Whether you're a seasoned ecommerce entrepreneur, or a complete newbie, you should know that one of the easiest ways to get started accepting payments from your customers is with Square. Square takes care of everything from payment processing to printing receipts. They make a few different hardware options for you, aimed at different business sizes and uses, and these little tutorials will walk you through how to use each one.
Square encourages sellers to start their business by offering easy hardware
If you're in business, you probably sell things. And if you sell things, you probably accept credit cards. If so, you know that one of the most expensive parts of accepting credit cards is the fee the bank charges you every time one of your customers buys something. There are many ways to start selling, but Square by far is the easiest one. This company offers sellers tools to help them start their business without any risk. Sellers can sign up for free and get an easy to use card reader. They will not have to pay anything for this device, which is used to swipe customers' credit cards. The seller just has to buy the inventory he wants to sell, which is then delivered directly from the manufacturer. Square also offers sellers other services, such as Square Marketing and Square Loyalty.
Get your seller account set up
If you need a card swipe terminal, Square may well be the simplest and most affordable way to get one. The reader plugs directly into the audio jack of your phone or tablet. It's about the size of a deck of cards, and it feels solid--about as much heft as a plastic credit card. The basics: After plugging in the reader and opening the app, you simply enter the type of business you're representing--Restaurant, Bookseller, Retail Store, etc.--and then choose whether you want to take debit or credit cards. That's basically all there is to it. You swipe a card and sign it with your finger or stylus. Since you're signing electronically rather than on paper, it's much faster than a conventional credit card terminal. Your customer signs with their finger too; there's no need for them to print their name on a special signature pad. The card info gets sent right to your phone, ready to go into QuickBooks or whatever software program you use for tracking sales. Square is helpful for entrepreneurs, business owners, consultants, contractors, or anyone else who wants to sell their goods or services. Square gives you the option to accept credit cards on your iPhone or iPad free of charge.
Set up the Square card reader
Square card reader is a piece of hardware that you can attach to your iPhone or Android device to accept credit card payments. It's a plug-and-play device that connects to the audio jack on your phone. Square is great for your business because it's free to set up! The Square app, which you need to use with the reader, is available for free in the App Store and Google Play. Square has some great features for businesses, including helpful analytics. There are also some great features for customers, like the ability to tip in cash right from the app. When you're ready to start accepting payments with Square, just download the app and follow these three steps:
- Plug in the reader
- Create an account
- Swipe or dip!
How to process your first transaction
The first transaction is always the hardest. Your customer has no idea how to use the reader, you have no idea how long it will take, and you are both nervous about The Square card reader is the ideal tool for anyone who needs to take card payments. Once you Square reader is set up, you can set up your mobile ordering app and kiosks with Orda.
