Cashless trend potentially “devastating” for small businesses, warns FSB.
10/06/2019.
The chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses has warned that many UK businesses could suffer “devastating” losses if bank charges for cards are not restricted, as cashless transactions account for more and more sales.
The FSB head notes that business owners are already being forced to bear the significant costs of increasing bank charges amid the growth of contactless and card payments.
With the cashless trend set to continue, FSB head Mike Cherry warns: “There is a danger card and contactless payment fees will soar without competition” as cash transactions “disappear.”
1 in 10 consumers now largely cashless
Cashless transactions are on the rise in Britain, as innovations in financial technology transform the way consumers make purchases.
40% of all payments in the UK last year were made using debit cards, thanks in part to the rising popularity of contactless payments, whilst nearly 1 in 2 adults now use mobile banking.
The number of bank payments made using online or mobile banking totalled 2bn in 2018, up from 1.6bn in 2017, with mobile payment services such as Apple Pay and Google Pay attracting 8.5m customers.
Meanwhile, the number of cash points across the UK is falling, further pressurising businesses to offer card payments.
Data suggests that UK cash machines are disappearing at a rate of 300 a month, with figures from Which underline that more than 2,500 cash points shut in the last six months of 2018 alone. In addition, 3,000 bank branches have shut across the UK since 2015.
Against this backdrop, data from UK Finance indicates that one in 10 British adults are now largely cashless.
The trend is particularly pronounced among younger consumers, with 17% of 25-34 year olds making most or all of their transactions without cash.
Bank fees “erode” SME profit margins
As cashless transactions account for an increasingly high proportion of all sales, the FSB notes that a number of small businesses have complained that the pressure to install and maintain cashless technologies is “eroding” their profit margins.
Businesses are obliged to pay thousands a year to banks in order to rent card reading equipment, in addition to paying a percentage charge of 1.85% or more on every sale as a fee for card payment.
Alongside basic charges, many banks charge premium rates for processing sales above the basic rate, in addition to payment authorisation fees.
For small businesses, the impact of such costs can have a severe impact on profitability, combining with other factors including disruption from e-commerce, Brexit related uncertainty and rising tax and rent burdens to dent balance sheets and limit growth.
In a climate where the number of businesses registering for insolvency has reached its highest level in five years, a projected rise in card payment charges in the near future could ultimately prove too much of a burden for small firms simply struggling to stay afloat.
About CPA
The Credit Protection Association can help!
Formed in 1914, CPA has been providing credit management services to SMEs for over 100 years.
At the Credit Protection Association, we provide first class credit information that can help you avoid being over extended to customers who are at risk. Our monitoring service can flag up warning signs long before the end, giving you the chance to adjust and reduce your exposure. We provide recommended credit limits and credit scores on a traffic light system and can help you set appropriate credit policies for your customers.
We regularly publish lists of the latest insolvencies but by then it is too late. Our credit reports however predict approximately 96% of company insolvencies long before they arrive.
Companies in trouble usually have very bad cash flow and they try to deal with it by delaying payment to their suppliers, increasing your exposure to them.
If you sell on credit, help us help you identify the risks.
Why use a third party collector?
As a third party collector, we can also get your payments prioritised over those who are not as hot on collections. When you customer receives a letter from the Credit Protection Association regarding their outstanding account, they are going to want to get that resolved as a priority. Our overdue account recovery service can get your unpaid invoices to the top of their “to do” list and get your invoice paid.
Over the years we have collected billions in overdue invoices for our customers.
Our debt recovery and credit management services give our members the financial freedom needed to grow and prosper, while our new Late Payment Compensation department could unlock hidden potential and offer the compensation needed to springboard your business to success.
Ready to speak to an advisor?
For help or advice on credit management, entirely without obligation.
Call us today
0330 053 9263
The Credit Protection Association is a credit management company established in 1914. If you supply goods or services on credit then we can help you!
Keep up to date with the latest news by following us on social media:-
How to overcome 25 of the most common excuses for non-payment
Discover how to improve your cashflow in 3 steps.
Read our blog – Debt collection agency
Read our Cash Flow Advice
Read about our overdue account recovery service
Read our blog – What is credit management?
Read our blog -What is a credit management company?
Read our blog -Credit Management that works!
Read our blog – How to select a debt collection agency
click to see read about our successes