111–120 of 135 posts
I've found it easier to just use the Square app on my phone, though I've yet to see someone in front of me in line use it.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Nice to see another option, but the early termination fee of, "$2376, less $99.00 for each full month of Service completed," is brutal. Source: http://www.gopago.com/merchant-terms-conditions/
It is very likely that if their service uses a data connection, their MVNO requires a fixed-year subscription fee upfront - $2376/$99per month = 24 months. Yes, it's steep, but that's probably why. (Note: I don't work for GoPago)
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Except you also need some kind of wireless connection for that iPad, which is apparently included in the price of the GoPago package. So you'll have to either pay the $30/month for the iPad data plan or get some other form of high-speed internet for about the same price plus a router. This would bring the price up to $2180 over that same three year period. So it's still cheaper, but not as much as you suggested. If y…
You're assuming they don't already pay for connectivity for an existing system, which all existing stores with POS must. Which means the additional cost over what they're paying is probably $0 to switch, vs possibly having to cancel and sign up with something new. And many of the people who will use this probably already use regular Square.
I think this breaks down easily: 1) You DO have existing device and data plan, and need to be mobile: Square (or similar service) makes sense. 2) You DONT have existing device or data plan, and need to be mobile: GoPago
I think the evolution of phones tends towards people already carrying a smartphone with data plans, making square (or other service only -- no hardware solutions) somewhat more attractive with its rates.
Am I missing something here? Square Readers free [1] Heckler Design WindFall iPad Stand $129.99 (free shipping) [2] APG Vasario 1616 Cash Drawer $102.18 (free shipping) [3] I don't understand why I would pay $66.83 for the convenience of having these items shipped to me in a pretty box. [1]: https://squareup.com/reader [2]: http://hecklerdesign.com/windfall/ [3]: http://www.amazon.com/APG-Vasario-VB-1616-MultiPRO-int…
One word: convenience. People will pay to have them give them everything they need up front, instead of researching or finding it themselves.
Disclosure : I work for GoPago, a direct competitor in this market. I am approaching this with a lot of built-in bias. Square is pretty late to the game. Their software is pretty, but it has a much smaller featureset than every other tablet-based POS software out there (including our own competitors). Additionally, their prices do not include the cost of the iPad, which is another $500 on top of this 'business in a b…
1. They invested in getting the pay-by-phone experience perfect from the start. That's why Starbucks adopted them. Their wallet app makes GoPago's look amateurish.
2. They invested in getting their processing fee simple and low for their initial targets, P2P and cafes/boutiques. It's lower than GoPago, and that's the biggest cost to the business in the long run. Starbucks noted actually saving money with Square. Starbucks!
3. They don't ship crap. It's true their register feature set is not yet sophisticated enough for more complex businesses like restaurants. But rather than overreaching, they're starting from the simplest businesses and working their way up.
Square would rather start with simpler cases and make a perfect end-to-end system, including the consumer's wallet app. It's really smart. I'm already paying with Square's app at my favorite cafes and local boutiques. I can't overemphasize the importance of their early focus on a wallet app to their long-term success.
BTW, the "it's just slick marketing" jab is one that was often used against Apple. Square is following the Apple playbook.
I love it. Unfortunately, it wouldn't work where you need smartcard chip readers. A lot of the world outside the US uses smartcard + PIN — I can't imagine America is too far behind. Hopefully they have that under development.
That said, for Square, I don't think it would be too difficult to integrate a SmartCard reader over the audio line as they have with magstripes.
The design is great. Even though I don't have a brick and mortar store, it kinda makes me want to buy one, inexplicably. I wonder how many other things you can sell like this, an all-in-one box, that doesn't smell cheap, like a 10-in-1 games CD? The best thing I can think of right now is 'gardening in a box'. I wonder what 'startup in a box' looks like.
http://bayareaquarterlife.tumblr.com/post/33992875694/box-su...
Boxes in a box.
Disclosure : I work for GoPago, a direct competitor in this market. I am approaching this with a lot of built-in bias. Square is pretty late to the game. Their software is pretty, but it has a much smaller featureset than every other tablet-based POS software out there (including our own competitors). Additionally, their prices do not include the cost of the iPad, which is another $500 on top of this 'business in a b…
My first thought was, hmm... no iPad.
Then I thought: "Zero information on the system, apps, features etc that this would offer"
I see a retail cashiers pedestal in a box and nothing more. Also, that receipt printer is $200?!?!?
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A long time ago I wrote here on HN that I thought Square could kill if they really did offer "A business in a box" - but I was specifically talking about all the applications and features of an app that would allow one to run a business and would tie in everything associated with that [Sales, inventory, supply chain, vendor mgmt, financials, etc..etc.. etc...]
This offering looks really weak. Further, given the formfactor of the square reader - the "custom" designed ipad stand looks severely lacking; namely: I would have included a more robust card swiping shroud over the read to make it more sturdy and last longer.
This product appears to only serve to make people feel as though they are Playing Business because they have the cashier stand. This does nothing to actually enable your business/business processes.
Disclosure : I work for GoPago, a direct competitor in this market. I am approaching this with a lot of built-in bias. Square is pretty late to the game. Their software is pretty, but it has a much smaller featureset than every other tablet-based POS software out there (including our own competitors). Additionally, their prices do not include the cost of the iPad, which is another $500 on top of this 'business in a b…
Square is the long-run winner in this category. Look at why Starbucks adopted them instead of competitors like GoPago. 1. They invested in getting the pay-by-phone experience perfect from the start. That's why Starbucks adopted them. Their wallet app makes GoPago's look amateurish. 2. They invested in getting their processing fee simple and low for their initial targets, P2P and cafes/boutiques. It's lower than GoPag…
Their adoption of square speaks nothing of the competition in the not-starbucks market.
Just because starbucks is using square does not mean that it is the right fit for an organization that is miniscule by comparison. Where the company is so small they need to rely on the services of someone like this to augment their capability where they do not have the staff/resource/savvy....
Nobody is saying squares app is crap. We are saying that "business in a box" is pure marketing fluff and is meaningless.
I am saying that your starbucks example is exceptionally weak to say that "square won" this category.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Square is the long-run winner in this category. Look at why Starbucks adopted them instead of competitors like GoPago. 1. They invested in getting the pay-by-phone experience perfect from the start. That's why Starbucks adopted them. Their wallet app makes GoPago's look amateurish. 2. They invested in getting their processing fee simple and low for their initial targets, P2P and cafes/boutiques. It's lower than GoPag…
Starbucks is a billion dollar company with a HUGE business inertia. They have exceptional busines intelligence in their supply chain, services, etc... Their adoption of square speaks nothing of the competition in the not-starbucks market. Just because starbucks is using square does not mean that it is the right fit for an organization that is miniscule by comparison. Where the company is so small they need to rely on…