Date: Mon, 1 Feb 1999 19:37:11 -0500
Reply-To: The Bus Depot <ron@NETCARRIER.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: The Bus Depot <ron@NETCARRIER.COM>
Subject: Bus Depot taking CREDIT CARDS (*see details*)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Listfolk,
Good news! Starting today, I'm finally taking MasterCard and Visa. But
there is a catch, so if you are (or may become) a Bus Depot customer, please
read on. (Then again, if you couldn't care less, head directly for the
delete key now, since there is no specific VW content ahead.)
As many of you know, I have stubbornly resisted this move on the grounds
that it would cost my customers money. It costs a good chunk of change to
take plastic, and no matter where or what you buy, this is ALWAYS reflected
in the price you pay. (Even more so when you buy mail-order, where the
percentage the bank takes is higher.) What really got me was that at the
time, bank regulations prohibited me from passing the additional cost on to
credit card customers only. I'd have had to raise my prices about 2%
across-the-board, even if you didn't use a credit card. This didn't seem
like a very good deal for my customers. So I decided to wait until a better
opportunity presented itself.
Meanwhile, I opted to take payment via Cybercheck (check-by-phone/internet)
rather than credit cards. This method takes the money directly out of your
checking account, and costs almost nothing to process, so you still pay the
"cash" price. Most of my customers are very happy with this, and use it on
the phone and on the website all the time. It's as easy and safe as paying
by credit card, and anyone with a checking account can do it. But some U.S.
customers, and most overseas ones, have been patiently waiting for me to
take plastic.
My new bank agreement skirts the "no-credit-card-surcharge" rule in a way
that I can live with. I can't charge a "credit card surcharge", but I can
offer a "cash discount." (Sounds like a lawyer came up with this one, huh?
:-) So my prices will stay the same if you pay via cash or cash-equivalent
(Cybercheck, money order, or C.O.D.), reflecting the newly-named "cash
discount" that you've been getting all along. If you pay via MasterCard or
Visa, you will pay 2% more that the "cash" pricing currently listed on the
website. This helps cover some of what it costs me to take your credit card
(which is actually more like 2.5%). But if you don't use a card, and I
don't have to pay that overhead, I won't make you pay it either. It's your
choice.
Bear in mind that most mail-order shops tack on about 2% "handling" to their
shipping charge, no matter how you pay, which I have never done. Not to
mention charging more for the parts in the first place. So even if you do
opt to forego the 2% cash discount and use a credit card, you'll still save
a lot of money.
THIS IS IMPORTANT: The website does NOT mention the acceptance of credit
cards yet, and will not for a while. It has to be carefully revamped to
include the "legalese" that explains the cash discount thing. Meanwhile,
the only ones who know they can order with a credit card are you list
members. If you want to pay by MasterCard or Visa, via the secure order form
on the website, just choose the "I will send a check or money order" payment
option. Right above the payment options is a box labeled "What else do we
need to know?" This is just a blank space for additional comments. Simply
type in your card number and expiration date there. (Or call them in to us
at 215-234-VWVW.) Please make sure we have your home address (that the card
is billed to). Also, check the card number carefully, since if you write in
wrong this will of course delay your order. By doing it this way, you can
still order by credit card over the website, fully secured, starting right
away, although nobody will know this but you list members. Eventually, the
website will be reprogrammed to automatically eliminate the "2% cash
discount" when you pay with a credit card. In the meantime, just remember
that your actual bill will be 2% more than the website pricing since you are
not getting the cash discount.
I'm happy that I was finally able to work out a way to give cash customers
the best possible deal while not ignoring those who prefer to use plastic.
I suspect that many of you who have been paying via CyberCheck all along,
will opt to continue to do so and save the extra 2%. But at least now the
choice is yours.
Thanks for your continued support!
-Ron Salmon
The Bus Depot
http://www.busdepot.com
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