If you close your eyes and picture a local small business, the neighborhood coffee shop will likely be one of the first things you see. As a result, much of the off-hand wisdom about finding the best credit card processing company for small business is especially true for coffee shops. Here are a few ways that the tech associated with these payment systems fits into the daily operations of your favorite café.
Perhaps no institution inspires more loyalty in its customer base than the corner coffee shop. Healthy coffee shops tend to always have a sizeable group of customers that work their favorite brew into their daily schedule. Your store’s success rests on courting and holding onto these people.
The problem with rusty-crusty stamp card loyalty programs is that they have already been left behind by the simple and reliable tech options that currently exist. Physical cards can be lost, creating headaches for you and your customer. Getting your loyalty program into the smartphone of your regulars should be priority one for your loyalty program. Better yet, many solutions will text your customer, if they agree to it, opening up a whole new channel for highly specific promotions with a good likelihood of increasing traffic.
Coffee shops, like any business, need to leverage as much info about their customers as possible. If you run a coffee shop, your decision-making prowess hinges on those decisions being informed. From everyday pricing decisions, to what seasonal drinks and specialties to offer and for how long, you need data to make the right call.
The joke is, there is no perfect POS interface. The best POS will be the one that is flexible enough to change with your needs. You have to know exactly what it is you’re selling, and be able to accurately access these menu items day in, day out, so orders are rung up properly. Everything, from how many extra pumps of flavoring, to whether almond or cashew milk was used, is a data point that you must keep track of. The best way to tackle this is with a solid, customizable point of sale system. In reality, you’ll be changing your menu up frequently, and it’s good to have a technology that can roll with this level of customizability, while also tracking everything in a way you can use. The Poynt Smart Terminal, which we love over at Moolah, is a good solution because it gives you this option. We highly recommend the Moolah POS, as it’s a solid, easy-to-learn solution that can roll with the menu tweaks and changes that your shop may need. Aren’t feeling the Moolah POS, or found something that fits better for you? Poynt works beautifully with a majority of software, so it’s likely that you can switch easily. Go ahead. We won’t be offended.
In the end, finding the best credit card processing company for small business for your small business coffee shop comes down, in large part to the tech solutions it opens you up to. In this way, the open source nature of Poynt feeds in perfectly to your coffee shop needs. So choose well. Your coffee-loving regulars are depending on you.
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A credit card surcharge is an additional fee added to a transaction when a patient chooses to pay with a credit card. The surcharge is intended to help offset the cost of credit card processing and applies only to eligible credit card transactions.
No. Debit card transactions may not be surcharged under any circumstances, even if the debit card is processed as a credit transaction or entered manually.
Yes. Credit card surcharges may not exceed the merchant’s actual cost of accepting credit cards and are capped at a maximum of 3% of the total transaction amount, in accordance with card-network rules and applicable law.
Yes. Card networks require clear and transparent disclosure of any credit card surcharge. Practices must notify patients through appropriate signage at the practice entrance, point of sale, and anywhere payments are accepted. If payments are accepted online, the surcharge must also be clearly disclosed on the practice’s website.
Yes. Some U.S. states and territories prohibit or restrict credit card surcharging. Practices are responsible for understanding and complying with their state’s specific requirements before implementing a surcharge.
No. While Moolah provides tools and general guidance to support credit card surcharging, compliance with all applicable laws and card-network rules is the responsibility of the merchant. Moolah does not provide legal advice and assumes no liability for a merchant’s compliance.
Most major credit card networks permit surcharging when done in accordance with their rules, but additional requirements or restrictions may apply. Practices should ensure they have completed all required network notifications and disclosures prior to enabling surcharging.
Failure to comply with surcharging rules may result in card-network fines, required refunds, or other enforcement actions. Practices should ensure they fully understand all applicable requirements before applying a surcharge.
Flex does not currently offer built-in support for credit card surcharging. If a practice chooses to enroll in a surcharge plan, payments would need to be processed through Moolah’s payment platform, which is designed to support surcharging and integrates directly with Open Dental.
If you are considering introducing a credit card surcharge for your patients, it is important to understand that there are specific rules and regulations that must be followed when enrolling in and operating under a surcharge plan.
This article provides a general overview of common surcharging requirements. This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is the responsibility of each merchant to review, understand, and comply with all applicable laws, card-network rules, and regulatory requirements, including notification timeframes, signage requirements, surcharge percentage limits, and jurisdictions where surcharging is prohibited.
If you are unsure about the laws or regulations applicable to your practice, you should consult with qualified legal counsel. Moolah assumes no liability for a merchant’s compliance or non-compliance with credit card surcharging rules or regulations.
Transparent Communication
Card networks, including Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express, require merchants to clearly and transparently disclose when a credit card surcharge is applied.
Practices must clearly notify patients of a credit card surcharge through appropriate signage placed at the practice entrance, at the point of sale or terminal, and anywhere payments are accepted. If payments are accepted online, surcharge disclosures must also be clearly visible on the practice’s website. All disclosures must inform patients that the surcharge applies only to credit card transactions.
Surcharge Limits
Credit card surcharges must comply with both card-network rules and applicable law. The surcharge amount may not exceed the merchant’s actual cost of accepting credit cards and may not exceed 3% of the total transaction amount.
Card-network rules cap credit card surcharges at 3%, meaning that if a merchant’s processing costs exceed this amount, the excess portion cannot be passed on to the patient.
Network and State Restrictions
The major credit card networks, such as Visa and Mastercard, impose specific requirements related to surcharge limits, advance notification, and disclosure.
In addition, several U.S. states and territories regulate or prohibit credit card surcharging. At the time of writing, credit card surcharging is prohibited in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and Puerto Rico. Other states, including Colorado, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, and New York, impose restrictions on surcharge amounts or require specific disclosures.
If your practice operates in a state that restricts or prohibits credit card surcharging, you must fully understand and comply with those requirements before implementing a surcharge.
Debit card transactions may never be surcharged, even if the debit card is processed as a credit transaction.
Applicability
Credit card surcharges may be applied only to credit card transactions. Other payment types, including debit cards and alternative payment methods, are not eligible for surcharging.
Regulatory Compliance
Merchants are responsible for maintaining ongoing compliance with all applicable card-network and legal requirements. This includes meeting advance notification obligations, using compliant signage and disclosures, adhering to surcharge percentage limits, and respecting jurisdiction-specific restrictions.
By following these guidelines, dental practices can implement credit card surcharging in a way that aligns with card-network rules and promotes transparency with patients. Clear and upfront communication helps maintain patient trust and supports a positive payment experience.