

I would say that as long as the payment goes through, be more than happy of the custom!!!

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Does a cheque really cost more than a card when you take all in consideration and at £10 there must still be a good profit

 

[Geoff T]

As long as you're making more than the 80p-odd it costs... I'd take 'em while you can get 'em...

Though you're in a prime spot to help the re-education process for when they become a thing of the past... which coud be good for publicity?...

 

[saxondale]

80% cheques here

 

[Geoff T]

80% cheques here

Curiousity compels me Sax (so apols, and feel free to refuse to reply) - % of rubbery ones was wondered "chez moi"?

 

[5wire]

Only get them from business clients but will take them any value upwards of £5.00, it's convenient for them and a little but inconvenient for me but if it means them paying on time, so be it.

 

[saxondale]

Curiousity compels me Sax (so apols, and feel free to refuse to reply) - % of rubbery ones was wondered "chez moi"?

2 in the last 2 years (one from a family friend) - both honored the second time round.

 

[Consistency]

We accept cheques and use them too.

 

[Castlefit]

i think i get about 2 a year thats all!!

 

[-Joe-]

Currently deal with a decent amount of cheques due to the ridiculous fees paypal/most processors would charge for the transactions I do. However, it is a little annoying, as I have to wait a week for it to clear before I can carry out any work.

 

[saxondale]

I have to wait a week for it to clear before I can carry out any work.

why? ....................

 

[-Joe-]

why? ....................

Because it could turn out to be rubbery, and I could end up out of pocket.

 

[Lorro2]

Yes I still take cheques and take payment is all manner of things. I have been paid in timber.

 

[Consistency]

Because it could turn out to be rubbery, and I could end up out of pocket.

Wise decision, when I use cheques I would not expect anything until the cheque has cleared and adopt the same policy for when we receive cheques.

 

[dedwardp]

I accept cheques or bank transfer, but that's to settle invoices as opposed to having in store customers, if you like.

 

[E Storey]

Businesses that invoice after the event are often still paid by cheque.

You'd be amazed at how many bounce because the cheque book has been "stolen". I mean seriously, what thief do you know would steal your handbag then go writing out cheques paying your gas bill for you?!? :|

 

[saxondale]

Because it could turn out to be rubbery, and I could end up out of pocket.

do you accept paypal, credit card ..................... do you wait till the end of the chargeback period before starting work?

 

[saxondale]

Wise decision, when I use cheques I would not expect anything until the cheque has cleared and adopt the same policy for when we receive cheques.

cleared or cleared for drawing (about 10 days later than cleared IIRC)

 

[-Joe-]

do you accept paypal, credit card ..................... do you wait till the end of the chargeback period before starting work?

No, I generally avoid paypal or credit cards, due to the fact of the chargebacks (and their horrendous fees) I do make exceptions though, for people I trust, and well established members on the forums I advertise on. In which case, I'd start work immediately.

However, I do accept paypal from people I don't know/trust etc if they're willing to send the payment as a gift.

 

[thegascupboard]

We've probably taken less than 10 cheques in nearly four years. At least three of them bounced, costing us money - one customer was given a CCJ for the pleasure. We took the decision to stop accepting them altogether. Everybody has cards or cash to hand so its never a problem to find alternative payment.

 

[Consistency]

cleared or cleared for drawing (about 10 days later than cleared IIRC)

I would expect if I was buying goods with a cheque that once the funds for that cheque have left my account that they have their money and so could dispatch my goods if they have them in stock.

When I wait for a cheque to clear, I check the bank balance. When it is someone who has paid with a cheque before or it is a company we already have a contract with then a cheque normally goes through. We have only ever had 2 cheques bounce.

that is a very good point you make though about the chargeback period. This is becoming more and more of a problem and the credit card companies will from what I can gather support the credit card holder.

 

[thegascupboard]

But is the OP not refering to accepting cheques in shop, which is very different to mail order / online. Mail order, there is always a clearing delay which is expected - in a shop, it is a different matter entirely, where the customer is likely to take the goods there and then.

