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Monday, March 05, 2012, 11:49 am
Square Register for iPad offers full point-of-sale system for merchants
Square on Monday unveiled Register, a new application and service that allows merchants to turn an iPad into a full-fledged point-of-sale system for conducting transactions.Paired with the existing free credit card reader that plugs into an iPad's headphone jack, the new Square Register application allows vendors to input a custom product inventory. Items available for sale can be identified by names, photos and prices, and popular items can even be added to a "favorites" list.
As with the previous Square application for transactions, the company takes 2.75 percent of sales. The service accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. The system also supports manual input of cash transactions.
Merchants can also store customer names and photos in the system, allowing salespeople to more easily get to know regular customers on a first-name basis. With Square Register, vendors can create their own custom loyalty program to keep customers coming back.
The system also gives customers the ability to quickly and easily provide a tip, while vendors can personalize receipts and offer them to customers either on paper, via text message or e-mail.
Square Register also keeps track of sales, and offers detailed analytics that are synced and stored in the cloud. Merchants can log in to Square's website from anywhere to see their transaction details in real time.
And employee permissions are also available to restrict access to specific features, settings or sensitive information that might be contained in sales reports.
Square Register (iTunes link) is a free application available for iPad on the App Store. The company's card reader hardware is also free.
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Previous Comments View All
Before anyone pops up to say it's available for Android too, this isn't the regular Square Reader and app that's been there for months. Register is exclusively for the iPad for now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX 
1) 2.75%? Yet another reason why I think Apple will want to spearhead an NFC-based system through their iTS. Square's Card Case is somewhat in the vain I hope Apple goes.
2) It's great that they shows the square for their reader. It's good idea for a simple handheld unit that might not get used often, but when you have a register system you are expanding to a higher usage scenario that could be used by a lot more people. That 3.5mm jack can only take so much force. At this point I think Square should offer a new system that would limit the potential force applied to the jack. There are plenty of CC readers for the iPad that are more sturdy:
* They chose a square because they couldn't use an acorn.
1) 2.75%? Yet another reason why I think Apple will want to spearhead an NFC-based system through their iTS. Square's Card Case is somewhat in the vain I hope Apple goes.
2) It's great that they shows the square for their reader. It's good idea for a simple handheld unit that might not get used often, but when you have a register system you are expanding to a higher usage scenario that could be used by a lot more people. That 3.5mm jack can only take so much force. At this point I think Square should offer a new system that would limit the potential force applied to the jack. There are plenty of CC readers for the iPad that are more sturdy:
* They chose a square because they couldn't use an acorn.
Not bad for a first cut at a POST system .
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maestro64
Deleted. More proof required to substantiate accusation. Mods.
Deleted. More proof required to substantiate accusation. Mods.
You do realize that there is always a merchant bank gateway with credit card purchases.
Generally a small/medium sized retailer has both an online and a brick and mortar swipe machine. In both cases the info goes to a merchant gateway account and then upon approval of the charge, the merchant account moves the funds to the retailer's commercial bank account. There are several merchant gateway banks to choose from but you must have one. In this case Square is providing the service.
iPads have not worked out particularly well at a restaurant in my home town. They have a poslavu.com iPad POS system and servers carry iPads to take orders that automatically get transmitted to the kitchen. It's good in theory but in reality the system hiccups occasionally which can be irritating to customers trying to give their order. And when a customer orders water they want water; they don't want the server to instead start doing data entry into their iPad to tell the kitchen water is needed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jd_in_sb
iPads have not worked out particularly well at a restaurant in my home town. They have a poslavu.com iPad POS system and servers carry iPads to take orders that automatically get transmitted to the kitchen. It's good in theory but in reality the system hiccups just enough to be irritating to customers. When it hiccups while taking the order the customer and server just stare at each other waiting for it to work. And when a customer orders water they want water; they don't want the server to instead start doing data entry into their iPad to tell the kitchen water is needed.
iPads have not worked out particularly well at a restaurant in my home town. They have a poslavu.com iPad POS system and servers carry iPads to take orders that automatically get transmitted to the kitchen. It's good in theory but in reality the system hiccups just enough to be irritating to customers. When it hiccups while taking the order the customer and server just stare at each other waiting for it to work. And when a customer orders water they want water; they don't want the server to instead start doing data entry into their iPad to tell the kitchen water is needed.
