Not sure why Google won't let me post a reply so thought I would try a new =
thread in response.
1. You can sell a lot on eBay if you make good stuff that people like. Stic=
kley is still flaming hot. People want a deal on there but of you can contr=
ol cost and have production type speed/labor, you can be profitable. Small =
items are better because of shipping hassle.
2. Etsy is a higher-end eBay type place and you can actually sell for real =
prices. Make small things so shipping is easy. Smaller audience but buyers =
do exist.
3. Local art fairs, etc. Don't do those "only" because you can get skunked =
(zero sales) real easy on a bad day or bad fit. It takes a while to learn t=
hat business and see what sells and to learn what shows are good and gettin=
g into the juried shows, etc. But can be one good source among many.
4. Consignment is tough. They want at least 30% and often 50% but if you ca=
n find some places it can be easy money. I make "Antique like" faux finishe=
d stuff and it sells through consignment some.
5. Roadside setup. I made Adirondack chairs and could seel a truck load any=
weekend I wanted to park in the wine country area near my home. Also sold =
my faux antiques along side the road in the gold-country area. Any tourist =
areas. I never had a permit, just took cash and never got hassled except on=
ce and they just said "move along" it was more of a traffic issue than sell=
ing. I have a "Square" now and can take credit cards this summer season whi=
ch I plan for Gold Country again.
6. Local cabinet shops, the big ones, often get requests for custom stuff t=
hey don't want to bother with. If you can impress them they may throw work =
your way but you need to keep visiting once they say maybe.
On Monday, March 17, 2014 8:58:15 PM UTC-7, [email protected] wrote:
> On Mon, 17 Mar 2014 14:49:57 -0700 (PDT), "SonomaProducts.com"=20
>=20
> > I have a "Square" now and can take credit cards this summer season whic=
h I plan for Gold Country again.
>=20
>=20
>=20
> What is your opinion of Square? I've seen the ads for it, but I'm
>=20
> wanting to know if it is as straight forward as they make it sound?
>=20
> Aside from the 2.75% per transaction fee, are there any other fees or
>=20
> hurdles to use one? An end user perspective is what I'm interested in.
>=20
> Thanks.
Well, I heard about it so I went to their website. There was no in-depth ex=
planation and they just wanted me to sign up so they could send me the devi=
ce. It surprised me because getting a normal merchant account requires quit=
e an approval process with the bank. I poked around a little then signed up=
.
They sent the square. I configured it to know about my bank account. I star=
ted using it. Pretty much just works. I use it from my iPhone. Some people =
shy away a little but if they want to buy by card, that is what I can offer=
.
On Mon, 17 Mar 2014 14:49:57 -0700 (PDT), "SonomaProducts.com"
> I have a "Square" now and can take credit cards this summer season which I plan for Gold Country again.
What is your opinion of Square? I've seen the ads for it, but I'm
wanting to know if it is as straight forward as they make it sound?
Aside from the 2.75% per transaction fee, are there any other fees or
hurdles to use one? An end user perspective is what I'm interested in.
Thanks.
On 3/17/2014 11:58 PM, [email protected] wrote:
> On Mon, 17 Mar 2014 14:49:57 -0700 (PDT), "SonomaProducts.com"
>> I have a "Square" now and can take credit cards this summer season which I plan for Gold Country again.
>
> What is your opinion of Square? I've seen the ads for it, but I'm
> wanting to know if it is as straight forward as they make it sound?
> Aside from the 2.75% per transaction fee, are there any other fees or
> hurdles to use one? An end user perspective is what I'm interested in.
> Thanks.
>
I used it once when I bought something. It is a little different than
the typical CC transaction. I can only tell you from the customer's
perspective.
The person had the Square on a tablet. I was able to swipe my card, put
in my email and have the receipt sent to me. This particular setup did
not have a printer available. It was fast, easy, accurate, portable.
In article <[email protected]>,
Ed Pawlowski <[email protected]> wrote:
>On 3/17/2014 11:58 PM, [email protected] wrote:
>> On Mon, 17 Mar 2014 14:49:57 -0700 (PDT), "SonomaProducts.com"
>>> I have a "Square" now and can take credit cards this summer season which I plan for
>Gold Country again.
>>
>> What is your opinion of Square? I've seen the ads for it, but I'm
>> wanting to know if it is as straight forward as they make it sound?
>> Aside from the 2.75% per transaction fee, are there any other fees or
>> hurdles to use one? An end user perspective is what I'm interested in.
>> Thanks.
My girlfriend got one in order to charge for an event she was running.
It's insanely simple and vendor-friendly. *Anybody* can get one. Just
sign up and they mail you the device the next day. Plugs right into the
headphone jack of an Android or iPhone. Download the app and you're
on your way. Just the 2.75% fee as far as I know.
You can also do transactions without the device (e.g. telephone
transactions). This requires you to type the CC# into the app. They
charge a higher fee for this, and I think there are other hurdles as well.
Disclaimer: this is all from watching my girlfriend use it. I don't have
one myself.
--
-Ed Falk, [email protected]
http://thespamdiaries.blogspot.com/
>What is your opinion of Square? I've seen the ads for it, but I'm
>wanting to know if it is as straight forward as they make it sound?
>Aside from the 2.75% per transaction fee, are there any other fees or
>hurdles to use one? An end user perspective is what I'm interested in.
>Thanks.
I use Square. Many local small business here use it. It's become
especially popular in our shopping streeet area around a major farmers
market. No other fees. I've been on both sides of the Square
transaction and love it.
On 3/18/2014 5:50 PM, SonomaProducts.com wrote:
> They sent the square. I configured it to know about my bank account. I started using it. Pretty much just works. I use it from my iPhone. Some people shy away a little but if they want to buy by card, that is what I can offer.
How long does it take for the Square funds to be available in your bank
account?
Not a big fan of the service, but will occasionally accept payment via
PayPal when doing custom furniture, particularly if it is out of town,
or when clients insist on paying with credit cards. I did use PP
frequently when doing furniture jobs through CustomMade that were quite
profitable .... that is until CM insisted on using only a single payer
system (WePay), instead of PayPal, that got between me and the customer
for payment. (No one knows my business better than I do, especially some
wet behind the ears Sillycon Valley Millennium who can barely spell
"cash flow").
What I don't like about PayPal is the two to three days lag time before
the funds end up in the linked account, and the 3% fee (I add the fee to
the contract price to at least cut back on that cost). What I do like
about PayPal is the ability to invoice online for same, and for the
client to be able to use a credit card if that is their choice, without
me having to deal with a merchant account.
Like all aspects of doing business, flexibility is most important when
it comes to managing cash flow ... the more flexibility the better in
that regard, and there is no one-size-fits-all method of managing cash
flow, despite what each provider will try to convince you.
--
eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
https://www.google.com/+eWoodShop
https://plus.google.com/+KarlCaillouet/posts
http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)