Off-topic discussions about regional news, issues and politics. Pretty much everything goes here, but keep it polite: Flaming and spamming aren't welcome.
User avatar
User

John Hagan

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

1416

Joined

Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:38 pm

Location

SPENCER CO. Lake Wazzapamani

card reader for phone questions

by John Hagan » Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:23 am

Were looking into getting some card readers for our phones to better handle card sales at the farmers markets. Currently thinking about "square" https://squareup.com/ as it get good reviews overall. They charge just shy of three percent per transaction, which seems pretty high but there's no other fees involved. Has anyone used these guys or one of the other services? Also how does the customer get a receipt? Its not very well explained on the site, at least not for a droid.. If you are using one of these, have you had much resistance from the customer in regard to card security issues. Im guessing some of the older set may not be to keen having their card swiped into a phone. Any and all thoughts appreciated.
The tall one wants white toast, dry, with nothin' on it.
And the short one wants four whole fried chickens, and a Coke.
no avatar
User

Heather L

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

716

Joined

Thu Mar 01, 2007 11:12 am

Re: card reader for phone questions

by Heather L » Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:27 am

John Hagan wrote: They charge just shy of three percent per transaction, which seems pretty high but there's no other fees involved.


I'd be interested in hearing folks experience with these types of services as well. The part above in particular interests me - we have a merchant account in order to accept credit cards at a 1-day annual event. The percentage we pay per transaction might be less but we also have to pay fees every single month.....
....And be faithful to
Local Merchants Too.
Never buy far off
What you can buy near home.....
(Wendell Berry)
User avatar
User

JustinHammond

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

3335

Joined

Wed Jul 09, 2008 6:26 pm

Location

Lyndon, KY 40222

Re: card reader for phone questions

by JustinHammond » Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:33 am

John,

If you don't get the answers you need from this link, I'd reach out to the food truck people. I know most, if not all, use them.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=18588&p=137953
"The idea is to eat well and not die from it-for the simple reason that that would be the end of your eating." - Jim Harrison

https://www.facebook.com/Louisville-Eat ... 129849554/
User avatar
User

John Hagan

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

1416

Joined

Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:38 pm

Location

SPENCER CO. Lake Wazzapamani

Re: card reader for phone questions

by John Hagan » Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:47 am

Thanks Justin I must of been out of town when that thread was up.
The tall one wants white toast, dry, with nothin' on it.
And the short one wants four whole fried chickens, and a Coke.
User avatar
User

Robin Garr

{ RANK }

Forum host

Posts

22984

Joined

Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:38 pm

Location

Crescent Hill

Re: card reader for phone questions

by Robin Garr » Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:50 am

We have Square, don't use it a lot, but it's seamless, and frankly, the 3 percent flat rate is better than we were getting from a traditional merchant bank before. We've had zero problems. All the processes and communications work seamlessly, and the money faithfully shows up, in the correct amount, in our bank within a couple of days. Two thumbs up!
User avatar
User

Steve P

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

4848

Joined

Sun Sep 23, 2007 10:18 pm

Re: card reader for phone questions

by Steve P » Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:40 am

John Hagan wrote: Im guessing some of the older set may not be to keen having their card swiped into a phone. Any and all thoughts appreciated.


And I'm guessing that your guess is correct. Personally I've only paid via someone's "Smart" :roll: phone one time (River Rd. BBQ) and then only because I was standing at the cash register food in hand and realized I didn't have enough cash...I will go out of my way to never-ever "pay by phone" again. My trust level of this technology is "zero".
Stevie P...The Daddio of the Patio
User avatar
User

John Hagan

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

1416

Joined

Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:38 pm

Location

SPENCER CO. Lake Wazzapamani

Re: card reader for phone questions

by John Hagan » Tue Feb 14, 2012 12:14 pm

Steve P wrote:I will go out of my way to never-ever "pay by phone" again. My trust level of this technology is "zero".


Thanks for the input. I figured we will get some resistance to it initially. I would hope that after the use of these phone card swipers becomes more wide spread folks will see its really no different that any register/card reader in town that uses a wireless router to connect.
The tall one wants white toast, dry, with nothin' on it.
And the short one wants four whole fried chickens, and a Coke.
no avatar
User

RichardM

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

424

Joined

Sat Mar 03, 2007 12:18 am

Location

Louisville, KY

Re: card reader for phone questions

by RichardM » Tue Feb 14, 2012 12:18 pm

From the consumer side I really like Square. Please and Thank You is probably who you should talk with as they run their business <retail side> with an iPad and Square. http://www.pleaseandthankyoulouisville.com/welcome/


They e-mail you a receipt on each transaction. Additionally, there is an App called Card Case that allows my iPhone to communicate with a Square vendor even faster and I don't have to sign the pad.

