i didn't know about issues with business cards, but I can see how that would be a problem. I've only used them for advanced, pre-paid bookings myself, so the time has never been an issue.
So I have seen some of the agencies accept credit cards and at least the one I have tried does it in a sufficiently discreet way, but I am wondering though if any of the well reviewed local independent ladies would accept them as well? There does not seem to be an immediately straight forward way of searching for that in the reviews and a couple of search variations of the board here did not turn up anything useful either. So I am just wondering who can point to examples of those who can if there are even any.
PS - By no means am I trying to suggest more providers should accept credit, that probably is not feasible, just wondering more than anything and curious what others think and have experienced.
PPS - I would also be curious of other alternative payment schemes like paypal, bitcoin, etc. Bitcoin caught my eye in an agency posting I glanced at recently which was surprising to say the least.
Paypal is a risky venture, and lots of providers, including myself, have had their PayPals closed and funds seized for violating TOS. Square has a similar TOS, but seems to be a bit more flexible. I take credit cards through Square, and also accept payment through other means as well. Hell, I used to take deposits and payment through Paypal as well.
When push comes to shove, if you'd like to pay via credit, I'd suggest a vanilla visa card or a Gift Rocket gift card. I personally think Gift Rocket is great.
Personally, i don't understand how bitcoin works, and it scares me that the dollar equivalency for bitcoin isn't controlled specifically by some sort of market effects. it just squicks me out, but it's definitely a "safe" way to pay for services.
Anyway, good luck searching!
1) They take up to 4 business days to process. Not a major problem for the advance planners, but if you're the guy looking to use card because you are itching to see someone pronto and your paycheck doesn't come in until next week, then Gift Rocket may ideal. I suppose a companion could see a gentleman before Gift Rocket has fully processed and delivered the payment, but I'm pretty sure bright ideas like that are how train wreck threads get started. :-P
2) Their maximum gift amount is 1000. You can arrange more than one gift/transfer in a row, but I'm assuming it shows up as multiple back to back debits on your statement. This may or may not be a problem, depending on one's current life situation.
3) Certain cards (mainly business cards) can be finicky and cancel the gift before it's been processed and delivered. The problem is the card's cancellation is not always immediate. It could happen 1-2 days after an individual has initiated the transfer. Bummer if you're already tight on that 4 day window.
Gift Rocket can be great for advance notice. But, it does involve a little patience and perhaps creativity, especially when dealing with larger deposits such as longer dates or higher rate structures.
i didn't know about issues with business cards, but I can see how that would be a problem. I've only used them for advanced, pre-paid bookings myself, so the time has never been an issue.
I haven't started promoting it at all on my site yet and am not sure if I will. I have had a few repeat/regulars I've known for years pay using their credit card. I just tell them they have to cover my fees if they want to use their CC. They all say sure...
so far so good..
I've previously made all kinds of special exceptions, including bringing my iPad (to accept a transfer or PayPal deposit), Visa, and I accept plenty of deposits regularly prior to meetings. The issue with Square is that they are owned by PayPal and WILL shut down your account. Gift Rocket will cancel a transaction if they sense something inappropriate (it has happened to me) and Visas have to be verified before a session can begin. I'm happy to make arrangements, especially for things like multi-hour appointments where that much cash would be a bit of a red flag, but, I find sometimes it's not really worth the hassle.
It's suppose to be in the mail to me... But from what I've heard from people (civie life) who uses it it's a great tool to have.. These days no one likes to carries cash..