credit card terminals

Hi folks,

Some of you may remember me as a frequent visitor (perhaps overly so?), but since it's been a while, here's a quick update: I closed my business a few years ago (worsening Fibromyalgia + declining economy + huge burnout = no choice). But no tears, because I'm now remarried to a great guy (met him at Rosen!), and my two kids, who are now in their early 20s, are doing quite well. I work p/t at a local gallery/gift shop, and manage the books of my husband's business using QuickBooks. Bottom line, I'm much happier!

In '07, Jon Greene (hubby) took over the family business, Chesnik Scopes, "fine, collectable kaleidoscopes since 1980". They'd been sold strictly at wholesale until this year when I had to guide him into doing some of the better retail shows I used to do. (We're careful not to do any shows where we have wholesale accounts, btw.) That decision has saved our xxx this year! However, I'd already sold virtually all my booth things, never knowing that we'd be doing retail shows.

So.......... I'm now looking for a decent CHEAP wireless credit card terminal. We take Visa/MC through QuickBooks, our merchant service provider, for some wholesale accounts who may prefer to pay us that way. We just key in all their card info from our home studio.

When we started doing retail shows this spring, we bought a card swiper from QB and have run charges through my internet-happy cell phone, our laptop and a cheap printer. It's turned out to be a real pain. It takes up too much room in the booth, it's slow as molasses and hardly the answer for shows that have proven to be busier for us than we expected.

So, with three holiday retail shows ahead, which will probably be even busier for us, and undoubtedly more retail shows next year, I'm now looking for a CHEAP wireless card terminal. I've spent the weekend online, but my eyes are crossed from the technical jargon now involved with them. (My terminal was OLD.) I'd really rather not have a store-and-upload system (or is it download--I always get that wrong) like I'd had before. I'm open to switching mercant card providers, however, since I see that the best priced terminals are only available when you sign up with their merchant card service.

We're members of C.R.A.F.T. and realize they have an affinity partnership with Bank of America merchant card service. I plan to pursue those options by phone tomorrow, but in the mean time, I'd really appreciate any advice you can share with me.

I'm not lacking for recommendations for merchant service providers. What I need help with is a recommendation for a terminal that won't be out of date in six months.

Thanks so much!!
Suz

[I posted this also on the Artist end of this forum, and the American Craft (Rosen) forum.]

--------------
Suzanne Greene
(formerly of SUZKNITS, now with Chesnik Scopes, my husband's business of fine, collectable kaleidoscopes