In all fairness going from a written system that is now typed from a handheld device will experience hiccups, but I also think that is a flashy use for POST. It's much better to use a centralized register or kiosk system for most cases. If you look at the typical touchscreen POST system they are very expensive in comparison and use a resistive touchscreen, and that's just the HW and doesn't include configuring your items or prices.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jd_in_sb
And when a customer orders water they want water; they don't want the server to instead start doing data entry into their iPad to tell the kitchen water is needed.
And when a customer orders water they want water; they don't want the server to instead start doing data entry into their iPad to tell the kitchen water is needed.
Age old problem with computers that one is. While you CAN order water that way, why would you? The computer in this case (and many others) merely complicates a simple request. Not really the fault of the computer, but rather of the restaurant staff/management.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
In all fairness going from a written system that is now typed from a handheld device will experience hiccups, but I also think that is a flashy use for POST. It's much better to use a centralized register or kiosk system for most cases. If you look at the typical touchscreen POST system they are very expensive in comparison and use a resistive touchscreen, and that's just the HW and doesn't include configuring your items or prices.
In all fairness going from a written system that is now typed from a handheld device will experience hiccups, but I also think that is a flashy use for POST. It's much better to use a centralized register or kiosk system for most cases. If you look at the typical touchscreen POST system they are very expensive in comparison and use a resistive touchscreen, and that's just the HW and doesn't include configuring your items or prices.
True. I think the problem is doing data entry in front of the customer. The customer never notices the hiccup when it occurs out-of-sight while the server does data entry in the kitchen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jd_in_sb
iPads have not worked out particularly well at a restaurant in my home town. They have a poslavu.com iPad POS system and servers carry iPads to take orders that automatically get transmitted to the kitchen. It's good in theory but in reality the system hiccups occasionally which can be irritating to customers trying to give their order. And when a customer orders water they want water; they don't want the server to instead start doing data entry into their iPad to tell the kitchen water is needed.
iPads have not worked out particularly well at a restaurant in my home town. They have a poslavu.com iPad POS system and servers carry iPads to take orders that automatically get transmitted to the kitchen. It's good in theory but in reality the system hiccups occasionally which can be irritating to customers trying to give their order. And when a customer orders water they want water; they don't want the server to instead start doing data entry into their iPad to tell the kitchen water is needed.
Part of any good "automated" system is providing for what you do when the "automation" is not available or not working properly.
From your description, it sounds like the major problem is in order entry or the transmission of orders to the kitchen,
If so, there are several levels of alternate means of taking the order and getting it to the kitchen -- ultimately devolving to the server writing the order on paper and walking it to the kitchen.
Having procedures in place and training the employees how and when to use them (including practicing) -- allows the customer to be served (paramount) and any issues to be resolved later, in a less-stressful environment.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum
Part of any good "automated" system is providing for what you do when the "automation" is not available or not working properly.
From your description, it sounds like the major problem is in order entry or the transmission of orders to the kitchen,
If so, there are several levels of alternate means of taking the order and getting it to the kitchen -- ultimately devolving to the server writing the order on paper and walking it to the kitchen.
Having procedures in place and training the employees how and when to use them (including practicing) -- allows the customer to be served (paramount) and any issues to be resolved later, in a less-stressful environment.
Part of any good "automated" system is providing for what you do when the "automation" is not available or not working properly.
From your description, it sounds like the major problem is in order entry or the transmission of orders to the kitchen,
If so, there are several levels of alternate means of taking the order and getting it to the kitchen -- ultimately devolving to the server writing the order on paper and walking it to the kitchen.
Having procedures in place and training the employees how and when to use them (including practicing) -- allows the customer to be served (paramount) and any issues to be resolved later, in a less-stressful environment.
Yes. You nailed it. In a few visits to the restaurant that has servers carry iPads I've had experience with 'network trouble' and the server asking me to wait to take my order for a moment while they "got things going" on the machine.
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1) 2.75%? Yet another reason why I think Apple will want to spearhead an NFC-based system through their iTS. Square's Card Case is somewhat in the vain I hope Apple goes.
2) It's great that they shows the square for their reader. It's good idea for a simple handheld unit that might not get used often, but when you have a register system you are expanding to a higher usage scenario that could be used by a lot more people. That 3.5mm jack can only take so much force. At this point I think Square should offer a new system that would limit the potential force applied to the jack. There are plenty of CC readers for the iPad that are more sturdy:
* They chose a square because they couldn't use an acorn.