Successware and or PayJunction or Marathon MAP?

06/16/2008 05:48:51 PM · #1

Anyone tried either of these two items?

We are planning on closing down our studio end of next month to move to a newer location and reopen hopefully by October. Along with the move come a new pricing structure, boutique packaging and hopefully a clientele in a much higher income bracket (think 20k moving to 90k). So along with everything else we're looking at the booking and how we take payments. Payjunction has an intrequing little gizmo that will take credit cards over a cell phone, as well as online through photobiz or through financial software like successware.

As well we're trying to find really good marketing info, and have been looking at Marathon and their MAP program.

If anyone has tried and loves any of these products I'd really like to know. If anyone has tried and figures they got nailed, I'd REALLY like to know before we outlay thousands getting in.

06/16/2008 06:15:33 PM · #2

I've used Marathon for a few things and they're great. I use their email marketing system and it's a bargain.
I understand the value of contact software, invoicing software, etc but find most of it very expensive, so I make do with other, perhaps less effecient, methods.
So much depends on your volume of business. Mine is small, client count wise, and I'm not primarily portraiture so getting 'repeat' business isn't as important to me as it is to some.

06/16/2008 06:18:11 PM · #3

Ah! Chris I should have know you would be the first to respond :)

We did a mailer earlier this year, and Marathon seems to be right in line with what we paid for one we really did all on our own. So with their targeted printing, I think that's going to be a huge asset right off the bat. It seems like they have good direct marketing sources as well. Being able to get children, seniors, etc, seems to be very expensive.

06/16/2008 11:05:55 PM · #4

Anyone else?

06/17/2008 09:47:23 AM · #5

Morning Bump. Bueller, Bueller

idnic

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

06/17/2008 09:55:54 AM · #6

I would stay away from PayJunction. Anytime you run a credit card charge without actually swiping the card you pay higher fees. A more economical solution is to buy a used cc terminal from ebay, then have it programmed to a quality cc service like Merchant Warehouse or Midwest Transaction Group (MTG).

As for successware, everyone I've talked to says its a MUST have. Once you start using it, many of your systems can be automated into one place... saving tons of time & reduntant data entry.

I use MarathonPress pretty often for specialty items, gift cards and such. I like their customer service and the products are excellent quality. I haven't used their MAP program yet, but did read about it and look at all of the styles available. Great selection. I'm still in a 'do all marketing pieces myself to preserve my branding' mode, but might try them in the future.

06/17/2008 10:36:55 AM · #7

Ahh Credit cards!
You shoul take them by all means. All of them, meaning discover and AMEX. There are 2 types of transactions -swipe and no-swipe. No-swipe always costs more, percentage wise, as there is more risk. Just about all of the speakers i've seen at PPA take the session fee over the phone at the time of booking - so that $30-50 is gonna be a non-swipe deal. The extra 1% (or less) is worth it to be assured they're going to show for the session.

If you have a main street studio get a machine and use your bank - the set up can be a PITA and sometimes costly. My bank only takes MC/VS. For me to take the other cards I need to negotiate a deal with Amex/DS. And I need a dedicated phone line so add in some costs for that. They charge 2% and 25 cents I think for a swipe (mc/vs)- it gets confusing sometimes as they charge a monthly fee for access but the first $20 in fees per month (the 2% bit) go toward that...Ds and Amex charge more from what I hear.
So for the costs (machines with a printer can run $800 new. Used are cheaper, but you must know what machines you're bank can work with, and they have to program it so there will be some fee with that and it's $150 at my bank) versus the voume of business I do I just use paypal's virtual terminal. 2.9% and 25 or 30c a transaction and $30/month. I can run a card, non-swipe only, from any internet accessible location - handy at times.
To have a terminal of my own requires $300 or more up front, and the phone line and fees are about $35/month (perhaps more if I needed a 'real' phone instead of vonage) and I'd prolly pay more of a percentage for discover/amex - so unless you do a LOT of business it's not worth it - for me at least.
There are dedicated CC processors out there, and if you do $4000 a month or more in credit cards the fees come down - 1.2% for swipes is what one outfit quoted me. But only about 12% of sales are CC so if the percentages remained constant I'd have to do some $33,000 a month in sales to have $4000 in credit card sales - and I'd have a lot of other issues first! LOL

idnic

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

06/17/2008 10:47:22 AM · #8

Chris, you should check out MTG. They are PPA's prefered provider and MUCH less expensive than the rates you quote. You can get a used terminal and they will help you reset it to work with them.

