You're scenario is unique in that you wouldn't need to store the CC number for future purchases through the reservation system. Amazon and other online retailers who store CC numbers do so to facilitate easy checkouts on future purchases. You could save the CC number offline and then have someone manually process them once a trip has taken place.
If they really wanted to cut down on no shows, they'd charge everyone the full amount up front. Why take a deposit when they're going to be charging the full amount unless the trip doesn't happen? Refund 1/2 if the trip gets rained out by mailing refund checks back to the customer. The other thing about this plan is what will they do with folks who pay the deposit by cash or check rather than with a credit card? Anyone with half a brain is going to figure out that paying by check protects them from getting charged the balance if they decide not to show up. ----- Original Message ----- From: "J W" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "CF-Talk" <cf-talk@houseoffusion.com> Sent: Friday, January 13, 2006 12:49 PM Subject: Since were on the topic of Credit Cards... A best practices question... > With all this talk of encrypting and storing passwords, I have a best > practices question. > > I am currently working on a reservations system for a tours company. One > of > the BIG goals of this system is to cut down on no shows. > > Each space needs to be reserved since there are only X amount of spaces > to > fill on each trip. They want to require a 50% non refundable deposit > when > ordering through this system. Say each one is $80 total, so they want 40 > up > front. BUT here is the big but. Since the remainder of the payment is > due at > the time of the tour, they want to let the customer choose method of > payment > for the whole thing, whether that is putting the total amount on the CC, > Check or cash. Basically they want the card number to charge you the 40 > if > you no show and charge the 40 bucks and in case the trip is rained out, > they > don't have to refund the 40 for everyone else who reserved. At firstthey > wanted me just to take and store the CC # to which I said "No F'n way". > SO I > need to come up with an acceptable solution. BTW, Customer is made aware > of > the 50% non refundable charge by answering yes to a disclaimer BEFORE > they > place the reservation. The slight catch is that these reservations can > be > made up to a year in advance.. > > What would you do? > > Here is my thinking.... Pre auth everyone for 40, don't settle. Day of > trip, > the owner goes in to the online processer > and finds the preauths for the trip and either settles or runs an > entirely > new transaction > based on if the preauth is still available. My question is it possible > to > create a new transaction or settle on a n older preauth from a previous > transaction within Authorize.net's or payflow's merchant control > panel??? > THat way day of the trip, he can go in and charge all the customers that > want to pay with CC and settle his no shows. Am I barking up the right > tree > or is there a better way??? > > Thanks, > Jeff > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:229530 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
