Accepting Credit Cards Just Got Easier for Small Businesses
A new software from Intuit makes it affordable and easy for small businesses to accept credit card payments. The program is called Credit Card Processing Kit. It costs about $40, takes ten minutes to set up, and comes with round-the-clock support, and a 60 day money-back guarantee. There are no set up fees, no monthly minimum fees, and a low monthly service charge of $14.95.
These days, a great deal of revenue can be lost if your company doesn’t take credit card payments. Impulse buyers and travelers are good sources of income, but the ability to pay with a credit card may be the deciding factor. Some studies suggest you can increase your revenue 30 to 100 %, for several reasons:
The software maker, Intuit, is the same company that makes Quickbooks, and Turbo Tax, so you may already be familiar with their products.
You can go to the Web site linked below to see how all the costs involved stack up against traditional credit card service.
Low Cost Convenient Medical Care at Last
If you’ve ever been sick and just needed a medical opinion without the time and expense required to see a doctor, you may be in luck. A new feature at some department and drug retailers is the in-store clinic (run by outside medical companies) where you can talk to a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant quickly and inexpensively, for such conditions as sinus infections, bronchitis, and strep throat, mononucleosis. The clinic operators can write prescriptions, and you can get them filled right there.
Most of these clinics lack the conveniences of a doctor’s office, like rooms where patients can undress. Which is why, in general, no procedure will be done that requires disrobing.
Kroger, Target, Wal-Mart, and CVS stores have opened these clinics around the country. CVS calls them MinuteClinics, and bear the motto, “You’re sick. We’re quick.” They promise a 15 minute or less wait, and post a price list. CVS accepts cash payments or insurance copays. Other clinics will not take copays, but will give you a detailed receipt to submit to your insurance. Regardless, the price is likely to be low. In comparison, if your doctor’s office is not open, you could go to an emergency room and wait for hours and pay an enormous price.
While these clinics obviously won’t replace doctor offices, they can provide guidance and treatment for minor conditions for a low price and convenient wait time. And if a patient needs more, the clinic operators will tell them so and refer them to more comprehensive treatment.
The Medical Marijuana Battle Continues
As always, medical marijuana is on the frontlines of controversy. It’s legal in ten states (Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and California) but that doesn’t dampen the battle as much as you might think. Why? Because whether or not it is legal in any or all states, it still violates federal law, which does not recognize that medical marijuana has any medicinal value and considers it a drug with a great potential for abuse. Therefore, according to federal law, it is illegal to grow, sell, or possess marijuana.
Often state laws don’t answer all the questions and are vague on important issues. California is a perfect example. California has two medical marijuana laws that permit cooperatives and collectives, but remain silent on the subject of dispensaries. Even so, numerous dispensaries operate within the state. In recent months, arrests have been made of dispensary clients trying to sell or share their medical marijuana with non-clients and minors. Many others were cited who were carrying letters of permission from doctors to have the marijuana, but the letters could not be authenticated.
While the state flounders in search of more concrete laws, the county of San Diego is suing the state, asserting that federal law pre-empts state law and asking that medical marijuana be banned within the county. Meanwhile, county officials have refused to implement the state requirement to issue voluntary medical marijuana ID cards to qualified patients.
Wherever you stand on this issue, the bottom line is, until states beef up their medical marijuana laws or decide definitively that federal law supercedes state law, the battle will continue unchecked.
New bankruptcy law is not working
The National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, which released its study Wednesday, said forcing consumers into credit counseling — a key provision of the reforms that took effect Oct. 17 — was a waste of money and did little to weed out deadbeats trying to use bankruptcy to avoid debts.
The study, which surveyed six major credit counseling firms dealing with 61,335 bankruptcy filers since Oct. 17, showed that only 3.3% of people in the study were eligible for a debt management plan and could avoid filing bankruptcy.
Additionally, 79% of those surveyed were seeking bankruptcy due to circumstances beyond their control, defined as emergency medical expenses, loss of employment, higher minimum payments on credit cards, change in marital status or other unexpected events.
CardSystems Solutions Settles FTC Charges
Tens of Millions of Consumer Credit and Debit Card Numbers Compromised
In the largest known compromise of financial data to date, CardSystems Solutions, Inc. and its successor, Solidus Networks, Inc., doing business as Pay By Touch Solutions, have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that CardSystems’ failure to take appropriate security measures to protect the sensitive information of tens of millions of consumers was an unfair practice that violated federal law. According to the FTC, the security breach resulted in millions of dollars in fraudulent purchases. The settlement will require CardSystems and Pay By Touch to implement a comprehensive information security program and obtain audits by an independent third-party security professional every other year for 20 years.
Read more
Book Club Direct Marketer to Pay $680,000 for Do Not Call Violations
Book-of-the-Month Club Partnership Called Over 100,000 Consumers on DNC Registry; Continued Calling Customers Who Specifically Asked Not to be Called
In the most recent case brought against a company for failing to stop calling consumers who asked to be put on the company’s own do not call list, the Federal Trade Commission today announced that book club direct marketer Bookspan will pay a $680,000 civil penalty to settle the Commission’s charges. The Commission also alleged that Bookspan called more than 100,000 consumers on the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry. The complaint and proposed order were filed in court today by the U.S. Department of Justice on the Commission’s behalf. The FTC alleged that Bookspan, a partnership of Book of the Month Club Holdings, LLC and Doubleday Direct, Inc., called tens of thousands of consumers who previously asked to be put on its own (“entity-specific”) do not call list, and also unlawfully called consumers on the DNC Registry. The court order settling the case bars the company from violating the FTC Act and Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) in the future. The DNC Rule is part of the Commission’s TSR provisions.
Read more
BRAUN Entervan Recall
Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
BRAUN / ENTERVAN 2005-2006
Manufacturer : BRAUN CORPORATION
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 06V050000 Mfg’s Report Date : FEB 10, 2006
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Potential Number Of Units Affected : 657
Read more
NISSAN Altima and Maxima Recall
Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
NISSAN / ALTIMA 2006
NISSAN / MAXIMA 2006
Manufacturer : NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 06V046000 Mfg’s Report Date : FEB 10, 2006
Component: SUSPENSION:REAR
Potential Number Of Units Affected : 759
Read more
DAIMLERCHRYSLER Jeep Liberty Recall
Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
JEEP / LIBERTY 2006
Manufacturer : DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 06V036000 Mfg’s Report Date : FEB 07, 2006
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
Potential Number Of Units Affected : 15536
Read more
DAIMLERCHRYSLER Jeep Commander Recall
Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
JEEP / COMMANDER 2006
Manufacturer : DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 06V037000 Mfg’s Report Date : FEB 07, 2006
Component: SEAT BELTS:REAR
Potential Number Of Units Affected : 24058
Read more