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The Square over time???? Still happy?
I'm updating the Square discussion, as I am concerned about how it and the company performs over time. I talked to my current provider and they were (predictably) full of doom and gloom about the Square.
1. One thing he said was that the Square won't hold up, its ability to read cards is limited and it can take repeated swipes to get it to read a card.
2. He mentioned that the company won't protect in case of fraud. Any problems with stolen cards, charge backs, customer complaints, etc?
3. How is customer service if you are in a pickle at a show and need help?
4. And the final thing was will the rates stay the same, or now that the Square has so many sign-ups will the Square start upping the rates?
Right now its a shiny new thing & I am mighty tempted to get one, but my provider has been a good one and I don't want to throw him out until I know this Square really really works.
Since most of the replies on the other Square thread are from new Square users I wanted to see what people who have used it over several months & shows-over a year, now think of the Square and the company?
Any long time users out there?
Thanks.
Carla
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Lin Glore on -
I'm not as heavy a user as others might be, but I'm probably the most skeptical individual you'll run across. I requested one, and it sat for several shows while I glared at it. Finally, the threat of the PCI fee (at $129) won me over, and I've been a faithful user ever since.
1. If the actual reader wears out over time I have no doubt that Square will be delighted to send a new one. I'm more worried about the little ear thing breaking off. I've carried it in my pocket, I've dropped the phone (with the reader inserted) onto the reader, and I've had really filthy, scratched cards. It has survived. I'm comfortable knowing that I have the backup of manually entering the card info (and accept that there is a higher fee).
2. I've never had a customer dispute a charge. I have had one purchase attempt with a declined card (which I would not have known with Store and Forward). With the instant approval I no longer worry about unapproved purchases. I haven't used the photo feature, but that would probably be an added benefit to any dispute.
3. I'm still uncomfortable with customer service by Twitter. I don't Twitter. I don't know how to Twitter and have no interest in learning. Therefore, I have no access to Customer Service until I can e-mail. I do keep a competitor as a backup to that, but I've attempted contact with THEIR Customer Service, and on a weekend it is nonexistant by phone (spent over 20 minutes on hold and lost the sale anyway). So, I just remain uncomfortable with customer service. Having said that, I've never needed to contact Square customer service.
4. No one knows if the rates will stay the same, or if they will stay the same with competitors. I'm more concerned with actual cell phone reception. I do several shows that are inside buildings -- and AT&T has notoriously poor reception. I'm interested in what backup is used in that situation. Do we go back to the knucklebuster and keep (literally) ALL information from the card in writing? Talk about poor compliance!!! YIKES!!! I'm headed into that situation, and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
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Permalink Reply by Janet/John Costin on -
I also would like to know feedback about the "Square"..it seems too good to be true!
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Permalink Reply by Wendy Shattil on -
I used Square for all of our summer shows. It worked perfectly and I will continue using it this year. I didn't need to contact customer service, so I can't comment about that aspect of support. I use Verizon and at one outdoor show the vendor next to me with AT&T couldn't get a signal. I had no problem.
My backup is a knucklebuster. I only used it once last year on a card that just wouldn't swipe. I think it was the card rather than the reader.
I requested a second reader from Square and keep that handy just in case.
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Permalink Reply by Connie Mettler on -
Do you know all the tricks to make a card "read" when you swipe it. I know of two, but only one comes to mind right now. Put the card tightly into a clear baggie and swipe it with the baggie in place. Amazingly, it works for cards that wouldn't swipe on their own.
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Permalink Reply by Linda and Jim Dalton on -
Entrepreneur Magazine says in its January 2012 issue that Square and similar smart phone apps are the future of money. http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/222459
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Permalink Reply by Janet/John Costin on
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It sounds like the wave of the future...my concerns are if you have a problem the customer service is not good..at least that is what I have seen in other feedback. I am sure a lot of companies are going to offer this service.I might wait a few months.
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Permalink Reply by Suzanne McNenly on -
We have Kudos in Canada....same as square.....and, as well, the ONLY problem I have with them is cutomer service. I can't get any response when e-mailing from website, or leaving phone messages. It's like the customer service mail and phones just go into thin air. Hopefully, when these systems get more competition, someone will realize that all they have to do to scoop up all the business is to provide a person at the other end of the phone or computer. Doesn't sound like rocket science to me:).
As far as whether to buy....all you are really springing for is the devise, and since they are quite cheap I would get it. No prob if you change in a while. Just keep an old school swiper on standby to process manually if there are problems.
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Permalink Reply by Jay McDougall on -
Still happy. I had one dongle go bad/stop reading, but I already had a backup because we use two phones at shows. No comment on cust serv, which I guess is a good thing (read: I haven't needed any).
I'm not seeing the downside for anyone giving it a try.
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Permalink Reply by Jacqueline Allard on -
I think the square is fantastic. I always have 2 readers in case one breaks or I lose it. No processing limit only 3 percent(ish) transaction fee. Money in my checking account in a day or 2, how can you beat it?
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Permalink Reply by Alison Thomas on -
I love my Square. I have had two terminals die at a show, one just before a big show and one right in the middle of a show. I was using store and forward in the one that died in the middle of the show and I would have lost those transactions ($800) if I hadn't had emails for the customers. The first one that died, the customer service was non-existent on a weekend, and the second one had great customer service but all they could do was tell me the transactions were lost and I needed to replace the terminal. I keep two squares on hand as well as having an IPad and an IPhone so I have redundancy at every level. Even the higher transaction fee is pretty reasonable if I have to key in a transaction later. Because I am emailing receipts I remember to ask for email addresses from my customers. It did take a little bit to get the hang of swiping but now I rarely have to swipe a second time.
Also I noticed that Best Buy sells the dongle for $9.99. A little more expensive than free but it works if you are in a pinch and can't wait for Square to send you one.
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Permalink Reply by Barry Bernstein on -
Alison, after the first year, my remote machine never worked at a show. It would work at home when I tested it before I would leave, but, as soon as I tried to use is at an event, I would start getting error messages. Sometimes it's a little hard getting a hold of tech support on a Saturday or Sunday. It can be kind of a drag when one is dependent on a cash flow and there is no cash flowing into my account. I did some research and discovered that my machine, a Nurit 8020, was supposed to be an upgrade from the Nurit 8000. They discontinued that model after 6 months or so and never let anyone know why. My merchant service provider kept telling me it was a good machine. Obviously it wasn't, I asked other artists if they had trouble with theirs and I everyone I talked to had problems with their machines.
So, now I have the Square although I haven't used it, yet. Will I have to cash out at the end of the day, like the remote machines or does each charge go directly into my account? Btw, I ordered another one ane they cheerfully put it in the mail, immediately, with a tracking #. I hope I wear it out the first day I use it.
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Permalink Reply by Alison Thomas on
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No cashing out at the end of the day. And your account has a real time listing of your sales.
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