Operating a frame shop already comes with tight margins, fluctuating material costs, and seasonal sales cycles. But nothing cuts into profits faster than credit card processing fees — especially when your average ticket ranges from $100–$400, and your workflow involves multiple payments per project.
Thanks to high interchange rates (often 1.5–3.5% per transaction), statement fees, compliance costs, and equipment rentals, most frame shops lose hundreds of dollars per month without realizing it.
With the proper structure — and the right point of sale (POS) partner — you can reduce fees and keep more cash in your business.
Here’s how to take control of your processing costs and stop unnecessary charges from draining your revenue.
For frame shops, processing costs climb quickly because large-ticket orders and split payments multiply how much you lose to percentage-based fees.
That impact shows up in several ways.
Interchange fees are nonnegotiable charges set by card networks. On a $400 shadow-box job, a 3% interchange rate results in $12 in processing fees. If you process five similarly-priced frames per month, that’s $60 lost to fees on those orders alone.
Many processors tack on routine administrative fees that have nothing to do with how much you actually sell. These charges often appear as small line items on your statement, making them easy to overlook.
You may have to:
These fees provide no real value — they’re just padding your provider’s revenue.
Traditional processors often lock businesses into monthly terminal rentals ranging from $20–$50. Over three years, that’s more than $1,800 for equipment worth a few hundred dollars.
PCI compliance refers to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), which governs how businesses protect customer credit card data. If your processor doesn’t manage compliance, the burden — and the cost — often falls on your business.
Expect to:
Frame shops often incur these charges simply because their provider makes the process confusing.
Chargeback fees are nonnegotiable costs you pay when cardholders dispute a charge. Disputes — even when you win — often carry fees of $15–$100. With custom work that’s nonrefundable, these can stack up quickly.
In addition to interchange and obvious fees, many shops don’t notice:
Together, these costs inflate total credit card processing fees.
A frame shop isn’t a café or small retail store — your order values are higher, more customized, and split into payments.
Here’s how high-value frame orders can negatively impact your bottom line.
At $100–$400 per ticket, percentage-based fees take a larger share with every swipe. That $12 fee on a $300 order doesn’t sound terrible until you multiply it by 200–300 transactions per month during peak wedding season.
Most custom framing requires a 50% upfront deposit, with the remaining balance due upon completion.
That means you must:
While the total percentage fee on a $400 project remains the same, split payments increase administrative overhead and expose your shop to additional per-transaction and gateway fees.
For large projects with multiple progress payments, total credit card processing fees can climb even higher.
During graduation, wedding, and holiday seasons, frame shops experience a spike in transaction volume. That increased volume gives you leverage.
You should:
If your processor hasn’t adjusted your rates in years, you’re likely overpaying.
As a small frame shop owner, protecting your margins is critical. Here are strategies you can use to help reduce what you pay credit card processors each month.
Flat-rate processors may seem simple, but they often conceal markups. Interchange-plus is a transparent pricing model that lets you:
Many frame shops save between 0.3% and 0.7% per transaction by switching to interchange-plus pricing.
Replace rented countertop terminals with modern software that handles payments and checkout in a single system.
Focus on solutions that let you:
An all-in-one system lowers ongoing expenses and puts clear, up-to-date financial data at your fingertips.
If your POS uses a third-party processor, fees are split among the POS software provider, the payment gateway, and the acquiring bank.
Centralized payment systems:
You stop paying extra simply to move money from point A to point B.
Managing several payment processors increases transaction costs through stacked fees, creates multiple deposits to reconcile, and adds unnecessary administrative burden.
To lower these costs, you can:
The payoff is fewer fees and faster, more accurate reconciliation, helping you keep cash flow on track.
Frame-specific software is built for high-ticket, custom framing businesses — and it eliminates most of the credit card processing fees that these shops often struggle with.
What you can do with an all-in-one system:
Use integrated processing: Eliminate ongoing rental fees by replacing separate, outdated terminals.
Access interchange-plus pricing: See actual card costs instead of absorbing hidden processor markup.
Send text-to-pay invoices: Collect payments faster and reduce missed or delayed transactions.
Consolidate reporting: Track sales, deposits, and balances together without needing to cross-check multiple platforms.
Stay compliant automatically: Meet PCI requirements without added fees or manual oversight.
With smarter processing, most shops easily recover $200–$400 per month, especially during peak season.
If you want stronger margins, healthier cash flow, and simpler daily operations, reducing credit card processing fees is one of the quickest ways to achieve them.
Frame shops with high-ticket sales and split payments lose thousands annually to avoidable fees — but with LifeSaver’s integrated, transparent processing, you can take control.
Explore plans and pricing today to start seeing lower fees, fewer surprises, and faster payments.