Pampered Chef Credit Card Is Going Away...

[thehaleykitchen]

I hear you there ~ I didn't do anything wrong! Though I did not like how long it took for the CC payment to be made. I always had to send it out with at least a two week to go before it was due just so they would credit the account on time.My hubby is wondering how PC can get away with giving us a debit card linked to any bank account....a debit card is supposed to be only given by the bank and not a third party linked to it (at least that is his argument!) I guess I am going to have to see it just as an electric check and not so much of a debit card.....not happy with it but at least I can use my other credit cards for non-show payments.Karen

 

[esavvymom]

Did they give an explanation?? They at least should do that.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Did they give an explanation?? They at least should do that.

Here's the email they sent:

Dear Consultant,

I have some disappointing news to share with you today regarding your Pampered Chef Visa® card.

Over the past few years, New Millennium Bank has offered the Visa card to Pampered Chef® Consultants. As a card holder you know that the card offers you several advantages. It is the only credit card that can be used to submit payment for both commissionable and non-commissionable orders and it can also be used anywhere that Visa is accepted.

So I know you will be disappointed to learn that the card owner recently let us know they’ve made the business decision to discontinue the card, effective Sept. 1.

Since we first received this news, we have been researching payment options that will give you at least some of the advantages you enjoyed with your Pampered Chef Visa®. While we will not be able to offer you a Visa card that you can use anywhere, we will be able to offer the following:

* Beginning Sept. 1 and ongoing, you will be able to use any Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express card for payment of all non-commissionable orders, except for gift cards. This includes supply orders, sample orders, replacement part orders, enhancement orders, personal orders, business booster orders, Pampered Chef® dollar orders, kits and Personal Web Site subscriptions. This will be a permanent change, allowing you the flexibility you need with business expenses.

* For the month of September, you will be able to use any Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express credit card for payment of commissionable orders. Effective Oct. 1, you will only be able to use the Pampered Chef® Debit Card as payment for commissionable orders. There will be no changes to currently accepted payment options from your customers.

We made this decision with a goal to contain costs so that we can maintain competitive prices to you and your customers. The Pampered Chef Visa® card passes on minimal fees whereas other major credit cards charge much higher processing fees for each transaction.

If you don’t have a Pampered Chef® Debit Card please request one today. Go to Consultant’s Corner>Managing Your Business>Financial Forms and Requests>Debit Card and Direct Deposit.

You can continue to use your Pampered Chef Visa® card through Aug. 31. The rewards you’ve accrued through the credit card rewards program are still available and you’ll receive a statement credit for the accrued amount at the end of the year if your credit card account is in good standing as of Sept. 30, 2011.

If you have a balance on the card you can continue to pay it down as usual. If you have any specific questions related to the terms associated with your Pampered Chef Visa® card, please refer to the cardholder agreement received with your credit card or contact the credit card customer service center at 1-866-750-2297.

I know this is disappointing news, and I am sorry for the inconvenience this has caused you.

Sincerely,

Jim Bresingham
Chief Financial Officer

 

[Yogimom]

I don't give people receipts other than the carbon copy of the order sheet at the shows.

eta: but if I did, I would probably print them all first and then go in and make the changes afterward. I always put in cash or check payments just so I know that I have been paid, and then I go delete them afterward. A bit of a pain but it's worth it in the end.

I'm going to have to play with this... but right now I don't see why you'd have to delete the cash/check payments to make this work, as they don't affect the submission of the show. I'm thinking I'll just leave them as entered, but make sure I submit a "guest" payment with my own cc that equals whatever balance is owed to close the show. That allows me to still have greater control over when I close and not have to wait for checks/payments to clear my account.
I do a lot of sales/orders at the Farmers Market and other vendor events and collect payment when I deliver the product. I'd rather explore this option so I don't have to change the way I do business. So thanks for the idea PamperedK.

 

[PamperedK]

I've never tried to submit without deleting payment because when I go to balance it shows a negative amount owing. If there's a way around this that works id love to know. Why does PC not want us to use a cc for commissionable payments? I don't want to be breaking any rules but I cant see why this would be an issue.

 

[Ginger428]

I don't delete anything, CC payments are gone so the balance due on the show is what you owe. You already have cash & checks, so you put them into your bank acct. & pay PC.

for example.....500.00 show
300.00 in CCs
PC charges 200.00 to your CC, but you have 200.00 in cash & checks. You don't have to delete anything....HTH

 

[Becca_in_MD]

PC, as do all merchants who accept credit cards, have to pay a fee (%) to the credit card company. Some DS companies make the consultants pay the CC fees. PC does not. So when your guest pays with Amex, PC is paying Amex the fee, not you. From the HO e-mail, it sounds like the company issuing the PC CC wasn't making money on the PC cards and whatever deal they worked out with HO, perhaps not charging HO the transaction fee on charges made to them. That's why you see a separate break-out on the card statement for PC charges and all other charges. I don't know how debit cards work; I assume there are no fees involved for merchants???

