5 Reasons Shoppers Prefer Plastic For Holiday Shopping

It can be argued that the holiday shopping season is the absolute best time of year to be accepting Visa, MasterCard and Interac cards. Of course, there’s a reason to offer these payment options to your customers all year round. But we all know that business is about to pick up, if it hasn’t already. Taking a look at numerous blogs throughout the internet has proven to us that shoppers are being encouraged to use plastic.

One such blog is the 911 Blog, which deals with identity theft. On it, Brett Montgomery writes that “a truly happy holiday means protecting those soon-to-be-purchased presents along with your long-term finances. That’s where credit cards reign supreme over cash”. He goes on to list a number of reasons why. As you’ve likely guessed, we’d like to look into those reasons in today’s blog.

The Most Protective Plastic. Credit cards offer customers protection against fraudulent use. This makes them feel a lot more comfortable carrying around plastic rather than cash. A cash-only business stands to lose a lot of money – especially during the holidays – by not offering their customers the peace of mind that comes with paying with credit cards. Offer that peace of mind!

Season’s Thievings. Carrying around plastic instead of cash also protects people from having their money stolen. A stolen credit card can be cancelled and, as mentioned, fraudulent charges can be disputed instead of paid for. Cash, on the other hand, is lost forever if a pickpocket gets his hands on it. A credit card can be replaced. Put your customers at ease by letting them know their credit cards are welcome.

Purchase Perks. The holiday season offers customers the ability to really stack up those rewards points and travel miles. These incentives to use plastic gain greater value during the holiday shopping rush as the points accumulate much faster. That is, of course, unless your business doesn’t allow its customers to swipe their cards in order to make payments. Make it a rewarding experience to shop in your store.

Extended Return Policies. Writes Montgomery, “Many retailers limit returns to 30 days, but many credit cards extend this policy to 90 days when the purchase with their plastic. Policies vary, but many refund up to $250 or more for returns made within their extended period. Some credit card issuers may require you to ship the item to them (they’ll pay for shipping), so be sure to keep boxes and return items in like-new condition.”

Extended Warranties. During the holiday shopping rush, customers are a lot more likely to make big ticket purchases. In many of these cases, extended warranties are provided, sometimes doubling what the manufacturer of the products provides. In many instances, customers will use their credit cards to take advantage of this benefit. Allow them to get that benefit with you.

With plastic acceptance more important during this time of year than at any other, perhaps now is the perfect time to upgrade your payment provider. Making the switch to Canadian POS Corporation is a lot easier than you may think. The most affordable rates in our industry coupled with incomparable customer service will provide you with the best plastic-accepting experience of your career! Call us at 1-877-748-2884.