Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Dare to Be Square


As a small business owner I aim to be prepared for every possible opportunity to sell my products.  These days the majority of my customers purchase with credit cards, so I have a merchant account with a major bank, along with a wireless credit card terminal that's state of the art.  The terminal is perfect for those times when I'm selling in a stationary location, and it serves me well.  There are times, however, when I need more portability and the ability to accept credit cards when a sales opportunity presents itself while I'm on the go.  Earlier this year my business received an offer through the mail to sign up to receive a Square credit card reader.  The card reader was free and I had the option of paying a low percentage rate per swipe with no contract required.  I thought, why not?  Admittedly though, when I received the card reader I stuck it in a drawer and forgot about it.

Fast forward to late Summer.  While preparing to go on a much needed extended vacation with a travel group, I decided to pack some of my Lil' Somethin' Somethin'TM bags to possibly sell on the trip.  I thought there might be travelers among us who would like to have a small crossbody bag to carry while touring each of our destinations, as well as those who brought their e-readers on the trip and would appreciate a hands-free carrying case.  In the past I would have been limited to accepting only cash or checks for sales made while traveling, but then I remembered the Square.  I retrieved it from the drawer and tucked it away in my purse.

When I returned home from my trip a couple of weeks later, my suitcase was several Lil' Somethin' Somethin'TM bags lighter, my bank account was a little larger, and I was a new fan of the Square.  It proved to be a handy, quick and efficient way to process credit cards on the road.  Now I don't leave home without it.

I have since received offers to sign up to receive the PayPal Mobile and Intuit GoPayment card readers. Same deal, same reply... Why not?

Friday, October 12, 2012

Now Available at GALA ~ Artisan Jewelry & Gifts



I am pleased to share that our Lil' Somethin' Somethin' Crossbody bags are now available at Gala ~ Artisan Jewelry & Gifts.  It is a lovely store owned and operated by local artists, and it has a wonderful selection of beautiful handcrafted jewelry and gifts.  The shop is located at 10417 Armory Avenue, Kensington, MD 20895, in the Historic District.  For hours and directions, please visit their website.

Friday, October 5, 2012

A Perfect Fit!


I recently purchased a new 7" tablet, the Asus Nexus 7 made for Google.  Nice.  There's a whole lot of power packed into this little device, and I'm really enjoying it.  To keep it in good condition I also purchased a cover, which does dual duty as a stand.  Cool.  The best part?  Both the tablet and cover fit neatly into my Lil' Somethin' Somethin' Crossbody bag, making it a great hands-free carrying case.  Perfect.