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?