I'd be fine with the CC company eliminating the cash back portion, just as long as there's no annual fee.

If you charge all of the check and cash payments to your personal CC, then when one of those guests makes a return for refund, I assume you have to wait until your CC is credited then send a check to that customer.

I will even more strongly encourage my guests to use CCs for payment. Since I started saying that at my shows, I how greatly cut down on the # of checks. Now to tell my hosts to do this for the outside orders, too. Those are where my checks are mostly coming from.

 

[PCLaurel]

If you charge all of the check and cash payments to your personal CC, then when one of those guests makes a return for refund, I assume you have to wait until your CC is credited then send a check to that customer.

That's a good point - how do those of you who use this method handle returns/refunds?

 

[BethCooks4U]

PC, as do all merchants who accept credit cards, have to pay a fee (%) to the credit card company. Some DS companies make the consultants pay the CC fees. PC does not. So when your guest pays with Amex, PC is paying Amex the fee, not you. From the HO e-mail, it sounds like the company issuing the PC CC wasn't making money on the PC cards and whatever deal they worked out with HO, perhaps not charging HO the transaction fee on charges made to them. That's why you see a separate break-out on the card statement for PC charges and all other charges. I don't know how debit cards work; I assume there are no fees involved for merchants???
I'd be fine with the CC company eliminating the cash back portion, just as long as there's no annual fee.

If you charge all of the check and cash payments to your personal CC, then when one of those guests makes a return for refund, I assume you have to wait until your CC is credited then send a check to that customer.

I will even more strongly encourage my guests to use CCs for payment. Since I started saying that at my shows, I how greatly cut down on the # of checks. Now to tell my hosts to do this for the outside orders, too. Those are where my checks are mostly coming from.

I know that merchants are charged a fee for accepting debit cards but I think it's less. I know a friend who has a store told me that it depends on how much the charge is whether it helps them to run it as a debit or as a credit card. PC's debit card is different though so I can't speak to that one. I pay for everything (gas, groceries, etc) with my personal debit card so I can also adjust to the PC one if I have to...

I plan to give a bonus to hosts whose show is paid in full by cards. I will be using the debit card for cash and check payments. I've had the debit card all along. I just prefer to do it with the PC cc but it is what it is and we will all adjust. I know a ton of consultants who don't even have a cc so if they can do it so can I. It's just not my preference.

 

[wadesgirl]

I hear you there ~ I didn't do anything wrong! Though I did not like how long it took for the CC payment to be made. I always had to send it out with at least a two week to go before it was due just so they would credit the account on time.

My hubby is wondering how PC can get away with giving us a debit card linked to any bank account....a debit card is supposed to be only given by the bank and not a third party linked to it (at least that is his argument!) I guess I am going to have to see it just as an electric check and not so much of a debit card.....not happy with it but at least I can use my other credit cards for non-show payments.

Karen

It's not an actual debit card I think it's just what they call it.

 

[PamperedK]

I have PC send my customers a check for returns. Now keep in mind I'm in Canada and the rules may be different!

 

[pampered1224]

Any monetary refunds are made directly to the customer. I have done many returns within the one year and ALL have been in the form of a check made payable to the customer not me. Ever! Whether it is a payment made via the PC "Debit" card, (per my bank the definition of a debit card can be that of an actual debit or electronic check), or even on your own personal credit card, they gave you the money for that order so it is not yours to begin with. So why would a refund check be made out to you, the consultant? And no, they do not credit your account if that is what you were thinking. It still goes back to the customer. If they used a credit card, the amount may be debited back but I have also never had that happen either. It has always been in check form.

 

[heather223]

It's not an actual debit card I think it's just what they call it.

It isn't an actual debit card. It is just an electronic withdrawal from our checking account. We can only use it with PC. I like that we don't have to enter our personal checking account information into P3.

 

[ShellBeach]

I'm another person who thinks of the PC "debit card" as an electronic check. I use this when I get a bunch of checks at the party, and they have time to clear before the host closes.

But lately I've been using a different credit card that has rewards tied to it. I just put my own name down as a guest, with zero product ordered, and charge my credit card for the amount of cash and checks received.

Not sure what blanking out guest payments & adding my card to a guest order would get me, except confusion later?


edited to add: When you finalize using a CC card under your own name, P3 gives a yellow caution about payments not matching. I can't remember the exact wording. Since it isn't a red warning, you can still submit and finalize the show.

PamperedK, I can't remember how things worked in the old PPlus software. I would not want to go through the hassle of deleting all the customer payments! I had no idea Canada didn't have P3 available!

 

[chefa]

I've always used the PC Debit Card - with no problems. Because I know the money can be deducted from my PC account the same day or within 5 days, I've always made sure I have any cash or check payments deposited right away. I do, however, encourage guests to use their CC.

As for the web site - PC always tells you what date they will be debiting your account for the web site fee, so it's a no-brainer to be sure the money's in the account before that date.

