No matter what kind of business you are in, you need to be able to take credit/debit cards. The other day I wanted a hotdog out of one of those street carts. You know, a nearly charred German sausage with all the fixings… and I had no cash. Talk about disappointment! Making it easy for customers to pay is simply good for business, consumers tend to buy more if the paying process is easy for them. Part of making it easy is giving them options. What business with a web presence wouldn’t have at least a PayPal account to allow online payment processing? There is no reason for anyone doing business outside of the office to not be able to accept CC payments with a mobile application.
Small business owners can now take card payments at a storefront, at a show or in a marketplace – all from the same device. Retailers can easily process payments at a sidewalk event, avoiding line abandonment concerns. Whether you own a small business with a booth at a local market or large retail outlet, it is good business to give your customers the option to pay how they want, when they want.
The good news is that there are several reputable mobile application providers to help in processing these payments. They allow you to swipe the card, capture a signature and email a receipt – all from a handheld unit. Now, you can get as fancy as you want with dedicated mobile devices with built in card readers, but for the savvy small business owner you can find several applications that are very affordable and work on the smartphone you already own. Several of these (QuickBooks, Square and PayAnywhere for example) provide a free credit card reader that plugs into your phone and have no setup or activation fees. Pricing rates vary from 1.7% upward, depending on the volume of transactions you expect. Do your research and find the plan that works best for you (and your local hotdog vendor).