Information Sought About Telephone Payment & Ordering

[URaccess]

Hi There,

This is my first time posting here after coming across you last night.

I would like to ask the following;

We have an online shopping store which I had setup to accept PayPal payments as our main credit/debit card processing but only found out late last week that to transfer any payments from our PP account into our companies business bank account, would take anything between 5-7 days which for us is just not an option or acceptable. This has prompted us to move to NOCHEX and they seem to us to be a better solution for numerous reasons.

We will also be offering our customers the ability to pay by cheque or postal orders and I have created a 'Printable Order Form' that they can either fax or post to us with there order and payment.

What I need to know is, if they enclose there preferred payment method as credit/debit card instead of cheque or postal order....how does one take there credit/debit card details as on the order form and turn this into a payment?

Can I create an account with my bank or a processing company to manually ring up and put that customers payment through via an experienced company. I do remember having to do this in the past in a job or two but cannot remember too much about it when I come to think about it.

Any information and advice on the above issues would be very much appreciated :lol:

Regards,
Robert Stones

 

[visagephoto]

Hi Robert

We have also created an online order form which customers can print out and forward to us with a Cheque, Postal Order or their Credit/Debit card details.

To facilitate the card payments we have opened a merchant account with Barclays (most main banks offer this service). They supply an electronic terminal with integrated modem into which you enter your customers card details, and payments are authorised (or declined) over a phone line.

We are also looking into adding a shopping cart (not paypal, nochex etc.) to our site allowing customers to order & make payments online. Any advice you could offer on this would be appreciated.

 

[WSC-Will]

If you don't have a merchant account then one option is to open a WorldPay account and opt for an Internet Terminal. That would allow you to manually enter credit card information into your web browser. More info.

 

[Ozzy]

...or just log into your website as the customer and process the order that way

 

[URaccess]

If you don't have a merchant account then one option is to open a WorldPay account and opt for an Internet Terminal. That would allow you to manually enter credit card information into your web browser. More info.

Hi,

Thank you for the above advice, I have taken a look at the WP page but as I had previously been in touch with WP before I decided to go with NOCHEX for numerous reasons, I fear that to get the Internet Terminal for my online shopping store, is going to be too much of an outlay at present. I know it is a catch 22 but I have to do it the best way I can but still trying to get the end result I am seeking.

I know that it is going to cost but the fact that they dont publish some example costs is annoying to say the least, as I genuinely don't have the time to fill out there forms and application and then wait god know's how many days or even weeks knowing my luck, only to be told oooops I am afraid we cannot help you :roll: Time is of the essence but is'nt it always in todays world :?

As I say I have the secure website payment method rapped up and implemented but it is just knowing I will get some customers who would prefer to fax or post there order form with payment details. If I only allow payment by cheque, postal order, bank transfer and cash (Sent Registered) but no credit or debit card I fear losing a good amount of important customers.

I just want to be able to offer my customers every available method for payment of there products but in a way that suits the company at the same time.....does that sound like I am asking too much do tell me :?:

Anyways I shall let you know how I get on, if I don't find an alternative way around this issue and once again many thanks for taking the time to post

 

[URaccess]

...or just log into your website as the customer and process the order that way

:shock: I don't think I could launch my online store and work it that way, as everything I have done this past 4 years getting the company to where it is, through all the MANY challenges and near deaths of the company means I demand the best service and structures, ways of doing things etc.

If somebody told me this would in effect not be illegal then I may consider it but the way I am thinking at present about this idea, I have to say I don't hold much hope of this being the solution for my present problem

Once again though I appreciate you taking the time out to post and let me know what you think on the above I have written

 

[Ozzy]

Hi Rob,
Using your own website to process the credit card transactions is not illegal, it is no different from using a Virtual Terminal with either NoChex or Worldpay, or any other payment provider. They are all done "online".
Alternatively, and this is what I have done here, have a bespoke web interface written that is password protected and hosted on a secure certificate, where you enter the order details and it then takes you to NoChex as your payment provider. That will cost you no more than what you are already paying, appart from the cost of developing a 1-2 page checkout page.

 

[Deleted member 2816]

Ozzy - I have often wondered if this way of accepting CC payment was legal! Although I offer Paypal & cheque payment on my site, people often ring me to ask if I'll accept CC payments over the phone. They seem to be jumpy about inputting their CC details online; but if I were to use the details they give me in this way (logging in as customer & processing) , surely this is doing what the client did not want? If you get my drift!

:?:

 

[DotNetWebs]

If you have an existing terminal like Alan (visagephoto) has all you have to do is input the credit card as “customer not present”.

 

[vigo]

Storing credit card details on your website, even secured with SSL, will almost certainly be against your agreement with your processer (not to mention the fact that they consider Internet originated CNP transactions different from mail order/telephone order) and could land you in big trouble with Visa, Mastercard and your bank. Please, please, please don't store credit card numbers on a standard web server (even with a SSL certificate), if your server gets hacked YOU will be responsible for all the fraud on the cards whose numbers were stolled and you could well face criminal charges (as well as never being allowed to process cards again).

Servers which take and store credit card details have to go through extensive annual security checks by Vias, Mastercard et al and you can be your run-of-the-mill shared host hasn't spent the thousands of pounds that takes!

