In Florida, shopping local is a year-round tradition, not just for Small Business Saturday. Our communities thrive on vibrant Main Streets and charming small shopping districts from Tarpon Springs to Naples. This local focus is amplified by an abundance of fine art and craft festivals, “First Fridays,” and outdoor markets where small businesses and entrepreneurs set up their tents. People travel from all parts of the state to patronize these gatherings, and this year, the focus for Small Business Saturday is not only these businesses, but microbusinesses too. This article is about empowering them with an important choice regarding how you decide to pay.
The Power and Challenge of Microbusinesses
One-person small operations and service-oriented companies are everywhere and often run from home offices or tiny storefronts. They truly are the heart of our communities and local economy. However, microbusinesses face unique and constant challenges like all small businesses and operate with razor-thin profit margins. They demand exhausting, long hours from their owners, and rely on the reality that every single dollar earned matters. It keeps their doors open and their dreams alive.
Why Payment Methods Matter More Than You Think
Here’s a helpful secret: the way you choose to pay, like using cash or tapping your card, can make an even bigger difference. Knowing this simple choice is the key to making your support go the extra mile for the entrepreneurs right here in your community. Let’s uncover the costs of the plastic swipe.
Checkout Time: The Secret Cost of Paying
Imagine you find the coolest T-shirt or a piece of art at a local market and are ready to pay for it. Here is a little secret about small businesses that you may not realize.
When you use a credit card to pay, the store owner doesn’t get the full amount. They must pay a small fee that’s taken out of the total price, like a hidden tax, just for the ability to swipe your card! That fee can be between $1.50 and $4.00 for every $100 you spend, and sometimes even more.
Think about it: If you spend $100 at your favorite local store, the owner might only keep $96 to $98.50. The rest goes straight to the big credit card companies. For microbusinesses running out of a home or small shop, these small fees add up super-fast! That’s money they could have used to buy more inventory, fix a broken machine, or even save up to hire a friend for help.
When lots of people use credit cards, the business loses a huge chunk of money that could have stayed right here in your town, supporting the local economy.
Zelle: Seamless Support, Zero Fees
Here’s where Zelle could be a game-changer for small and microbusinesses. Just when you might have thought it was gone for good, Zelle is a digital payment solution that’s still around and allows you to send money directly from your checking account to a recipient’s account. It is instant, secure, and with zero transaction fees for bank-to-bank transfers. There’s no credit card involved, no cash to count, and no checks to deposit. Just a direct transfer that lets the business owner keep every single penny from your purchase.
Unlike credit cards, Zelle doesn’t take a cut. Unlike cash, it doesn’t require a trip to the bank or an ATM that might have transaction fees, and unlike checks, there’s no waiting period—the money arrives instantly.
For small businesses, this means:
- They get 100% of the payment – No merchant fees cutting into already-slim margins
- Instant access to funds without waiting for card batches to settle
- No special equipment or monthly service fees required
Achieva Credit Union: Supporting Zelle When Others Walk Away
Achieva Credit Union continues to offer Zelle as a core benefit to its members at a time when some other financial institutions have scaled back or abandoned this peer-to-peer payment option.
The Zelle integration is built right into Achieva’s mobile banking app, where it’s safer and more secure, so you can send money in moments simply by entering the recipient’s email address or mobile number. Once you add the individual, there is a short verification to make sure you are paying the right person, and once you confirm the transfer, it’s done! No extra fees. No complicated setup.
Achieva’s ongoing commitment to convenient mobile features, like Zelle, sets it apart and ensures that both small businesses and our members benefit. Every transaction is managed securely and easily from your phone or computer, making it simple to support the businesses that make our communities vibrant.
Small Business Saturday: Amplifying Our Impact
Small Business Saturday, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, has become a nationwide movement to celebrate and support local entrepreneurs. But this year, let’s take our support one step further by being intentional about how we pay.
By choosing Zelle when shopping at small businesses, you help your favorite local entrepreneurs:
- Avoid transaction fees that drain their bottom line
- Receive instant payments that improve cash flow
- Keep more of what they earn to reinvest in their business and community
Every dollar truly counts, especially at the smallest scale. When a microbusiness owner saves 3% on transaction fees, that’s 3% more they can use to buy supplies, pay a part-time employee, or simply make ends meet.
Every Dollar Matters on Small Business Saturday
Supporting small businesses is more than just shopping local—it’s about helping them truly do well. On Small Business Saturday and throughout the year, let’s go the extra mile and consider how our payment choices make a difference.
When you pay with Zelle through Achieva Credit Union, you’re not just making a purchase. You’re making a statement that you value the hard work, creativity, and dedication of the entrepreneurs in your community. You’re ensuring that more of your money goes directly to the people who serve you, rather than to third-party payment processors.
This Small Business Saturday, choose to pay with Zelle. You’ll feel good knowing you’re helping your community’s entrepreneurs keep every hard-earned dollar—and that’s the kind of support that truly makes a difference.
Ready to start using Zelle to support your favorite small businesses? Achieva Credit Union members can access Zelle directly through the mobile banking app or online banking platform.
Not a member yet? Visit Achieva Credit Union to learn more about the benefits of membership, including fee-free Zelle transfers and a commitment to community-focused banking. To learn more about the benefits of Mobile and Online Banking, visit our related article here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Quick Reference Guide on how Zelle works integrated with Achieva’s app?
Yes, Visit Achieva’s Quick Reference Guide.
Why is paying with Zelle better for a microbusiness than using a credit card?
When a microbusiness accepts a credit card payment, they immediately lose between 1.5% and 4% of the transaction value to processing fees. When you pay with Zelle through Achieva Credit Union, the funds are transferred directly from your bank account to the business’s account with zero transaction fees. This ensures the business owner keeps every penny of your purchase, maximizing your support.
Is Zelle safe and secure for making payments to small businesses?
Yes. Zelle is an industry-leading digital payment network used by major banks and credit unions across the U.S. When you use it through a secure platform like the Achieva mobile banking app, the transaction is protected. You can quickly send money to a business using their registered mobile number or email address, making it a secure and instant way to pay.
Does Achieva Credit Union charge fees to its members for using Zelle?
No. Achieva Credit Union continues to offer Zelle as a free, core benefit to its members. This means you can send payments to friends, family, or your favorite microbusinesses without incurring any extra charges from Achieva.
