Pampered Chef Credit Card Is Going Away...

[Karen]

Just read my email regarding the PC credit card no longer being available. I didn't use it a lot, but when I did it was strictly for PC business. At least when I make the last payment it will be gone forever.

I know of many consultants who used this for submitting shows to get the rewards. Bummer!

 

[BethCooks4U]

:cry: :cry: I will miss the card. I use it for all my shows and PC business. I always pay 100% each month but it is so nice not worrying if a check will clear or there's enough in the account. No more. So sad. :cry:

 

[Becca_in_MD]

Ditto, Beth. Ditto, ditto, ditto. I've never been a debit card user, PC or otherwise.

 

[sandilou]

Boo-hoo-hoo. I've never used a debit card either. Not happy. :cry: I went to apply for one right away and I get a message I already have one. Really? Never used it! How am I gonna figure out what the number is?

Sandi

 

[esavvymom]

Boo-hoo-hoo. I've never used a debit card either. Not happy. :cry: I went to apply for one right away and I get a message I already have one. Really? Never used it! How am I gonna figure out what the number is?

Sandi

Call the Financial dept.

• Debit card application processing
([email protected]) (630) 261-8531

 

[lt1jane]

we were about to fle bankruptcy when I started my business. I never applied for it because I was sure I'd get denied. All I've ever used is the debit card

 

[wadesgirl]

Never had a problem with my debit card - didn't see a need for another credit card!

 

[esavvymom]

Never had a problem with my debit card - didn't see a need for another credit card!

That's how I had felt. I figured if I didn't have the money in my account anyway, I shouldn't be spending it probably. I can use my personal CC for supply/sample orders as needed. Otherwise, I use my Debit Card with my biz.

I can see the advantage of checks clearing, etc. But HO won't debit the funds from your account for 5 days or so, to give you time for checks to clear, etc. I always try to keep a minimum $50 in there....just in case.

 

[trps]

When are they ending it?

 

[PamperedK]

I use an Airmiles credit card to submit all my shows. This allows me to get to conference basically for free!

 

[PamperedchefDaly]

That's how I had felt. I figured if I didn't have the money in my account anyway, I shouldn't be spending it probably. I can use my personal CC for supply/sample orders as needed. Otherwise, I use my Debit Card with my biz.

I can see the advantage of checks clearing, etc. But HO won't debit the funds from your account for 5 days or so, to give you time for checks to clear, etc. I always try to keep a minimum $50 in there....just in case.

Is that really the case? I've never used the debit card for shows because I didn't want to get stuck if a check didn't clear.

 

[Shelly Flanagan]

I use an Airmiles credit card to submit all my shows. This allows me to get to conference basically for free!

How do you get away with that? You pay for every show with a credit card in your name under the host?

 

[PamperedK]

Yep. At the end of the show I put one payment for the cash and checks under an order with my credit card.

 

[Ginger428]

Is that really the case? I've never used the debit card for shows because I didn't want to get stuck if a check didn't clear.

NO its NOT true! All my girls have the debit & one just had 2 shows on hold because they tried taking the money right away! Also If you have a problem on a Friday, it will not be cleared till Monday some time!

 

[flemings99]

I LOVE my cc and exclusively use it for PC. I love that when we are at conference I can charge all my meals and extras on it. Plus, when I see a great air fair I can snag it and don't have to worry about having the $ until the bill comes (which by then I usually have a commission check) Plus, you can't go wrong with the $ back. I average about $50 back every other month and it doesn't come back as income at the end of the year. It's usually paid off in full every month but a few times I've carried a balance, like when I got my new laptop. Nice to have that option if needed.

Sad that they weren't able to find a new carrier. We switched cards not long after I started with PC to what we currently have. Why can't they just take away the $ back. Not happy!!! I have other cc but will miss my PC one. It has the lowest interest rate of any Plus I have a enormous credit line (something crazy like 20,000). My other cards don't have much of a credit line b/c I don't ever use them. Found this out when I got mad at our main cc and decided to transfer the balance. Discover had dropped my credit limit from thousands to $300 b/c I didn't use the card. I told them to cxl it b/c who needs a card with a $300 limit?!!

Applied for the debit...just worried about clients checks clearing in time as I sometimes run that account close. Very disgruntled over this.

Rant over...

 

[wadesgirl]

Make sure to tell HO this, maybe if they hear from enough they will continue looking elsewhere.

 

[esavvymom]

NO its NOT true! All my girls have the debit & one just had 2 shows on hold because they tried taking the money right away! Also If you have a problem on a Friday, it will not be cleared till Monday some time!

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

 

[allergycooker]

Super disappointed too! I have earned over $1000 on my card in rewards!! That is alot of FREE PC and money in my account! I am not a rush to the bank person and this will cause alot of heartache with making sure things are in the bank.. It really makes me wonder how they are not asking people to go around the system and use the "airmiles card way" at least with the PC card we were not going around the system! BOOOO to this way.. And BOO to saying it was to keep the products in reasonable prices.. I dont see how a credit card that we pay interest and such on is helping product costs....

