Anyone using Square for FTFs or similar transactions

Key-Hay · Dec 3, 2011

My wife was at a charity fund raiser that was selling a lot of items made in Africa to support "Africian Life" Charities. All the volunteers with smartphones were turned into cash registers by using the app "Square" You plug in a little card reader into the headphones jack and the app works off an iPhone or Android phone. They take a 2.75% charge for using it.

Folks were educated in about 5 minutes on how to load, swipe cards and complete a sale!

Since i do craft fairs every once and a while, I signed up. Thought it might work for FTFs, Craigslisting, or when you have to split a check at dinner. Wonder what folks response to it might be.

rcruze · Dec 3, 2011

I use it and it seems to be safe I have no problems at all-
Bob

t.huynh · Dec 3, 2011

I posted a similar thread and people on here were pretty iffy about it.

rcruze · Dec 3, 2011

I don't know I can only speak about my experience if you don't abuse it it works. Bob

pokerace · Dec 3, 2011

On a FTF I prefer not to have any paper work....If you use that app your credit card can be traced.

STNOSU · Dec 3, 2011

I use it when I work at conferences for a greek apparel company. Its a pretty cool thing, you can choose to give a receipt by text or email. If you do email it will show a google map like thing of where the transaction took place.

People on here are worried about Big Brother watching them so you will get mixed reviews. Personally I have nothing to hide, if your going to use card there will always be a trail. Just make sure you get the swiper for free and dont buy it from a store.

Redcap · Dec 3, 2011

I deal strictly with cash for FTF transactions.

Grunwald · Dec 3, 2011

I would rather just pay cash. Not sure that I am willing to let a perfect stranger swipe my card with his phone.
How long before the mob starts doing some face to face deals (not necessary gun related) just to get access to credit card info?

Mark W. · Dec 4, 2011

25 years ago I was doing credit card sales at gun and knife shows with an imprinter. And guess what paranoids I had a hard copy of every card I ran through the machine as well as all the other info on the face of the card. How hard would it have been to turn the car over to see the signature and also have the 3 digit security number off the back. I had to call in on phone to get an authorization number. This then changed when the first cell phone powered terminal hit the shows. And now its something that can be done with a cell phone.

So this is nothing new only an easier way to do it. And I can't remember a single story about someone at a crafts/art/gunshow/etc. stealing from someone this way.

nubus · Dec 4, 2011

I use it regularly and it's so simple it's a no brainer. If I were doing $10k a month I could get a better rate with a rented terminal and a contract, but this is way too easy to want to mess with a traditional merchant service account. Besides, I don't run that much money on it, so the rate is better, no transaction fee, and the reader was free. Works on both my iPhone and iPad as well as logging in and doing manually keyed cards from any computer. It's easier to get your card nicked at McDonald's than using this service face to face. Just ask about a 100 people from Olympia who got their cards jacked at a McDonald's drive-thru!

Trlsmn · Dec 4, 2011

FTF = cash.

Grunwald · Dec 4, 2011

Mark W. said:
25 years ago I was doing credit card sales at gun and knife shows with an imprinter. And guess what paranoids I had a hard copy of every card I ran through the machine as well as all the other info on the face of the card. How hard would it have been to turn the car over to see the signature and also have the 3 digit security number off the back. I had to call in on phone to get an authorization number. This then changed when the first cell phone powered terminal hit the shows. And now its something that can be done with a cell phone.

So this is nothing new only an easier way to do it. And I can't remember a single story about someone at a crafts/art/gunshow/etc. stealing from someone this way.

I don't consider buying from someone that does it as a business as FTF. I consider FTP to be private transactions.