Quick answer
Tradies should model card costs by job type, call-out fees, deposits, invoice payments and mobile terminal use. The biggest risk is absorbing card fees on large invoices without adjusting quote assumptions or provider terms.
Tradie worked example
A trade business taking deposits, progress payments and final invoices by card may have a small number of high-value transactions. A fixed fee may be less important than the percentage merchant rate, while card-not-present invoice payments can cost more than terminal payments.
Quote and invoice checks
- Separate materials, labour and call-out assumptions.
- Estimate how many invoices are paid by card.
- Review invoice wording before the changeover.
Payment setup checks
- Mobile terminal fees and transaction fees.
- Online invoice payment rates.
- Settlement timing and chargeback handling.
Preparation checklist
- Calculate card fees as a percentage of total invoiced revenue.
- Ask your provider to quote card-present and invoice-payment rates separately.
- Model whether small call-out jobs or large material-heavy jobs need different pricing.
- Prepare a simple customer explanation for invoices and quotes.
- Review the first merchant statement after the rules change.