 

[babywings76]

I called HO several months ago to find out when they deduct the $ from our accounts, and they said it could be right away or up to several days. They can't guarantee that it'll be a few days, so we should be prepared for the $ to be taken out.I'm very upset by this because my bank takes 2 days to clear the checks. This means I have to be very on top of things with shows closing several days before the end of the month. I loved being able to just do all my expenses on the CC and then keep track of everything and pay it off each month. At least they are allowing us to use a personal CC for non-commissionable orders. But that means I need to open up a new CC account to have set aside just for my business now.

 

[ChefCKHall]

Yep. At the end of the show I put one payment for the cash and checks under an order with my credit card.

My brain is not wrapping around this, can you help me? When finalizing a party, you either check debit or PC credit...how are you putting one payment for cash/checks on one order with your credit card..?

 

[tiggerhale]

I am guessing they add a payment line to one of the customer orders with the amount required from the consultant to cover the cash & checks?

 

[otisbg]

I have always used the Debit card as cc's is one of the reasons I started my business. I made sure I linked my debit card to a bank offering overdraft protection. I only had to use it once in over 3 years. We depend too much on credit cards and I think PC realizes this.:thumbup:

 

[Ginger428]

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

BUT when THEY control you're money, they can do whatever they want! I almost lost my Directorship over it. Like I said, I don't like the limited access we have with the finance dept! Also now when my Web site is up going to have to worry about paying, when they used to just bill my CC!

 

[babywings76]

My brain is not wrapping around this, can you help me? When finalizing a party, you either check debit or PC credit...how are you putting one payment for cash/checks on one order with your credit card..?

If all the orders are being paid by credit card, then you aren't prompted to choose a debit/card for submission. She is collecting all payments and then using a personal credit card on the host's payment tab.

 

[sherri lynn]

I never even checked into the credit card when it was available. I do not have the best credit and knew I would be rejected anyway. I use the PC debit card and have had no problems. I am sorry for those of you who do use it and the extra incentives it gave you. I don't understand why they are doing this, but that's just the way it rolls sometimes, I guess.

 

[pampered1224]

I would assume it is all in the maintenance fees the company behind the card was going to put onto the accounts. We all know that has happened to every other card out there so, double the monthly payments, higher interest rates, maintenance fees, annual fees and all the other BS CC companies are using to make money, is probably the reason why. I don't have a checking account so therefore I do not have a debit card right now. I use Pat's Debit/Credit Card attached to his bank account. I put him in my contact info. All of his contact info is there including the way his name appears on the card. I put his first name in as Patrick B., this way I simply put him in as a guest without any products but a payment. Yes I have to have the money in his account before I submit a show but hey, I should not be sending in shows without guest payments anyway. I do keep a buffer there though just in case I am dealing with a deadline for a consultant bonus. So it just takes a bit of revamping but it works well.

 

[PamperedK]

My brain is not wrapping around this, can you help me? When finalizing a party, you either check debit or PC credit...how are you putting one payment for cash/checks on one order with your credit card..?

(note I do not have P3 in Canada so I'm still using the old PP)

Before getting to the balancing part I delete all cash and check payments from the orders, which gives an outstanding balance that equals the cash and checks I have in hand. I then go into a guests order and add a credit card payment for that entire amount. it shows as an over payment on that guest, but it balances the show as there is now nothing outstanding.

So when I go to balance, on the screen I'd normally put PC debit card, there's a $0 balance so I don't need to do anything.

I don't think this is "going around" anything or doing anything wrong...I know several EDs that do it this way and was never told it was a no-no so I hope that's not the case....

 

[babywings76]

(note I do not have P3 in Canada so I'm still using the old PP)

Before getting to the balancing part I delete all cash and check payments from the orders, which gives an outstanding balance that equals the cash and checks I have in hand. I then go into a guests order and add a credit card payment for that entire amount. it shows as an over payment on that guest, but it balances the show as there is now nothing outstanding.

So when I go to balance, on the screen I'd normally put PC debit card, there's a $0 balance so I don't need to do anything.

I don't think this is "going around" anything or doing anything wrong...I know several EDs that do it this way and was never told it was a no-no so I hope that's not the case....

Do you print out P3 receipts before you make those changes though? Just so it shows people that you have them down as having paid?

 

[PamperedK]

Do you print out P3 receipts before you make those changes though? Just so it shows people that you have them down as having paid?

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.

 

[Ginger428]

I called HO several months ago to find out when they deduct the $ from our accounts, and they said it could be right away or up to several days. They can't guarantee that it'll be a few days, so we should be prepared for the $ to be taken out.

I'm very upset by this because my bank takes 2 days to clear the checks. This means I have to be very on top of things with shows closing several days before the end of the month. I loved being able to just do all my expenses on the CC and then keep track of everything and pay it off each month. At least they are allowing us to use a personal CC for non-commissionable orders. But that means I need to open up a new CC account to have set aside just for my business now.

I hear ya! This is SO BAD! I feel like I'm being punished for something I didn't do :grumpy:

 

[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.