Square up or Gopayment - Mobile Card Readers

[Tean94]

A friend just turned me onto these two businesses that allow you to process Credit Card payments using a free card reader attached to your iPhone or Android Smartphone. There is a minimal fee for each transaction (around 2.75%) and the amount is directly deposited to your personal bank account.

She said that she's started using this during Boutiques, Fairs and Booths for those who might be interested in buying PC products but either don't have their checkbook handy or don't like to write checks.

So I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with either of these businesses and if so, has it helped?

I know that GoPayment is part of Intuit, which is who makes Quicken software so I'm more apt to trust them. I've heard that Square Up has had some complaints against them. I'm heavily leaning towards using GoPayment. There is no contract to sign or monthly fees, just the fee for swiping a card.

Any input would be most appreciated. Thanks!

 

[ChefShalon]

I have the GoPayment and it has been great to have. I have found my sales to rise at fairs and booths becuase of it. Extremly handy and really the fee is nothing. I only see getting this if you are doing larger fairs and events where you have a larger amount of products on hand to sell. As you could always place an order on P3 with someones credit card.

 

[Tean94]

I have the GoPayment and it has been great to have. I have found my sales to rise at fairs and booths becuase of it. Extremly handy and really the fee is nothing. I only see getting this if you are doing larger fairs and events where you have a larger amount of products on hand to sell. As you could always place an order on P3 with someones credit card.

I have a Boutique coming up next week, and I figure that you could definitely use it at any cooking show. Thanks for the input!

 

[ChefShalon]

When I do orders I always do it the old fashioned way at fairs on the 2ply that way they have a recipet and I dont have to bring a printer. Still bring the laptop that way you can enter the CC numbers and dont have to write them on the 2plys.

 

[NooraK]

I don't do cash & carry, and that's the only thing I would imagine using this for. If a customer is placing an order with you that you will submit to HO, HO will pay for the credit card fee. Why pay for something you don't have to?

 

[Malinda Klein]

I don't do cash & carry, and that's the only thing I would imagine using this for. If a customer is placing an order with you that you will submit to HO, HO will pay for the credit card fee. Why pay for something you don't have to?

I totally agree. 2 1/2 % of our commission is 13% of our commission - that's a lot.

 

[priseortega]

I have Square Up and love it for my cash and carry. Don't use it for traditional orders. At least I know I have the money for items they are taking.

 

[wadesgirl]

Wouldn't be worth it for me. I don't do cash and carry at booths and I would prefer to write their card number down on the receipt and input it at home.

 

[Tean94]

Why pay for something you don't have to?

I can understand that. If I did use this system, I'd charge them for the fee up front and let them know it first ($100 purchase is $2.75 in fees). Most would probably be willing to pay that fee for the ease of using their card, even at a Cooking Show.The other positive I can see is that you would get your CC money immediately into your own bank account, and if there were any issues with declined cards, you'd know it right away rather than at the time of submission in P3, which can delay orders.

 

[babywings76]

I can understand that. If I did use this system, I'd charge them for the fee up front and let them know it first ($100 purchase is $2.75 in fees). Most would probably be willing to pay that fee for the ease of using their card, even at a Cooking Show.

The other positive I can see is that you would get your CC money immediately into your own bank account, and if there were any issues with declined cards, you'd know it right away rather than at the time of submission in P3, which can delay orders.

I just don't understand why you'd want to do this at a cooking show? I can see other DS companies that don't have a great program like P3 or which don't cover the fees, but we are so lucky with PC. Why charge your customers more unnecessarily?! That doesn't seem fair to them at all. The only instance where I could see using this would be for your cash & carry, but that's not something PC encourages.

 

[ChefShalon]

I can understand that. If I did use this system, I'd charge them for the fee up front and let them know it first ($100 purchase is $2.75 in fees). Most would probably be willing to pay that fee for the ease of using their card, even at a Cooking Show.

The other positive I can see is that you would get your CC money immediately into your own bank account, and if there were any issues with declined cards, you'd know it right away rather than at the time of submission in P3, which can delay orders.

There is no need to use this at a show. The only reason I use it is for cash and carry. There is no reason to use it at a show as everyone can pay with there card using are program, even if you dont bring your laptop to shows you can still do it with the 2plys

 

[wadesgirl]

I just don't understand why you'd want to do this at a cooking show? I can see other DS companies that don't have a great program like P3 or which don't cover the fees, but we are so lucky with PC. Why charge your customers more unnecessarily?! That doesn't seem fair to them at all. The only instance where I could see using this would be for your cash & carry, but that's not something PC encourages.

I agree! There is no reason to use this service at a show. Why charge a customer for something they don't have to pay for?! You might have some very unhappy customers who find out otherwise later on.

My aunt sells jewelry and they don't have an option like we do through P3 but she doesn't pass her fee onto the customer - she sees it as a part of her business.

 

[PamperedK]

As a customer, there is no way I would pay a fee to run my card. There are some small stores in our city that do that as well, and I will not use my card there. If I don't have cash or a cheque on me then I'm not buying anything. It's not our customers responsibility to pay for something so that we can take their money. If you really wanted to do this for cash & carry I could see the value....I take credit cards now for cash and carry and have never had a problem....but I really don't see an issue saying cash or cheque only, or cash only for that matter.

 

[wadesgirl]

A lot of people at these events also know that bringing cash is key (or their checkbook).

 

[esavvymom]

Truthfully..as a customer, I'm not sure I would want a consultant using some app on their cell phone to run my credit card. I'd not like it. Too much is vulnerable out there as it is, let alone something like this that is new and likely easy pickings/target for the hackers and identity-thieves.I know writing it down can be just as insecure..... but that would require physical contact with the receipt, versus out in cyberspace where the thieves have easier access. (That's crazy, I know, but if you saw some of the things that go on, it would scare you. My husband does alot with cyber-"forensics" these days and network security.)

 

[Tean94]

Truthfully..as a customer, I'm not sure I would want a consultant using some app on their cell phone to run my credit card. I'd not like it. Too much is vulnerable out there as it is, let alone something like this that is new and likely easy pickings/target for the hackers and identity-thieves.

I know writing it down can be just as insecure..... but that would require physical contact with the receipt, versus out in cyberspace where the thieves have easier access. (That's crazy, I know, but if you saw some of the things that go on, it would scare you. My husband does alot with cyber-"forensics" these days and network security.)

You bring up a great point about cybersecurity. Though these programs make you enter a logon PIN to ever access the App.

Now I'm not saying I would personally use it. I just wanted to open it up for discussion since I haven't seen any topics on the matter yet. This is a great forum to get input on pros and cons, which everyone has done a great job of.

I also wouldn't want to eat the 2.75% and agree that charging the customer isn't fair, especially when P3 does it for free. Though we live in a technical age, and PC would be wise to take full advantage of such a process of their own. Smartphones are quickly becoming the main type of phones available, and having the ability to do P3 as an App on a Smartphone is a great idea (receipts would be emailed with all policies included). I imagine it'll only be a matter of time before they do make P3 an App, and including a CC Reader to plug into any Smartphone is the next logical step. No need to manually type in CC's, which means less chance of errors.