Imput regarding the Square credit card reader.

Hello everyone,

I am considering getting the square card reader device so I can start taking credit cards at PPF events. Lately I have been asked by customers if I take credit cards, and have to turn them away since I only take cash.
I will be working on a club/bar on a weekly basis and the square will be great, does anyone use this device already? I would like to hear some imput regarding this device, before getting it.
I will appreciate any advice and to hear any imput..Thanks in advance!!

someone on my Twitter just tweeted about it... unfortunately, it is only available in the US right now, so I can't give a review. It looks awesome to me.

Love love love it! My sister and I use it at craft shows. The tiny percentGe it takes is so worth it because of the buisness we were missing out on without it. You hook it up to a bank account and it deposits the money in a few days. I have a touch screen phone and the customer just signs right on the phone. And it's free for the reader! Greastest app ever.

A lot of people use it at craft shows, I read quite a few threads about it on Etsy. But like Perry says, it's not available in Canada yet so I've never had a chance to try it out.

Another option to take credit cards would be to use the Propay mobile app on your smartphone (if you have one). Again, not something I have personal experience with, I just know that it's an option.

We use this at PPF events and we sell our supplies locally to our clown alley. It works wonderfully, no complaints, it's awesome!!!!!!

anyone know if there's a paypal app for phones? I don't have a smartphone yet, but I am really itching for one soon.

I use it and love it. I prefer cash because it's much quicker - takes time to put the price in, have them sign it, have it approved etc when cash is almost instant. So I don't advertize it at PPF events where I expect a long line of cash paying customers. But I do accept CC payments this way for private party gigs. What I really need is to be able to accept CC payments over the phone for deposits. Square requires a signature so card owner must actually be present.

As was said - not in Canada yet, but I know of several artists who use this and LOVE it. I apparently is the best thing since sliced bread and not only do you get clients who would maybe have passed by, but they tend to get larger pieces and spend more if they can charge it. All reports I've heard are positive X2!

I would REALLY love this little jewel...alas....not yet.

I had never heard of it until this post, so thank you for the information. After googling it I realize two things; that square is a Very cool invention and also that I guess my cheap flip mobile phone won't 'cut it' for very much longer - that ipad the square connects to is amazing as well...

sigh

more money needed

AngieAnders wrote:I use it and love it. I prefer cash because it's much quicker - takes time to put the price in, have them sign it, have it approved etc when cash is almost instant. So I don't advertize it at PPF events where I expect a long line of cash paying customers. But I do accept CC payments this way for private party gigs. What I really need is to be able to accept CC payments over the phone for deposits. Square requires a signature so card owner must actually be present.

Now that would be great. I wish they would come up with something where a customer can select a specific code/password to give over the phone to authorize charging their credit card.

I don't have the square yet, but was seriously thinking of getting one because this past week, a last minute customer was having problems with sending the booking fee via PayPal so, I decided to just trust her and skip the booking fee. In the end it all worked out and she tipped very generously but I'd still rather have the peace of mind from a booking fee.

I have an ipad, but it's not a 3G one, so I'd have to get a phone before I could use it..... if they'd let me in Canada. It would be so awesome to be able to take credit cards on the spot.

I want want want this SO badly. I found out about it at Twist & Shout, and was pretty choked to realise that it's not available in Canada yet. They recently took off the transaction fee, too (as far as I know...haven't looked THAT recently again) so it's just the %.

As soon as it's available here I'm getting it and a touch screen phone!

maybe all of us Canadians should send them a big petition.... or find a Canadian company that will do the same thing.

I would be down with that. I just checked Square.com again and as updated on May 13, 2011, they are still working on but not yet offering the service anywhere else.

I have it and LOVE it!

incidentally, I found this article about the pros and cons of this kind of thing in Canada http://www.canadacardprocessing.com/wireless/iphone-credit-card-processing-apps/

If it won't take debit, it does kind of suck.... and now that everyone wants to use the chips in their cards instead of the strips, it might be an issue? never know

oh and there are some other things that do work in Canada, BUT they have large monthly fees with them

It seems I'll be getting mine soon!! Can't wait, I might even start taking credit cards on the spot at birthday parties too..
They do charge you the percentage + 15cnts to imput the info manually..(I guess I won't be entering the info manually..rather swipe it)
Sounds awesome and I can't wait!

AngieAnders wrote:I use it and love it. I prefer cash because it's much quicker - takes time to put the price in, have them sign it, have it approved etc when cash is almost instant. So I don't advertize it at PPF events where I expect a long line of cash paying customers. But I do accept CC payments this way for private party gigs. What I really need is to be able to accept CC payments over the phone for deposits. Square requires a signature so card owner must actually be present.

According to the Square FAQ page - it is possible to use Square for phone/web orders if you take specific precautions. https://help.squareup.com/customer/portal/articles/11857-can-i-use-square-for-phone-mail-or-online-orders-

DeannaB wrote:
According to the Square FAQ page - it is possible to use Square for phone/web orders if you take specific precautions. https://help.squareup.com/customer/portal/articles/11857-can-i-use-square-for-phone-mail-or-online-orders-

Oooh, NICE!! Thanks!

Just take in consideration the higher fees when doing manually..3.5% + 15cnts instead of 2.75%

Perry, I just noticed at the bottom of an email I got from Paypal it says:

Download the app at M.PAYPAL.COM

I don't have anything mobile that uses apps so I'm not sure what that means but it sounds promising. A quick search brought up this page:
https://personal.paypal.com/ca/cgi-bin/?cmd=_render-content&content_ID=marketing_ca/mobile_iphone

So it looks like you can use it on some smart phones. But wouldn't it be that your customer has to have it, in order to send money to you? Or I suppose they could log in on your phone. ... These things confuse me LOL!!

yeah, that app is for you to pay things from your own phone... I suppose I could have a link set up on my webpage to my paypal acct so they could browse it from their phone and just click to pay that way, but I think I'll stick to cash until there's a more direct way to do it.

I use intuit go payment. Works well. You can actually program it for certain functions, like at PPF you can create $5, $10, $20 faces and just tap, slide, & sign. Quick and easy. I love it! Processing fees are competitive.

that's neat too... it is available in Canada, but the rates for Canada SUCK compared to the US version. Monthly fees, card reader rental, etc.

It's a shame that it's only available in the US...