Credit card crazies

Guess who is still making a lot (I mean a LOT) of money? Credit card companies. And anyone connected to them: suppliers, processors, etc. etc. Whooo boy, don't get me started. That whole part of it is fodder for another post. Maybe an exposé. Maybe a book.

What got me steamed last week is the flatlining and death of our "new" credit card processing machine at our downtown store. Years ago, we purchased our first credit card processor for about $500, a major investment for us. It blew up about a year and a half later, past any warranty period, and we were faced with either purchasing or leasing a new one. We went for the lease. More expensive in the end, but if something happens, you don't have to start over and buy another. And because the technology is changing all the time, you can upgrade and get rid of the one that runs on hamster power.

At our farmhouse store, we have this workhorse credit card machine that keeps chugging along. A different story downtown. Our first machine there lasted about two years, and decided to stop working just a few days before last Christmas, our busiest, craziest three days of the year. It was a nightmare, and replacement didn't come until after the new year, thank you very much. And by the way, manually keying in all the hand-swiped card purchases from earlier gets charged at a much higher percentage rate. Oh well. This time our 'new' machine pooped out Tuesday morning (just eight months later), and I didn't get a replacement until Friday. I was on the phone for what seemed like hours.

I think what really frosted me was the greasy salesmanship at the other end of the line. They know you're desperate to get a replacement machine, and use all kinds of tactics to get you to spend more (nevermind that it should be on warranty with a seamless replacement policy). Oh, you want a quick replacement? That will be $40 extra for overnight (actually two-day shipping) plus regular shipping costs. Then I got that "you get what you pay for" line, which really made me mad (don't try to sell me anything through guilt or fear). It's not like we were being cheapskates eight months ago. We relied on them to send whatever they sent. Did I want them to send another of the same? Of course not. So that required a new lease – a way more expensive lease – and signing of new papers, and further delays.

That was last week. Got my new machine, which just looks like a bloated version of the old one. Got it set up (only another hour on the line with the tech people), and I've calmed down since then. The nice thing was how understanding and patient customers were. That first day, I didn't even have a manual swiper thing to use, and had to write down all the cc info to run them through later. Everyone had to stand there and wait... You know those commercials where the guy runs into a donut shop and swipes his card for a donut and doesn't have to sign? And the donut shop owner is smiling from ear to ear? That's just a MasterCard fantasy.