Ask Christine #32: Should I Accept Credit Cards?
Christine explains the benefits of accepting credit cards
Note: This is an edited transcript of Christine Karpinski's How To Rent Vacation Properties by Owner podcast.
Christine: Today's question comes from Carlos. He asks:
Q: "Do you think accepting credit cards as a payment option really makes that much of a difference?"
 A: Well, Carlos, there's really no way to know for sure whether not accepting credit cards is hurting your business. If people are asking if you accept credit cards, that's a sign that could definitely make a difference. However, what we don't know about is all the people who clicked on our page and then didn't contact us. Or maybe even looked at your picture on the search result page of, say, HomeAway and just skated right over your ad because you didn't have that little credit card icon.
Think about it from this perspective: The last time you went on vacation somewhere other than your vacation home, how did you pay for your vacation? Most people pay by credit card! And I think it's becoming increasingly important for vacation home owners to also accept credit cards. People like to pay via credit card for the safety and security aspect of things. They also like to get the miles and rewards from their credit cards.
If you're worried about credit card fees, then I think the main point is to make sure that you say you will accept credit cards. Once you establish that relationship and the communication back and forth with the renter, you can certainly encourage them to pay via check to avoid those fees. You can also just set up a PayPal account where you're only paying per transaction.
I hope you enjoyed this episode of Ask Christine. If you have a question, we'd love to hear from you. Please leave a message at (512) 493-4340.
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