Cash or Cash and Credit Cards?

[Skeered]

I have had a haunted house the past 2 years. Cash only. I charged $7 admission. Prices in my area don't go much beyond $10-$12, maybe a $15 one somewhere. At what point does it become beneficial to accept credit cards? Whether in person or on your website? Does cash only increase your chances of an audit? Does the extra cost get outweighed by more customers? Would it help influence a person to come to my attraction rather than a cash only one? Or is it largely for image and convenience for your customers? I can also see where a large outfit would want to minimize the amount of cash on hand due to the risk involved. I had a few people say that they didn't know that I would not accept credit cards. I never told them that I did accept credit cards either. I may have heard from a local merchant account rep that they have a $.5 rate for low amounts. Meaning you get charged a nickle per transaction fee instead of like $.30 plus the going % rate.

Truth is not determined by the number of people who believe in it.

[Wellinton]

I never carry cash, so I would have to take extra steps to go to a cash only event. I spend more at a coffee shop that accepts cards than I would at a cash only coffee shop. I think it would pay for itself if you added Visa and MasterCard decals to all your signage. Very convenient for customers and they may spend more when they arrive ( VIP Pass, food ). It's not real money. Ha Ha

[xtremecreator]

Cash & Credit cards.

My first year I had 2 buses pull up wanting to pay with credit card.

I had to turn down 80 people.

That will never happen again.

John
XtremeCreators LLC

[HauntedPaws]

Accepting CC isn't that expensive. 3% processing charge plus a .30 which you can pass on as a fee if they're buying online. Having a CC processing system can be as simple as an iPAD.

[Dark Scares]

First year we didn't except CC and turned away, or sent many to the ATM machine, and we did post on our website that it was cash only at the box office. I am sure we lost sales. This year we accepted cards and maybe 40% of our business wanted to pay this way.

[Skeered]

Wow. Losing 2 buses would hurt a bit.

I have had an online and retail merchant accounts in the past. Seems like I probably need to go ahead and allow CC's this year. I appreciate the input everyone.


Truth is not determined by the number of people who believe in it.

[Jim Warfield]

There is a cash machine close by.
My house has a very low throughput and always will have unless I just used the house for a fake-out and ran only a backyard "Chitt-Through-A-Goose" maze behind it. Yes, Jim is doing things all wrong AGAIN! with a 60 to a 90 minute house tour.
Did you know that if a customer complains enough the credit card company will remove that sum from your account and give it back to the complainer? It's a credit card but it's not really a "Done deal".
So a zillion people show up here, we run their cards they finally get almost in hours later , then we would have to un-run their card because now they are late for their breast implant operation?
This last year we saw more people wanting to use their credit card here than ever before, maybe someday we will be forced to accommodate just because of the sheer numbers of people who do business that way?
I put a stop to trading a dozen eggs and rotten walnuts for admission quite awhile ago, eldest Daughters too.
(There you go, Shane!)

[HauntedPaws]

It also helps enable more impulse buying if they're able to prebuy on your website.

[Skeered]

Jim always puts a smile on my face My ticket booth is near to the entrance so people don't pay until not long before they go in. My only fear is get some jerk wad complaining to the CC company and get nailed with a chargeback. I had one guy start complaining when the air blaster got him. My hidey hole was on the opposite side of the wall so I knew exactly what happened. He wanted his money back because he thought somebody came out of a hole in the wall and touched him. I tried to tell him several times nobody touched him and offered to show him where the air blaster was and how it worked. He flatly refused and left PO'd.

[spookhaven]

Get an ATM for onsite. Would help with Debit card users.