Square Debuts its Latest Hardware, a $299 Card Swiper for iPad Registers
techcrunch.comSo what happens with signatures? I recently visited a cafe where they were using an iPad as a checkout, and the cashier had to constantly swivel the thing around to let customers sign for their purchase.
I know it's not that big an inconvenience, but it just seemed like an awkward conclusion to a transaction that's supposed to be simplified by these devices.
My coffee shop has a wooden case they made that they flip over for the user to sign and add a tip amount while the coffee is being prepared.
This is just much less ghetto and has a more substantial card reader built into it.
That's a pretty cool idea.
I'm still wary about the whole concept of letting the customer access the POS interface. What's to keep the customer from subtracting a few items off the tab while the barista is away and working?
Flipping the case over and letting the UI switch into a "signature capture only" mode might be a nice way to solve that.
That's exactly how it works. The barista puts in the items and then it goes into signature mode where you choose a tip and sign.
Bolting a second iPad into the system, like a Mini, might solve this problem, where it's locked into the signature mode unless doing something like advertising.
I always found the ritual of the cashier handing you two receipts, and a pen, then you struggling to find counter space to sign it with the non-functional pen, then trying to had back the pen and the receipt without giving them your copy, all with one hand since you're holding a drink in your other hand, to be even more awkward.
Signing a receipt while holding a baby is really tricky. Square is easy to sign just because the ipad doesn't move around like the paper does.
In Canada, virtually all credit card transactions now take place via chip insertion, not swiping, and chip transactions require PIN entry, not signing. Unless they get an external numpad to handle such things, this is going to be a security nightmare.
It's going to useless in Europe as well. I doubt that the credit card companies will approve a terminal of any kind that relies on the magnet strip, rather than the chip.
I actually had a meeting with a guy from a credit card clearing company yesterday. His comment was that the credit card companies have pretty much given up on introducing chip and PIN to the US. They'll just let the US keep the magnet strip and signature until they can replace the credit card with things like VISA Wallet, NFC or whatever the solution will be.
In Canada, most in store transaction are using Interac and not credit cards. I wonder when Square will accept both. I guess europeen countries have something similar to Interac as well (french's blue card?).
I'm not really sure what Interac is, but a large number of European credit cards aren't credit cards, they are debit cards, issued by your bank. The cards are co-branded VISA or MasterCard. Some countries have they own national cards, Denmark has Dankort, the Netherlands have they own, Finland is dropping theirs I think, and I'm sure there's more.
The point is that the European rules for credit cards is EVERY different from the US. Signatures are no longer valid, you need the PIN and a lot of ATM and terminals will only read the chip. New terminals without chip read won't get approved.
Launching a swipe terminal is catering to a dying marked.
Interac is actually the name of a payment services company (they license and operate point-of-sale plastic-handling machines), but the name is most commonly associated with the Canadian variety of debit cards. As in Europe, the cards are issued by the bank, but they're not generally cobranded with any credit card company and payments made with them draw funding directly from your chequing account.
That's not true, at least not here in Vancouver (though a lot of the Chinese here still tend to prefer cash). Many American banks have quite attractive rewards for using credit cards, so many people opt to use credit cards instead.
Buying an iPad stylus makes it a little less awkward than asking the customer to sign with their finger.
Also, some customers probably can't stand touching the surface of an iPad that's been touched by a hundred people before them.
Doesn't that apply to ordinary pens too, though?
My assumption is that it's not as big of a deterrent because greasy smudge marks are so much easier to spot on a screen vs a pen.
I believe if you're a verified business account and the total is under $20 or so, no signature is needed. If it's over a certain amount, then you have to get a signature, which means you're going to be swiveling or handing someone an iPad regularly.
Check out the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5...!
They show the whole stand spins around on a center axis for the signature.
If you have a printer attached they just sign the old fashioned way.
Square asks for the signature on the iPad whether you buy a printer or not as far as I can tell.
they're probably also trying to get more places to use Square, period. in that case, you also have the hands-free pay-with-your-name/face thing that presumably works here too, and means they basically just have to tap your image and it's done.
Here in Barcelona we're using wireless for paying. Each card has a chip you just get your card close to the read and bam, you payed the bill. It's nice and confortable.
I have been using the "tap to pay" feature on my credit card here in Canada increasingly. So convenient versus inserting the card, typing the PIN, etc.
That sounds sketchy as hell.
Why? If you had those cards, or a smartphone with NFC and Google Wallet installed, you could do the same thing in the US. Just look for the MasterCard PayPass logo on the top of the terminal you are swiping your card in today.
I've seen it at CVS, RiteAid, McDonalds, Wawa, ShopRite, Home Depot...
We have vending machines with these at my university. I often start swiping my card only to realize I've accidentally "tapped to pay" (according to the reader).
Here it's known as "Paywave" (http://www.visa.ca/en/personal/visa-paywave/index.jsp)
On a credit card you have the safety of being able to appeal transactions. I wouldn't want this on a debit card.
I took a picture of the system we use. http://www.flickr.com/photos/minid/8741099364/in/photostream
At least on the cards I have looked into in the US, there is a purchase price limit and the card info is transmitted with ECC.
The system is cool, imho. For buying something low price, then you don't need to insert password, and I assume with limited operations during certain time. But for expensive ones, you just put your 4 digit pin. The difference is just the card isn't raped on the device.
Each time you pass the card on a place like that it destroy itself, specially if the clerk doesn't have a good day, they just smash the cards until they can't be read.
I replaced 3 cards in a year before the tap system.
Is there any chance that Square (or any of its competitors) will open up their service to custom app developers?
I want to build a custom application that uses their hardware and payment processing back end. But I can't.
I see no evidence that Square would make one although they could. Until they achieve a huge market percentage they are still in growth mode. That requires brand trust first.
Are there any wires needed to hook into receipt printers, cash boxes, etc?
The receipt printer is a network printer; it needs an ethernet cable. The iPad connects to the printer over wifi. The receipt printer is connected to the cash drawer by, essentially, a telephone cable. The printer tells the drawer to open through that line; the iPad does not directly communicate with the cash drawer.
Unfortunately I paid $499 for this stuff from Square just last month, and I'm not going to spend $299 more to upgrade to a fancier stand.
The Square Stand actually includes a USB hub to plug the printer, cash drawer, and barcode scanner in via USB. It's much simpler than setting up everything to talk on the network.
It's all plug-and-play, there are no drivers, software installs or any other setup. You literally just plug the printer into your switch/router, the cash drawer into the printer, and pair the bluetooth barcode scanner with the iPad. Then they just work. I'm not sure how USB devices would even work with an iPad, or why anyone would want cables running across the checkout counter of their store.
Do printers/drawers/scanners come with an USB interface?
Absolutely, Here is a list of USB hardware compatible with the Square Stand.
https://squareup.com/help/en-us/article/5125-square-stand-su...
Why not see if they'll swap the gear, refund you, etc?
This is great. Their hardware has always been one of the weak points in the experience - people hate swiping on the wobbly headphone-jack doohickeys. Having something much more solid would help.
Honestly I'm a little surprised it took this long. Seems like a no-brainer for the company.
But does it accept Bitcoin?
> Accepted payment methods: Bitcoin, pogs, that Billy Ripken baseball card with an expletive on the bat, good intentions.
And firearms/firearm accessories stores around the world shrugged.