The Square Card Reader

Have you seen the commercials for the Square Card Reader?  If you had any sort of reaction like mine, you were excited, impressed, and a bit skeptical.  Most technological advances seem like a good idea when you first see them, but when you visit the website and read the fine print, it normally turns out to be more hassle than its worth.  This is how I felt when I saw Square, swiping numerous cards, all coming out of the headphone jack of an iPhone.  I had to know what this thing was about.

http://www.pcworld.com/product/693414/square_card_reader.html

First off, let me state that this card reader is attractive for its function.  It sits nicely on any phone, and the minuscule size of it is astonishing.  Tomorrow, I'll be picking up keys to a studio spot that I plan on using for a business.  The thought of accepting credit cards was completely out of the picture, at least until I saw the commercial.  I didn't want to setup typical negotiations with card reader companies, and the rates are less than favorable for small businesses.  That is why the Square Card Reader is even more attractive.  Every purchase takes the same rate of 2.75%, and all major credit cards are accepted.  That means anyone using a Visa, Discover, American Express, or MasterCard will have no issues.

Square takes things a step further with the Square Register.  This converts your iPad into a fully functional credit card register.  The application is customizable, so business owners can incorporate photos and change the register layout.  What does this mean for you?  Let's say you own a coffee shop, and want to speed up the amount of time a typical customer takes from the moment they come through the door, to the moment they leave.  Instead of forming the typical line and shuffling people through like cattle, they can seat themselves the moment they walk through the door.  One of your waiter or waitresses can take the whole order on the iPad, and swipe right at the table.

This has been the most exciting way to collect money that I've seen yet.  We've all worked somewhere and used an old school card reader, but have you done this on your phone?  There have been other phone readers in the past, but none as simplistic and attractive as Square.  So what does this mean for the studio I'll be building over the next couple months?  Well, for those who do use my business, there is another payment option, so missing the ATM on the way isn't a problem.