Technology has finally caught up to electronic payments. Everyone uses plastic because it’s just easier, and safer. Let’s say you get mugged – all you have to do is cancel your credit card. However, if you had cash in your pocket, or even if you just lost it outside in the woods, you’re completely out of luck… unless your neighbor’s doorway is covered in red and yellow curtains and always has a faint smell of something burning out from under her doorway and you’re awakened each night to her mystical chants and the faint sound of jingling crystals and stone bracelets. If that sounds like you, then you might have a chance of getting your money back – for a fee or course.
But anyways…as plastic cards became more and more popular, even the little “mom and pop” stores were pretty much forced to accept them, despite all the equipment cost and merchant fees. Worldwide, credit cards can be used to make fast and secure international transactions, large and small.
But now that everyone’s using credit cards, a credit card processing terminal is required to run a business, and it costs a fortune to install one of these terminals. But let’s face it; credit/debit cards are great! So what if it takes a lot of time and money and equipment to allow us to use them… but maybe it doesn’t have to?
Nowadays, most cell phone users are actually carrying extremely powerful, versatile, small computers. The iPhone is the most popular phone on the market, for those who can afford it. It is powerful enough to visit websites and make payments online, all in real-time! All you’ve got to do is enter your credit card info and your iPhone will save it. It’s the perfect solution for mobile credit card processing. Think about the possibilities this has, both from a customer’s perspective and a MERCHANT! Using your iPhone for processing credit cards is just as effective as a bulky terminal, and it doesn’t have extra fees or other charges.
The next time you walk into a convenience store look around and you’ll notice all the equipment surrounding the cashier; monitors, keypads, digital touchscreens, card readers, the list goes on. And it’s all there because of credit cards. Without credit cards, that convenience store wouldn’t need anything but a wooden drawer for cash and a nice big safe to put it in at closing time.
Merchants do have other options which can accept credit card numbers. Such options have proven to be more risky and more venerable to frauds. Making the iPhone a credit card reader, these services have helped the small businesses to expand. Many companies have made software and hardware which allow the merchant to accept credit cards payments by simply swiping the cards through the iPhones, iPad or Android smart phones.
If you want to sell hot dogs on the street, or if you’re going door to door you wouldn’t ever be able to accept a credit card – you’d take cash only. As mentioned earlier, barely anyone carries cash with them anymore, so getting paid the old fashioned way is getting harder and harder to do. But now… take a step back and realize the power of the smart phone, take the iPhone for example.All you need to accept payments is a merchant account, an Android, iPad or an iPhone. You are essentially carrying all the equipment that cashier needs, right in your pocket. To give your business an edge over your competitors, accepting iPhone credit card payments is a great idea.
For brick-and-mortar stores (ie, not a hotdog stand) there are actually software programs and even hardware like the iPad credit card terminal that make using iPhones to buy or sell things even faster. Again, these are very portable, elegant and sleek. The best part is, you don’t need an extra phone line or internet connection, all you need is a decent signal from your carrier.
Mike Knutter is the author of this article on Swipe Credit Card Terminals for the iPhone and iPad. Mike is the President of Fastcharge a iPhone credit card terminal processor.
categories: communication,technology,iphone