 

[esavvymom]

I've always used the PC Debit Card - with no problems. Because I know the money can be deducted from my PC account the same day or within 5 days, I've always made sure I have any cash or check payments deposited right away. I do, however, encourage guests to use their CC.

As for the web site - PC always tells you what date they will be debiting your account for the web site fee, so it's a no-brainer to be sure the money's in the account before that date.

Yes- you get an email (or two?) before it hits...I think it's a couple of weeks, but I can't remember. Mine will be coming due soon, so I should be seeing an email sometime this month.

 

[kabsmommy]

That's weird. I've never had them take it that quick...maybe 4 days as the SOONEST. But usually it's 5.

Mine usually never comes out until the products ship and are on the doorstep, usually 4-5 days after submitting the show!!!

 

[Malinda Klein]

I'm going to miss the cash back option, i made money (almost $200 anually) with that little feature and paid off the card monthly so i was never charged interest.

 

[cochef]

I'm going to miss the cash back option, i made money (almost $200 anually) with that little feature and paid off the card monthly so i was never charged interest.

I agree, Malinda - a really nice feature.
Does anyone offer an incentive for using "plastic"? I was thinking maybe a twixit with the little poem attached.

 

[wadesgirl]

I agree, Malinda - a really nice feature.
Does anyone offer an incentive for using "plastic"? I was thinking maybe a twixit with the little poem attached.

You shouldn't have to offer them an incentive - just tell them your preferred method is debit/credit but you will also take check or cash.

 

[jbondr]

Is this strange? I got a new PC credit card in the mail today since mine expires in September. Why?? I thought it was going away for good in September. Did this happen to anyone else?

 

[Becca_in_MD]

I imagine you can still use the card as a regular Visa card. It's just that PC is no longer accepting the card for payment. I plan on cancelling my card after I pay next month's bill.

 

[jbondr]

I guess I never thought about that. Hmmm...I really don't want a credit card so think I will also be canceling it after next months bill.

 

[flemings99]

If the account isn't being closed then why all the hype about using any card we want and no longer being required. Why not just take the perks away. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Christ Follower]

I am NOT happy about this. IF they are going to make debit the ONLY option then they need to give us back the 3 day "Grace Period" to submit shows after the moonth is over to ensure checks clear. Remember that? We used to have till September 3rd to submit August shows? If I have a host give me checks August 31st and submit her show, it's a gamble for me now. I vote for the grace period OR another PC Credit Card.

 

[Becca_in_MD]

How are previous PC cc holders doing with the transition? Did everyone get the written notice from the cc company that the account was being closed?

Per PC's instructions, I used a personal cc for all of my shows in Sept. There's some nice cash back earned with that. Now that I've started using the debit card for my shows, I'm missing that cash back. Plus, I've operated for 7 years with submitting shows without having all payments in hand (I am NOT trying to start a debate about individual biz practices. I know some people absolutely don't submit until they have received all payments, which for me would mean submitting some shows 4 weeks later.) I have successfully gotten more customers to use a cc so the # of checks has decreased a lot.

Earlier posts in this thread mention using a personal cc as a guest with no order but payment for all the cash and checks. Anyone who hadn't been doing that doing that now? How's it working for you? I am just not a debit card person.

 

[tiggerhale]

I have been using my person cc as a guest and it works well. Started doing that in Sept. It's a bit more tricky keeping up with the shows on my cc statement but it's not bad. I was only using the pc one for shows so that's why. I am not a debit card person either. Plus, we're getting cash back on all purchases so that's nice too.

 

[wadesgirl]

I have the host pay me for all orders that are without payment. Never had a problem with that!

 

[Ginger428]

How are previous PC cc holders doing with the transition? Did everyone get the written notice from the cc company that the account was being closed?

Per PC's instructions, I used a personal cc for all of my shows in Sept. There's some nice cash back earned with that. Now that I've started using the debit card for my shows, I'm missing that cash back. Plus, I've operated for 7 years with submitting shows without having all payments in hand (I am NOT trying to start a debate about individual biz practices. I know some people absolutely don't submit until they have received all payments, which for me would mean submitting some shows 4 weeks later.) I have successfully gotten more customers to use a cc so the # of checks has decreased a lot.

Earlier posts in this thread mention using a personal cc as a guest with no order but payment for all the cash and checks. Anyone who hadn't been doing that doing that now? How's it working for you? I am just not a debit card person.

I'm not a debit card person either. Since this has started all I want to do is go to the bank to make sure I have enough in it. UGH!!!

 

[esavvymom]

I've always done the debit card. You just make sure you have all of the payments from everyone before you submit. I deposit checks/cash right away. I do try to keep at least $50-100 "buffer" in the account at all times, should a check take longer to come back as bounced. For those rare instances where I haven't received a payment yet, I would only submit if I was having the show shipped to me, or if the host paid. I don't pay for them myself. The only time I'd have "non-payment" would be for outside orders or catalog shows and then I just tell the host to collect the payments made out to HER, and the host then pays with her own credit/debit card.It's a different routine, but not too hard. With online banking these days, it's alot easier to keep an eye on things too.