card system question

[pete f]

I am having a math problem. MY business is very steady at my new mat, yet I go thru about the same number of cards every week. I have seen many new customers. MY thought originally was once all the potential customers had a card we would not have much new card usage. This has not happened after 4 months, the sale, and card sales, have been very steady. It does not make sense, unless I have only 50% repeat biz and 30% new customers weekly. I know some existing customers buy cards because they forgot their card at home, yet I see many new to the store. I wonder why we go thru the same number of cards we went thru our first week, do we have that big of a turnover? Or what? Any card store owners figure this out? I had thought once we saturated and area with cards everyone would have one. I either have a much bigger area or people buy a card every time they come in..

[DaveLevenson]

Pete F:

Do you offer an incentive for re-using a card? It could be a dis-incentive to get a new card, like a charge for new cards that is not applied to refilling existing cards. It could be a slight discount, or a "frequent washer" promotion. If not, people may be careless and throw away cards with minimal or no remaining value, and then get new ones next visit.

Your card system may be able to help you with this analysis. Do you have cards in the system that have been inactive for a long time but have some minimal cash value?

[alesser738]

We go through about 1,000 to 1200 card per month (easycard store) 95% of our business is repeat customers. I have many customers with 10+ cards. We also give the 15th wash free as an incentive to re-use the card. Part of doing business i guess

[RAM]

My store had smart card system and i use to charge $2.00 deposit,
i use to go thru 500 card per month,my cost was $3.45/card,since than i had converted my store to mag stripe card(CCI)system,i do not charge for card and i am going thru 500 card per month and 95% of my customer are repeat,
customer do not care,it is nice to buy new magstripe card for $0.50 or less.

[pete f]

Ram, why did you stop charging for cards? Seems like you are going thru about the same amount, so price was not an issue?. More your cost?

Dave L the only incentive is the $1 charge for the card, which does not sway much. Am pondering $2.

I will toss this out, I seem to go thru 1 card for about every $25 in revenue. Anyone can say this is good, bad, average, etc?

I agree it is a cost of doing business. Just trying to figure out what is the best cost here. The cards and float work out so I have no real costs, am looking to profit from it more.