Salons & Spas Payment Guides | Beyond the Swipe

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Oct 23, 20268 min read

Void vs Refund: What's the Difference and Which Costs Less

Void vs refund explained: learn why voiding before the batch closes can save processing fees, when a refund is required, and how to train staff.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 23, 20268 min read

Using POS Customer Data to Market Smarter on a Small Budget

Learn how POS customer data marketing works on a small budget: five reports to pull, four simple segments and the campaign each one needs.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 23, 20269 min read

SMS Marketing Rules: Text Customers Without TCPA Trouble

Learn the SMS marketing rules for consent, opt-outs, quiet hours and 10DLC registration so your business can text customers without TCPA trouble.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Massage therapist's hands kneading the bare upper back of a woman lying face down on a white towel

Oct 23, 20268 min read

Mobile Massage Payments: Getting Paid at a Client's Home

Mobile massage payment made simple: when to prepay, how to charge travel fees, collect tips calmly and stop carrying cash on house calls.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 23, 20268 min read

How to Store a Customer's Card on File Safely and Legally

Learn how to store a credit card on file safely with tokenization, the right authorization form and consent steps that hold up in disputes.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 23, 20269 min read

How to Record Credit Card Processing Fees in Your Books

Learn how to record credit card processing fees with gross-sales journal entries for daily and monthly fee setups, and see your true revenue.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 23, 20269 min read

How to Get More Google Reviews (Without Breaking the Rules)

Learn how to get more Google reviews with the right timing, channels and wording, plus the incentive and gating practices that can put your reviews at risk.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 23, 202610 min read

Form 1099-K for Merchants: Reconcile It Before Tax Time

A 1099-K for small business shows gross card volume, not profit. Learn why it's higher than your revenue and how to reconcile it before you file.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 22, 20268 min read

Why Did My Credit Card Processing Fees Go Up?

Credit card processing fees increased? Learn whether card mix, network changes, or a processor markup caused the jump and how to respond.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 22, 20268 min read

What Is a Payment Facilitator (PayFac)? Pros and Cons

What is a payment facilitator? Learn how PayFac sub-merchant accounts work, how they compare to a merchant account, and when it's time to switch.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 22, 20268 min read

Salon Chargebacks: When Clients Dispute a Haircut or Color Job

Facing a salon chargeback over a color or cut a client disliked? Learn what evidence wins, how redo policies help, and when a partial refund makes sense.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 22, 20269 min read

Nail Salon Payment Processing: Fees, Cash Tips, and Card Readers

Nail salon credit card processing explained: why small tickets cost more, how to check out clients with wet nails, and how to handle card tips.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Woman in a pink top poses thoughtfully in a boutique with handbags and high-heeled shoes displayed on shelves

Oct 22, 20268 min read

Merchant Account Denied? Common Reasons and What to Do Next

Merchant account denied? Learn the common reasons low-risk businesses get declined, how to find the real cause, and a plan to fix it and reapply.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Blonde woman holding a green wallet hands cash to a vendor at an outdoor market stall with bottles on the counter

Oct 22, 20268 min read

Is a Cash Discount Program Worth It? Pros, Cons, Real Costs

Weighing a cash discount program? Compare fee savings with customer pushback, legal limits and contract terms to decide if it fits your business.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 22, 20268 min read

Instant Approval Merchant Accounts: What 'Instant' Really Means

An instant approval merchant account can be live in minutes but reviewed later. Learn the tradeoffs and how to get a dedicated account approved fast.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 22, 202610 min read

Gift Cards for Small Business: How to Set up and Sell More

Learn how to set up a gift card program for small business, connect it to your POS, account for unredeemed balances and sell more cards year-round.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 22, 20269 min read

Employee Scheduling Software: Small Business Buyer's Guide

Compare employee scheduling software for small business: the features that cut labor costs, POS integration, pricing models and rollout tips.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Stylist trimming a client's long gray-streaked hair, sectioned with clips, client wearing a striped salon cape

Oct 22, 20269 min read

Cash Discount Programs for Salons: Legal Setup and Client Reactions

Thinking about a salon cash discount program? Learn surcharge vs. dual pricing rules, menu pricing, tips, packages and how to tell regular clients.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 22, 202610 min read

Best POS System for Small Business: A Buyer's Checklist

Find the best POS system for small business with a checklist that weighs features, total cost, processing lock-in and contract terms before you sign.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Hands holding a handheld POS terminal printing a receipt, beside an open cash box and paper rolls on a wooden counter

Oct 21, 20268 min read

What Is a POS System? How It Works and What It Does

What is a POS system? Learn how POS hardware, software and payment processing fit together, and how to spot processing lock-in before you sign.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 21, 20268 min read

Salon Tip Screens: Suggested Percentages, Pre-Tax Tips, and Products

Set up a salon tip screen clients won't resent: smart default percentages, retail left out of the tip base, pre-tax tips and prepaid visits.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Bartender in a black vest serving a glass of champagne to three smiling women in cocktail dresses at a wooden bar