Matt of Lil' Cheezer fame uses Square as well. He likes it. https://www.facebook.com/louisvillestreetfood

It seems to me that Square is really suited to businesses like Cheezers or a farmer's market vendor as it 'just works' and the fee is the same for a 2 buck or a 34 buck purchase, percentage wise, with NO minimum. I think that is a big draw over something like PNC's service.

Hope that helps.

Richard
Richard Lord Meadows, Earl of Vienna, Marquess of Morgantown and Westover, Baronet of Parkersburg, and West Virginia’s Ambassador to the Portland Neighborhood.
User avatar
User

Robin Garr

{ RANK }

Forum host

Posts

22984

Joined

Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:38 pm

Location

Crescent Hill

Re: card reader for phone questions

by Robin Garr » Tue Feb 14, 2012 12:25 pm

John Hagan wrote:I would hope that after the use of these phone card swipers becomes more wide spread folks will see its really no different that any register/card reader in town that uses a wireless router to connect.

I think it's already getting there, John. The paranoid elderly can always pay cash ... and, of course, assume that no one has installed a password sniffer on their local ATM. :lol:
User avatar
User

John Hagan

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

1416

Joined

Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:38 pm

Location

SPENCER CO. Lake Wazzapamani

Re: card reader for phone questions

by John Hagan » Tue Feb 14, 2012 12:39 pm

Robin Garr wrote:
John Hagan wrote:I would hope that after the use of these phone card swipers becomes more wide spread folks will see its really no different that any register/card reader in town that uses a wireless router to connect.

I think it's already getting there, John. The paranoid elderly can always pay cash ... and, of course, assume that no one has installed a password sniffer on their local ATM. :lol:


While researching this I read an article about restaurants that were moving over to hand held card readers. This was due to customers being increasingly concerned with servers disappearing into the back room with card in hand and the ability to easily write down the three digit verification codes on the back of the cards. Also read a couple of interesting articles about the rise in "skimming"at gas station self serve pumps.
The tall one wants white toast, dry, with nothin' on it.
And the short one wants four whole fried chickens, and a Coke.
User avatar
User

Robin Garr

{ RANK }

Forum host

Posts

22984

Joined

Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:38 pm

Location

Crescent Hill

Re: card reader for phone questions

by Robin Garr » Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:41 pm

John Hagan wrote:While researching this I read an article about restaurants that were moving over to hand held card readers. This was due to customers being increasingly concerned with servers disappearing into the back room with card in hand and the ability to easily write down the three digit verification codes on the back of the cards. Also read a couple of interesting articles about the rise in "skimming"at gas station self serve pumps.

There was a great Dilbert strip on this point. The crew was out at lunch, and Dilbert was banging on about computer security. Then he handed the server his credit card, and she came back wearing a fur coat with a price tag hanging off the sleeve. :lol:
User avatar
User

Gayle DeM

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

2002

Joined

Sun Apr 08, 2007 3:42 pm

Re: card reader for phone questions

by Gayle DeM » Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:48 pm

There was a great Dilbert strip on this point. The crew was out at lunch, and Dilbert was banging on about computer security. Then he handed the server his credit card, and she came back wearing a fur coat with a price tag hanging off the sleeve.


Just in case you want to see it: http://search.dilbert.com/comic/Fur%20Coat
"I didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian" -Erma Bombeck
User avatar
User

Robin Garr

{ RANK }

Forum host

Posts

22984

Joined

Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:38 pm

Location

Crescent Hill

Re: card reader for phone questions

by Robin Garr » Tue Feb 14, 2012 4:20 pm

Gayle DeM wrote:Just in case you want to see it: http://search.dilbert.com/comic/Fur%20Coat

Thanks, Gayle! That's the one! :mrgreen:
User avatar
User

Lois Mauk

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

707

Joined

Sat Mar 03, 2007 11:08 pm

Location

Jeffersonville, Indiana

Re: card reader for phone questions

by Lois Mauk » Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:54 pm

My friends at Gavi's Restaurant downtown tell me they have been quite happy with their Square device, running it off an iPad. I'm sure you could contact Gaba Gavi or David Gavi at 583-8183 to talk to them thought I'd suggest you call them after 2 PM or between 10 and 11 AM to catch them between rushes.
Last edited by Lois Mauk on Wed Feb 15, 2012 12:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
Make a fast friend . . . Adopt a retired racer from Greyhound Pets of America!
http://www.GPALouisville.org
User avatar
User

Jackie R.

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

1691

Joined

Tue Mar 06, 2007 3:48 pm

Location

Highlands

Re: card reader for phone questions

by Jackie R. » Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:53 pm

Something you should definitely consider is PCI compliance, John. It's a monster, and the track data that transmits through your device is your liability. Hacker technology is nothing to scoff at and it could put you out of business if you're breached. Not to be a wet blanket, but weakly secured networks are the target and almost all viruses lay in waiting for a harvest of customer identity and credit card numbers. And it's usually the little guys that get hit because of the lack of awareness and prevention.
Next

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests

Powered by phpBB ® | phpBB3 Style by KomiDesign