accepting prepayment for sales?

debsactionshots

I have several multi-day events coming up... youth sports, for the most part.

I really believe if I could at least accomplish on-site viewing and ordering, if not printing, I'd have generate much greater sales.

I don't know if I want to try and accomplish internet access.

Is there software that allows you to accept payment without an internet connection and then process the orders in the evening - and mail them through SmugMug?

If I don't have power - What do you think of proof books and paper invoices? Anyone have a model here?

The sales throughput on handing out business cards and directing folks to my website is not going to keep me from having to get a real job, so I'm anxious for a solution ;-)

Deborah Mundorff
www.debsactionshots.com

to keep the post interesting.. I'll add a swimming shot.

mercphoto

Some merchant accounts will allow you to bill through any touch-tone phone, such as your cell. You enter the number, the amount, etc. with the numeric keypad. Not exactly fast, and I think the fee for this is a bit steep, but it gets the job done. If you have an iPhone there's supposed to be an application for accepting credit cards. Blackberry might have something similar. Lastly, if your phone has Internet you could do this through PayPal.

I'd agree that on-site viewing and ordering will help your sales. On-site printing is a hassle and probably not worth quite as much.

debsactionshots

mercphoto wrote:

I'd agree that on-site viewing and ordering will help your sales. On-site printing is a hassle and probably not worth quite as much.

Do you have suggestions for accomplishing on site viewing?

mercphoto

debsactionshots wrote:

Do you have suggestions for accomplishing on site viewing?

I never did it, even though I knew it would help sales, because it is rather involved and I was never willing to invest that much effort into my motocross or kart racing sales. You either need access to power from whatever site you are at, or have a portable generator (and get a quiet one, which means more money). You need at least one computer, screen, keyboard and mouse for customers, networked to the one you use for downloading cards, sorting images, etc. And you want to restrict what people on the viewing stations can do (i.e. don't let them put images into the trash can!). Its a combination of hardware and software.

Angelo

I'll assume you don't have a merchant account with your bank or you'd be discussing this with them.

All merchant banks provide their business clients with credit card processors and many will "rent" or "loan" a wireless unit to a client for occasional on-site business calls.

http://merchantwarehouse.com/credit_card_machines/wireless_credit_card_terminals

catspaw

debsactionshots wrote:

Do you have suggestions for accomplishing on site viewing?

1. an assistant to handle this while you are busy shooting
2. computer
3. LARGE monitor
4. and then either navigate folks to the photos in question or get some viewing software (sorry, no recommendations here) that allows them to sort through photos for the ones they need (usually a bad idea).