 

[Consistency]

But is the OP not refering to accepting cheques in shop, which is very different to mail order / online. Mail order, there is always a clearing delay which is expected - in a shop, it is a different matter entirely, where the customer is likely to take the goods there and then.

If I was in a shop I do not think I would take cheques especially as the cheque guarantee card, at least my cheque guarantee card, no longer guarantees a cheque.

 

[Lee Jones Jnr]

We accept cheques, mainly deposits.

 

[deniser]

I haven't seen in our shop for ages; if I was offered one I wouldn't turn it down on costs grounds (processing costs are swings and roundabouts after all) but I would turn it down if not protected by a cheque guarantee card. Why should a shopkeeper take the risk of a cheque bouncing and if cheques are no longer protected then surely they are not designed to be used in shops and anyone proferring one should know that.

I didn't even know cheque guarantees didn't exist anymore!

 

[thegascupboard]

I did notice a lot of small signs going up especially in petrol stations and takeaways where they would not accept cheques anymore - these all seemed to go up around the same time (2008 I think?). Something must have changed with the banks around that time?

 

[Consistency]

I haven't seen in our shop for ages; if I was offered one I wouldn't turn it down on costs grounds (processing costs are swings and roundabouts after all) but I would turn it down if not protected by a cheque guarantee card. Why should a shopkeeper take the risk of a cheque bouncing and if cheques are no longer protected then surely they are not designed to be used in shops and anyone proferring one should know that.

I didn't even know cheque guarantees didn't exist anymore!

Going back quite a while now, I got a terms and conditions update letter from my bank. It stated in there that my bank card is no longer valid to guarantee cheques but could still be used as normal in every other way.

I feel sure that this is because the banks then get the final say if the cheque will clear or not. If the cheque is to be drawn from an account that is massively overdrawn or even from an account that has since been closed, then the money is not there.

It may be worth checking with your bank as banks may vary but I know my cheques are no longer guaranteed with a card.

 

[seiretto]

Yes, I think [FONT=verdana,geneva,lucida,arial]Consistency[/FONT] is right. If I was a retailer we would not be accepting cheques anymore.

However, it has been mentioned earlier in the thread that only "older people or people who do not trust using the internet payment gatways" use cheques nowadays.

That is simple not true. We still get large organisations (both public and private) paying by cheque. We are now encouraging these to change by offering an extra 28 days credit to those paying by bank transfer (as its faster and costs nowt, more than makes up for the loss in interest).

 

[TotalWebSolutions]

We have plenty of long-term customers still paying by cheque (mostly for our hosting and broadband services) and until such time we are unable to accept them any longer we will continue to do so.

Simon

 

[Doodle-Noodle]

YIKES!!! I never knewthat cheque guarantee cards didn't even exist anymore - I wrote the card number on the back of this £10 cheque noted the expiry/start date and checked the signature .......... but never looked to see if there was a guarantee amount like there always used to be. 'twill serve me right if the bloody thing bounces now won't it? Have decided on reflection that for purchases made in our shop it will be credit/debit card or cash only from January 2011 .........I'll deal with any resultant wrath from disgruntled cheque writers if and when it happens.

 

[jane p]

we do from people we know and over 10 pounds we dont get many now though.

 

[Officebird]

I take cheques all the time, even from people that have walked in off the street for a small letter that ends up at a fiver! Many old people seem to like cheques as well as regular business users who settle their bills by cheque. Cheque and cash is the main way we get paid. It's no hastle paying it in and the costs aren't that bad tbh.

I will take cheques until I'm no longer allowed. Only ever had one bounce on me, due to lack of funds, and they sent another as soon as I told them which cleared straight away.

I pay bills by cheque as I can pike them up and tell my apprentice to right them out and get them ready to send, then I can just sign and they are done. If I paid by BACS i'd have to go online myself as she doesn't have the access. I don't have a cheque book in my handbag when i go shopping though!