Chestnut Ridge Sewing in Millersburg, Ohio has been family owned and operated since 1985. The business was started by a gentleman who used to repair sewing machines in a small shop behind his home. Over the years, the business grew, moved to a larger facility, added a sales floor, and was sold to two different owners. The current owner, Dawn Krier, began working at the store in 2007 and purchased the business in 2015. Along with a staff whose tenure spans decades, Dawn has tended to the business with a dedication to providing the best customer service and support possible. She holds fast to Chestnut Ridge’s mission statement, and it has ensured her continued success.
“Our mission is to provide high quality products, solutions to sewing problems, and
to be the go-to place for all your sewing and embroidery related needs.”
This year, Chestnut Ridge Sewing will commemorate its 35th anniversary and they’re inviting everyone to join them in July to celebrate. For their 34th anniversary in 2019, they made a video showcasing their big 34% off sale, special guests, longtime employees, regular customers, promotional gift cards, and special stations they had set up for visitors.
In addition to managing the retail sales floor, Dawn frequently holds retreats and classes—often participating in trade shows where she needs to process payments offsite. In the interview below, we’ve asked Dawn about why she chose Electronic Payments as her payment processor and what her experience with us has been like. She also shares tips and tools that help her run a successful small business.
Q: What criteria did you use when selecting a merchant services partner?
A: I wanted a payment terminal that was easy to use for my staff. I was also looking for competitive rates from my processor and accessible support. With my local sales agent just a phone call away, and the service I receive from Electronic Payments’ knowledgeable in-house staff, I know I have all support I need for my business.
Q: What goals did you hope to achieve by switching to Electronic Payments for merchant services, including payment processing?
A: Previously, I was using a bank to process credit card payments, but I had zero local merchant support. And, I was seeking competitive rates in making the switch. Since partnering with Electronic Payments in September 2016, my effective rate has dropped to nearly half a percent! These savings have improved my cash flow and increased my revenue, allowing me to invest in growing my business.
“Since partnering with Electronic Payments, my effective rate has dropped to
nearly half a percent! These savings have improved my cash flow and increased my revenue,
allowing me to invest in growing my business.” – Dawn Krier
Q: Part of the investment you’ve made back into your store includes gift cards and a loyalty program from eGiftSolutions®. Since implementing gift cards, have you seen an increase in overall sales and customer retention? What are the average ticket amounts when customers use gift cards?
A: We love the gift card program! We sell a lot of cards, plus we use them as a gift with purchase for special sales. The program is extremely helpful and easy to manage. Prior to gift cards, we used paper gift certificates and tried to manage the balances on paper. It was tedious and eGiftSolutions has been a huge benefit in that department!
Since we started with eGiftSolutions, we’ve seen a 15% increase in overall sales. When customers use gift cards, the average amount they spend is around $200.00. Our customer retention is strong and I think our loyalty program is going to help that grow.
Q: What has your experience been like with Electronic Payments’ Merchant Support and Technical Support teams?
A: My local agent is always there for us. And the few times (very few!) that we’ve had to contact Electronic Payments for service, it’s been excellent.
Q: How often do you attend tradeshows and events where you need to process payments offsite?
A: We typically do five annually—three major shows and two smaller shows.
I like having a simple payment terminal to use in the store and our PAX S80 has been great. And when we go offsite to our shows, we use our wireless Dejavoo Z9 terminal to process card payments.
Q: Has accepting credit cards on location at the shows helped increase event sales? Has it improved customer service? Is it easy to reconcile sales and view reporting at both the shows and in-store?
A: Yes, we find at least 80% of customers want to use a credit card to pay for their purchases and they’re happy we offer that service. We could not do our shows without this capability. In addition, we’re able to securely process larger sales even while offsite. This is important because our transactions range from $5.00 to $10,000.00 given the nature of what we sell—everything from thread to sewing machines.
Reconciling sales and pulling reports is a breeze to manage. We balance our books daily at the shows and in the store with no issues. The reports make bookkeeping easy!
Q: How have day-to-day operations changed at Chestnut Ridge Sewing since partnering with Electronic Payments?
A: We are saving a great deal of money on card processing with Electronic Payments and it’s the most important reason we made the switch. Our system is dependable, simple to use, and we know we can rely on the professionals at Electronic Payments if we need them.
Looking to switch your merchant services provider and save money on
credit card processing costs? Find out how Electronic Payments can help your retail store
thrive with leading payment solutions.
Contact Ryan Christman, POS Channel Sales Manager,
at 800-966-5520, ext. 198 or ryan@electronicpayments.com to learn more.
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