Oct 21, 20268 min read

Illinois Swipe Fee Law Appeal: What Merchants Should Do Now

The Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act appeal keeps tax-and-tip swipe fee relief on hold. Learn who is exempt and how to plan your pricing now.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Bearded stylist in a fedora and plaid shirt trims a client's dark hair with scissors and comb in a rustic salon

Oct 21, 20269 min read

Hair Extension and Color Correction Deposits: Protect Your Product

Learn how to size a hair extension deposit, write non-refundable terms that hold up in a dispute, and apply deposits at checkout for color corrections.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 21, 20269 min read

Can You Deduct Credit Card Fees From Employee Tips?

Can employers deduct credit card fees from tips? See the proportional math, how to check state limits and tip timing questions to ask before you deduct.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Stylist placing a gold floral hairpiece in a client's dark hair inside a bright salon with mirror lights

Oct 21, 20269 min read

Booth Renters Running Cards on the Salon's Terminal: The Risks

Booth renter credit card processing on your salon's account creates 1099-K, chargeback and misclassification risk. Learn how to separate payments.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Lit candles and smooth black massage stones on a table

Oct 20, 20269 min read

Massage Membership Program: How to Set up Monthly Billing That Sticks

Build a massage membership program members keep paying for: clear pricing, rollover credits, card-on-file consent, cancellation rules and payment recovery.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Card being inserted into a handheld card payment terminal

Oct 20, 20268 min read

Smart Payment Terminals vs. Traditional Card Machines

Is a smart payment terminal worth it, or will a basic EMV countertop machine do? Compare features, costs and fit so you don't overbuy hardware.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 20, 20268 min read

Merchant Services for Small Business: What You Need and What to Skip

Merchant services for small business, matched to your monthly volume: what you actually need, what to skip and how to compare offers without overpaying.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 20, 202610 min read

Merchant Cash Advance: How It Works and What It Really Costs

Learn how a merchant cash advance works, convert a factor rate and daily holdback into an effective APR, and spot contract risks before you sign.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 20, 20269 min read

Early Termination Fee on Your Merchant Account? How to Avoid Paying It

Facing an early termination fee on your merchant account? Learn how liquidated damages and auto-renewal work and how to get the fee waived or covered.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Woman lying on a spa bed receiving a relaxing head massage

Oct 20, 20269 min read

Med Spa Patient Financing: Comparing Lenders, Fees, and In-House Plans

How to evaluate med spa patient financing providers on merchant fees, approval claims, and package rules, plus when in-house plans make sense.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Med spa treatment room with a beige reclining treatment chair, a laser device on a cabinet and white robes on hooks

Oct 20, 20268 min read

Med Spa Membership Programs: Billing Monthly Botox and Facial Plans

Structure a med spa membership program that bills cleanly: banked Botox credits, consent, cancellations, deferred revenue and chargeback prevention.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 20, 20269 min read

Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act: Delays, Lawsuit and Next Steps

Where the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act stands after the 2027 delay vote and court rulings, and how to prepare your POS for tax and tip data.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Oct 20, 20269 min read

How to Start a Customer Loyalty Program That Pays for Itself

Learn how to start a loyalty program using your average ticket and margin, so rewards bring customers back more often without giving away your profit.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Stylist in black shirt trimming a client's wet dark hair with scissors and comb, client draped in a white salon cape

Oct 20, 20269 min read

Fresha vs. Booksy: What Salon Booking Software Really Costs in Fees

Fresha vs Booksy: compare card processing, new-client charges, add-ons and payouts, and model your salon's true monthly software cost.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Silver laptop on a wooden desk beside a mesh tray piled with paper receipts, ready for tax and bookkeeping

Oct 20, 202611 min read

FICA Tip Credit for Salons: Recovering Payroll Tax on Card Tips

Learn how the FICA tip credit for salons works, which staff and services may count, and how to use POS tip reports to prepare a claim.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Stylist placing a jeweled hair accessory on a client in a salon

Oct 20, 20269 min read

Best Salon POS System: A Buyer's Checklist for Salon and Spa Owners

Find the best salon POS system with this checklist covering booking, deposits, multi-provider tickets, commissions, backbar inventory and contract lock-ins.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Barber trimming an older man's gray hair with scissors in a dimly lit barbershop, client draped in a striped cape

Oct 20, 202610 min read

Are Salon and Spa Services Taxable? How to Check Your State's Rules

Are salon services taxable? See how states treat haircuts, massage, nails, and Botox, and how to set up your POS to tax retail correctly.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 19, 20265 min read

Honolulu General Excise Tax Pass-On Rate: A Checkout Guide for Merchants

Learn the Honolulu general excise tax pass-on rate, why 4.712% is the ceiling, and how to set up GET correctly on your POS systems and receipts.

MannyPay Editorial Team