Squareup.com: Do Credit Card Payment with your Mobile, iPhone or iPad

Square brings a revolutionary payment system for you to facilitate your credit card payments. Today, majority of payments have moved to plastic cards but accepting payments from cards is still difficult for informal small businesses or outdoor set up because it requires expensive hardware and lengthy applications. This is what you need to be Square; user can process transactions anywhere and at anytime because they just need to use their iPad, iphone or smartphone to accept credit card payments. Square is for everyone; thousands of individuals as well as businesses across the United States like Coffee shops, Ice-cream parlor, Food trucks, and Boutiques are using the Square.com to accept credit card payments.

Square is developed by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey in 2009. Company’s name refers the little square card reader that connects to the merchant’s iPhone or iPad and turning it into a payment device. Square's current office is sited in the Chronicle Building in Mission Street area of San Francisco.

Square is on the go, mobile-based payment system and its application is available for the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, HTC, and Android-based mobile phones. Square allows users two different ways to accept credit cards payments; either by swiping the card on the Square card reader device or by manually entering the card details on the phone using Card Case application. Square.com consists of three products namely Card reader device, Card Case app and Register app. Both the two apps have released in May 2011 at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference.


No need to pay any equipment cost or to follow lengthy contracts, just download the any of the app and start accepting payments using free credit card reader. User can download Square app and Card Case app without paying any charges from the App Store and the Android Market.

Facilities and speed is much essential to gain new customers. If you are not able to maintain speed in handling long lines of customers, then you will have to bear a loss of sales. By using well-designed and easy-to-use card reader, Square becomes innovative and much faster way to accept credit card payments on their mobile devices. The company has seen extensive adoption, when it launches such a tiny hardware. It keenly aims to remove the payment obstacles of the small businesses and lead them to the mounting growth. Square charges user exact 2.75% only on each swiping of card. No matter with money, when it compared to time and it is only Card Reader that makes your payments in minutes. Swiping the card is much faster process than keying it in screen, when your customers are waiting for their turns to buy from you.

The Square Card Reader is fundamental part of the on the go process. This little thing eases thousands of possibilities; just plug it in the audio jack of your phone and swipe credit card through it. The one inch box enables anyone to accept credit cards, no matter whether they use Square app or new Card Case app. Once you swiped your card, enter the payment amount; and instantly you will receive the text message from Square or email receipt which confirms your payment and ask for tipping of card holders or customers for the sake of confirmation.

Signing up at SquareUp.com is compulsory to receive a free card reader which allows user to accept credit card payments wirelessly; this card reading technology works on both Android and iOS devices.

Card Case is the recently launched application of Square and it is 'card not present' (CNP) transaction, in which physical card has not been swiped into a reader. Users don’t need to carry cards along with him at a time of transaction; they just need to enter credit card numbers manually. Company charges 3.5% + 15¢ per transaction when users make payment through Card Case application. In this app, users can store details of regular customers’ and allow them for flesh payments. Customer can discover nearby shops, cafés and restaurants as well as view their menus and specials with Card Case.

At first, sign in with your current Square ID, or go to sign up process by tapping "Sign Up Now" if you're new to Square. Enter your name, email address and password and then upload your current photo, remember that this photo must be recognizable because it will show up on the merchant’s screen during checkout. Afterwards, tap on the top card in your Card Case and tap "Account" then tap "Enable Taps" to add card details to your account. Users need to create a 4 digit unique pin code for your safety. Users need to enter this pin when they make large purchases. Thus, they can activate their Card Case.

Afterwards whenever you want to pay with Card Case, open a seller’s card either by tapping on it from your favorites or by tapping “Explore Places" which shows you cards of Square - enabled seller. Once you choose the seller’s card, tap “Start Tab” at the time of check out. Then after, let the seller to know your name so they will be able to take the payment with a click of a button. Automatically, users receive a text message when the payment has gone through and they can choose to leave a tip from the receipt. At last, they can view their receipts and payment history within the app.

CNP transactions are considered as a major route for credit card fraud, so company will not allow more than $1000 in transactions per week through it. Or if you have done the same, your payment above that $1000 will be held for 30-days. In other case, it will be held for an undetermined amount of time.
The whole process is done online and no paper is wasted. User can able to receive receipt in both the transactions, in Card reader as well as Card case. Square makes receipts valuable again by composing it with descriptions and photos of items purchased, and provides a link to Twitter account so that customers can stay connected with Square.

Square serves well in both aspects whether it is mobile payment processing solution or cash register for retail merchants. Square Register is point of sale software and replaces traditional credit card terminals. The Square Register is available for the iPad only and it offers a point of sale credit card management system. Register gives you full data reports, including what you sell, how much and how often to help you grow your business.

Square allows user to customize the items which they sell by adding photos, unique names and price points for your faster transactions. User can place items in virtual shelves in the Square app and sort out them according to category also Card Case user can browse these categories as a menu on their mobile phone.
All these Square products have been praised for its ease of use, and elegance by Business Insider. Though Square meets all industry-standard security practices to protect the customers and their business, there are some who does not feel surrendering financial information to an iPad and want to waste their time in using outdated credit card machines.

Square accesses your transaction money and deposits the same to your bank account on the next-day of the transactions. There are many other reasons for businesses to be interested in Square for example some traditional businesses are struggling yet in such direction; for them Square has been proven a clear-cut, low cost way to start taking card payments. Square offers new technology to ease cards transactions and aims to save your time, money as well as your Sales.

Positive points:
  • Approval process is faster than most other providers.
  • No monthly fees or lengthy contracts.
  • Make sales doubled during craft show with its ability to accept credit cards via phones
  • With Case Card, transaction done without using cards
  • Doesn’t require expensive hardware and lengthy applications
  • Free card reader and free download for applications
  • Everyone can use regardless of the size of business
  • Two different ways to accept credit cards payments
  • Mainly three products Card reader device, Card Case app and Register app
  • No need to pay any equipment cost
  • Payment charge remains same for all type of transaction
  • Making payments in minutes
  • Get text message or email receipt for the sake of confirmation
  • Register gives full data reports regarding transactions
  • Square has standard security level
  • Deposit transaction money to the bank account directly
Negative Points:
  • Sign up is compulsory to receive a free card reader
  • Long waiting to receive a card reader
  • One can not process more than $1000 in transactions per week
  • Extra 1.2% pricing is not ideal for CNP transaction
  • Uncomfortable to enter financial information
  • Only small merchants attracted to Square service
Video of Square Card Reader from Squareup.com from youtube:

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