Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board  

Go Back   Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board > Other > Lounge

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-09-2014, 07:07 PM
Myka's Avatar
Myka Myka is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Saskatoon, SK.
Posts: 11,268
Myka will become famous soon enough
Lightbulb Anyone using "The Square" for Credit Card sales??

"The Square" is a card reader for credit cards that plugs into iPhone, Android, and iPad devices for point of sale transactions via an app. Is anyone using this product as a seller?

www.square.ca

I saw and used the product as a buyer at MACNA last fall. It's a pretty cool idea. The website says no monthly fees, no sign up fees, no activation fees, no inactivity fees, no cancellation fees, etc. They are only charging 2.5-3.75%, and they provide the device and app for free.

If used with an iPad, you can get a compatible stand and compatible printer for making receipts; even a cash drawer and bar code scanner. Cool.

So, the million dollar question...what are the CONS of the device??





__________________
~ Mindy

SPS fanatic.

Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-09-2014, 07:24 PM
Myka's Avatar
Myka Myka is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Saskatoon, SK.
Posts: 11,268
Myka will become famous soon enough
Default

In response to my own question...

PCMag has a great review for the product, but if you read user reviews there are a lot of complaints. The main complaint is from Square withholding funds for transactions over $2000. Another complaint is that there is no customer support phone number, just an email that apparently goes unanswered.

This isn't looking quite as good as it was an hour ago...

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817...p#disqus-start



I see there are some other devices...

PayPal Here
Intuit GoPayment (Apple devices only)
__________________
~ Mindy

SPS fanatic.


Last edited by Myka; 03-09-2014 at 07:34 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-09-2014, 07:56 PM
toytech's Avatar
toytech toytech is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: edmonton
Posts: 672
toytech is on a distinguished road
Default

Im buying one of these things so I can go back to robbing people .Now we are a cashless society its been tough lately , it embarrassing to jump out at someone and demand all their money and they ask if you take credit or debit cuz that's all they have . But in all seriousness I would rather do cash or email bank transfer as that's free through my bank , I don't think it will take long for someone to crack the app and steal funds from transactions , I don't trust the security of someones personal phone .
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-09-2014, 08:38 PM
Myka's Avatar
Myka Myka is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Saskatoon, SK.
Posts: 11,268
Myka will become famous soon enough
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by toytech View Post
I don't trust the security of someones personal phone .
This is something I was concerned about as well. I have bank and credit card apps on my phone though, so I guess I'm not that concerned.

According to reviews, I haven't come across any security issues.
__________________
~ Mindy

SPS fanatic.

Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-09-2014, 11:02 PM
BlueTang<3's Avatar
BlueTang<3 BlueTang<3 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Stony Plain, Alberta
Posts: 1,641
BlueTang<3 is on a distinguished road
Default

The business who installed my furnace used this, neat idea and worked well. Only thing I remember him saying monthly fee was high but I don't remember now.
__________________
360 gallon sps reef, 180 gal sump, bubble king supermarine 300, 4xmp40Wes, 2 x 6215 tunze waveboxes, 4 ghl mitras



360 Reef Tank
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-09-2014, 11:42 PM
MitchM's Avatar
MitchM MitchM is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Water Valley, AB
Posts: 1,280
MitchM is on a distinguished road
Default

I looked into one of those units for our business (dental office), but the high interest charge was too much.
It depends on how much you're going to be putting through. It can really add up.
I was able to find credit card charges at 1.5% through Global Payments, I think. (we've since sold the business)
Shop around if you can.
__________________
Mitch

Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-10-2014, 03:44 AM
NickC NickC is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 29
NickC is on a distinguished road
Default

2.75%-3.5%??? When most major credit cards only charge 1-3% per transaction. And it all depends what type of card is being used. Those that pull out their travel points cards or high cashback cards are charging you the higher percentage. Cash is always king. At the good lfs that is, when I pay in cash I always get a better price.

Sent from my SGH-I257M using Tapatalk
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 03-10-2014, 05:33 AM
mike31154's Avatar
mike31154 mike31154 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Vernon
Posts: 2,073
mike31154 will become famous soon enough
Default

So this thing is a credit card reader? And they charge up to 3.75% per swipe? The credit card company also charges merchants a percentage per transaction, no? So now if I'm a merchant I'm paying both the credit card company and this square company. Could end up being close to 10% per transaction/swipe. Someone's making a bunch of money.... at the expense of the merchant and ultimately the customer. I think I'd rather take a personal cheque. Maybe old school & take a bit more time, but in most cases there is a recourse if the cheque bounces.
__________________
Mike
77g sumpless SW
DIY 10 watt multi-chip LED build http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=82206
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 03-10-2014, 05:50 AM
Delphinus's Avatar
Delphinus Delphinus is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Calgary
Posts: 12,896
Delphinus has a spectacular aura aboutDelphinus has a spectacular aura aboutDelphinus has a spectacular aura about
Send a message via MSN to Delphinus
Default

The first time I used one of these was at a food truck. I was super nervous I would end up paying $40,000 for those gyros or whatever it was I ate that day but as far as I can tell it all worked out OK in the end.

Second time I used one I bought a kiteboard off a fellow who runs a kiteboarding school pretty much anywhere where the wind blows so basically out of his car, I guess.

Oh I think the dude at Reef Wonderland uses something similar too. I remember now I had to use his ipad to pay for an urchin.

Anyhow, from a buyers perspective once you get past the whole "OMG it's just some dude with a phone" thing, it seems like a neat idea to me. I can't speak from experience about the vendor's perspective of things, but it seems to me that they are becoming more and more widely used in any case.
__________________
-- Tony
My next hobby will be flooding my basement while repeatedly banging my head against a brick wall and tearing up $100 bills. Whee!
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 03-10-2014, 01:33 PM
StirCrazy's Avatar
StirCrazy StirCrazy is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Kamloops, BC
Posts: 7,872
StirCrazy is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by mike31154 View Post
Could end up being close to 10% per transaction/swipe.

no not that, it will be the 3.75 as the visa fees are built into that, so the visa/mc/ect swipe fees plus square's fees add up to 3.75 which is high, when I worked t the store the visa charges were .75% up to 100.00, 1.2% 100 to 1000.00 and higher for larger amount. thats why a car dealership doesn't like it when you go in and buy a truck on your credit card . don't forget you can negotiate your rates also, this fee also includes the card reader and maintenance.

Steve
__________________
*everything said above is just my opinion, and may or may not reflect the views of this BBS, its Operators, and its Members. If cornered on any “opinion” I post I will totally deny having ever said this in a Court of Law…Unless I am the right one*

Some strive to be perfect.... I just strive.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 12:44 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.