She uses more Square tools than just a credit card processor. “I use the Square Cash app, Square Appointments, Square Invoices, and Square Payments via my website.” Let me know if you can guess what her issue might be here: Here’s a quote we received from Susan who runs a small tutoring business in Texas. To address this problem, Square has also invested in building adjacent tools and (supposedly) complementary apps. He uses up to 5 other apps and tools to help him with the day to day. So for Tim to run his business, he needs more tools (than just Square Up) with more features. “I am using Square Up for processing + $0.15 for manually entered), use Google Calendar, use Zoho for billing, and have to run monthly credit card payments manually.” But in the real world, there are limitations to that marketing message – you need more than just a credit card processor to run your business.įor example, here’s some feedback we received from Tim who runs a fitness business: Square Up touts how it helps service businesses “run their business”. Most on-the-go professionals need more than that. After all, card readers can only be used in a single situation – in person. The hardware doesn’t store the card information of your recurring clients.Ĭredit card readers make sense at a Starbucks, restaurant, or in a food truck. You can’t ever seem to remember to pack it. It doesn’t plug in if you have a smartphone case. Ok, back to the serious stuff like the problems with hardware. In our “attempt” at humor, we published a Top 10 Ways to Ditch Your Square Reader…highlights include attaching your reader to a SpaceX rocket ship or planting it in your backyard to see what grows □ Because of this, hardware (or the “Square reader”) is mandatory in order to perform the very act of swiping a credit card in person (or inputting a card into a larger reader if EMV chips are involved). Square is best known for its swiping – when the client is right in front of the business owner. Most of the businesses we speak to each day are invoicing clients, collecting deposits, accepting online bookings/payments – they need more than point of sale credit card processing through Square Register. When a client is paying for services, the customer is not always directly in front of the professional. There should be a single transaction fee…a low transaction fee. That means these processors should not be confusing their customers with complex pricing schedules. Innovations in payment processing technology have accelerated in recent years. A swipe? An online payment? An invoice payment? A card entry? Most on-the-go business professionals don’t want to have to stop and think about how much in fees they’ll be paying based on how their clients will be paying using their credit card or debit card. ![]() To make things even more complicated, the fee structures are different depending on how you accept payment. ![]() The unspoken truth is in the fine print, unfortunately. There are processing fees, per-transaction fees, batch fees, hardware fees, monthly gateway fees, setup fees, and more. The pricing structure for companies like Square Up, , American Express, and even PayPal are still stuck in the stone ages. Most business owners can relate to that. Cash flow is very important to small business owners, so keeping costs simple and low is a must. But the biggest limitation to accepting credit cards is high fees. ![]() And payments are deposited in your bank account within 1-2 business days. The Square Point of Sale system makes it easy for businesses to accept credit cards. Here are some of the common complaints we hear about Square. The feedback is simple: It can be really, really, really frustrating. You even get a free Square card reader. Square Capital can give businesses in these industries the small business loans and capital they need to get up and running. Square Up works well for businesses with retail locations, but it’s got a lot of limitations for service-based businesses.įor many of the service professionals that I speak to each day (like therapists, estheticians, stylists, personal trainers, yoga/pilates instructors, dog trainers, cleaners, coaches, contractors, tutors, and more), Square Up tends to have a number of key issues. With a Square account, you can collect payments, schedule appointments, and more. It’s tough, however, to not be partisan when I talk with small businesses every single day who complain about the costs, malfunctioning card readers, and unresponsive Square support.ĭon’t get me wrong – I think Square Up is perfect for specific industries like retailers, restaurants, and food trucks because of its ease of use. I’m going to try my best to have an unbiased view of Square Up. AND WHY IT’S A HUGE DEAL FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
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