 

[sparklyscotty]

Hi guys. I am going to be careful here... hypothetically, yes you can log into your own website and place an order on behalf of a customer and pay through paypal using their credit card details, and hypothetically, the chance of Paypal finding out are slim. Hypothetically, if your customer knows you are using their card, they won't contact any authority to press charges of fraud. HOWEVER I have done a lot of research, and been told by Paypal, Nochex and others that unless you have a third-party processing gateway (i.e. virtual terminal, or POS terminal) it is ILLEGAL to process a customers card on their behalf. It is techincally considered FRAUD, and against most account policies. If a customer was savvy enough, and pissed off at you enough, they could press charges of fraud.
It's a judgement call if you are in a pinch and can't get a merchant account but take orders by phone, but please weigh your options carefully and read the small print of any account you decide to go with.
-ANgel-

 

[URaccess]

Hi Robert

We have also created an online order form which customers can print out and forward to us with a Cheque, Postal Order or their Credit/Debit card details.

To facilitate the card payments we have opened a merchant account with Barclays (most main banks offer this service). They supply an electronic terminal with integrated modem into which you enter your customers card details, and payments are authorised (or declined) over a phone line.

Hi,

I apologise for the delay in replying all this time but it seems it is one major kick in the teeth after another but as always I return stronger than before :lol:

You mention something which I don't think I picked up on in my last visit and sending of replies here.

When you approached Barclays, can you give me an insight as to what they needed evidence and so on wise to enable you to open an account with them that gave you the facility of a Merchanct Account with the use of a payment terminal that you plug into your phone socket etc?

I have hit my head against a brick wall with this idea to a point as my company already has a Natwest Business Account and has done for about two years but as everything has took so long to overcome all the hurdles and things that have nearly brought us to our knee's, it has hardly being used to date.
However I got in contact with Natwest who advised me they actually have the company called StreamLine who are owned and run by RBS who own Natwest (Think those are the facts the correct way round but I am going back a few months since I found this out)
I spoke with StreamLine and in the end because we will be in part selling online, selling computer equipment/hardware along with consumables and much more...we are considered high risk and in our current circumstances would be in effect turned down.

We would also need to submit a full business plan, which this brings it's own issues due to the company never starting out selling online as such and the ink,consumables, hardware store and the ISP services have had to be setup to help self fund the company's main target. Which is £50,000 of private equity investment to bring in the other £75,000 of Govt and Banking investment to realise our AccessibilityFinder Service and website for the disabled and business alike and all under one roof. We do have a full 3year BP for this side of the company but not for www.uraccess4ink.com as this was born as mentioned above, in that past 6 months and there was no need to create a BP for this.

Hence I am worried you may say that Barclays will view this as a must have and put paid to taking our commercial banking business elsewhere away from Natwest to gain the facility of payment terminal.

Although maybe somebody will tell me that there is light at the end of the tunnel, as there maybe a bank out there whom will take us on, allow us use of a payment terminal to make sure we dont lose out to telephone and post orders. As surely in a banks eye.....any orders/customers lost for a company, especially a new start up whom there is supposed to be tons of help for out there (There is not, not even being on the Business Link High Growth Programme helps you in this country) and through such a minor bit of red tape as it were would be seen as commercial suicide?

Anyways mull the above over and I look forward to recieving your views in the near future. Also please remember that the explanation above, about what the company was actually incorporated to undertake and do, cannot be fully appreciated in a paragraph, nor the reason why we don't have a full BP for URaccess4Ink.Com and nor the actual hurdles constantly being overcome to reach our goal, which is an achievable multi million pound company that will help millions of disabled persons in the UK and eventually globally and associated businesses too.

p.s. If you know of anybody who is looking to invest into such a refreshing and achievable concept and company....Do let them know I'm here :wink:

Take Care All
Rob

 

[Rob Holmes]

We use Worldpay - for automated payments and the worldaccess terminal for the telephone payments.

Generally in the 4 years we've used them there have been little hassles and their customer service is excellent.

They charge 4.5% for visa transactions 50p for debit cards and hold your cash for 2 - 4 weeks before paying it into your bank account, if you can live with these inconveniences (which we do) then I would recommend them.

Rob

 

[visagephoto]

Robert

I actually aproached Barclays as an FSB member, an organisation which has apparently negotiated prefferential term for merchant account facilities.

Anyway if I remember correctly Barclays provided an application form which I had to return with proof of identity, proof of business status, audited accounts (they accepted a P&L statement and a ballance sheet printed directly from my Quickbooks account program instead) and bank statements etc.

I've heard that Barclays deal mostly with small businesses and are more sympathetic towards small business requirements. . . Why not give them a ring.

 

[Top Hat]

We use Worldpay - for automated payments and the worldaccess terminal for the telephone payments.

Generally in the 4 years we've used them there have been little hassles and their customer service is excellent.

They charge 4.5% for visa transactions 50p for debit cards and hold your cash for 2 - 4 weeks before paying it into your bank account, if you can live with these inconveniences (which we do) then I would recommend them.

Rob

You can get a better deal with Worldpay, once established, if you ask.

And as Rob say, generally pretty good but they have had 2 DOS attacks in the last 2 years.