06/17/2008 11:55:40 AM · #9

One of the issues I've been reading about is taking credit card payments for deposits on session fees. The suggestion is that you NOT take them, because then people can just not show up and protest the fee and then it's charged back to you.

We have a terminal now, through our bank, and I'm not unhappy with them, though, I really don't want to have to put in a land line when we move, if we can do it all online, then we save $60 a month or so right off the bat. Plus the terminal fee every month. And this service is tied into photobiz.com where we're putting our new site, so we will have the ability to do online orders, with cc payments.

They also integrate with successware, so all your bookeeping is tied together. I like this idea :)

Pay Junction also offers a retail account with the lower rates... You put in a swipe at your studio, but then use their internet and or mobile when it's necessary at the higher rate.

Decisions decisions. Getting ahead of myself anyway. Next step is talking to the Architect.

06/17/2008 12:26:53 PM · #10

I googled MTG and they had an informative page on credit card 'types', as far as fees are concerned.
//www.midtrans.com/RateGuide.htm

I'm not a PPA member, just a member of the local PPA affiliate. It's on the list of things to do though...

//www.midtrans.com/FAQ.htm is about the same as my bank...no Discover/Amex. As I stated, it depends on how much voume you do and what the fees total out compared to higher cost/lower volume. How convenient the workflow is (or isn't) is also a consideration. With paypal there is no 'batching' or waiting 2 days for the money.

Message edited by author 2008-06-17 12:37:38.

06/17/2008 12:38:41 PM · #11

Originally posted by chesire:

You run that risk no matter what.

06/17/2008 01:06:19 PM · #12

Yes, but it's a lot harder for them to dispute it when they pay you cash or by check.

06/17/2008 01:08:21 PM · #13

Originally posted by chesire:

Yes, but it's a lot harder for them to dispute it when they pay you cash or by check.

Yep, but they generally spend more with a credit card. When they've pre-paid for the session they've forgotten about that $50.

Message edited by author 2008-06-17 13:29:30.

06/17/2008 01:10:06 PM · #14

Agreed, but the deposit is the only part of that in question.

Check for deposit before the session to "hold the date" then they can pay however they would like for their prints.

06/17/2008 01:12:01 PM · #15

Checks for deposits should also give enough time to make sure their fundage is good too. :) Certainly not going to give a session to someone who has written you a hot check.

06/17/2008 01:35:43 PM · #16

Originally posted by chesire:

Checks for deposits should also give enough time to make sure their fundage is good too. :) Certainly not going to give a session to someone who has written you a hot check.

They call for a session appt, perhaps 2 weeks out. If you call and remind them the day before you'll get a higher show rate - it's why doctors and even hair dressers do it. If they've "secured their appt" by credit card they're much more likely to show. It's not the $40 session fee you're out if they fail to show. It's the missed opportunity for the sale. If you have only 10 spots a week to shoot and figure on $500 average and they don't show and have to resched for 2 weeks out this week's sales are short $500, not just the $40 session fee.

If they do come in and write a check they can still stop payment on it, or write a bad check (on purpose or by accident). There are fees you pay for that in addition to the time and hassle of collecting it. If you use one of those check checking deals you're still paying a percentage to someone.

idnic

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

06/17/2008 02:14:23 PM · #17

Please let me caution you about your terminology there..... a "Deposit" is a price paid toward the final purchase. A "sitting fee" or "creation fee" or whatever you want to call it is non-refundable and does not apply toward final purchase price. If you call your sitting fee a "deposit", a decent attorney can take it right away from you if litigation comes up.