Tag: mobile wallet

Mobile payments iPad app accidentally released by Groupon

| May 16, 2013

Groupon - Mobile Payments App AccidentThe application had been available in the Apple App Store for a few hours but was then removed.

Groupon made dozens of mobile payments headlines, this week, when an app was released for the iPad at the App Store and that looked as though the company would be taking on Square in direct competition, but it the application was soon removed from the website altogether.

This has lead many in the industry to believe that the app was released prematurely.

The iPad mobile payments app had been called the Groupon POS. This looked as though Groupon was declaring itself ready to jump into the tablet transaction arena. The apparent launch of the app spawned a great deal of confusion, as there had not been any form of official announcement to accompany the release.

Though the mobile payments app was clearly live at the store though the company had been silent.

This didn’t stop the Groupon mobile payments app from being noticed, downloaded, and reviewed by a solid handful of people, who have already formed opinions about it, even though it has been removed from the App Store. So far, the consensus on the app that may not be its completed version, was that it is a simple and attractive way to manage business transactions and accept payments at rates that are lower than the competition.

Users found that it was extremely simple and fast for a company to be able to set up its offerings, and that the checkout process should be possible within a matter of seconds. Real-time analytics can be instantly viewed, to allow companies to keep a close eye on how things are doing from one moment to the next.

The Groupon POS mobile payments application can also work with an optional printer and cash drawer, for businesses that are looking for greater simplification and automation of their point of sale. Reviewers have been able to identify a wide variety of different uses for the app and the service, for a broad range of different types of merchants, from cafes to hair salons, and from florists to delis.

Mobile payments are increasingly popular among small businesses

| May 9, 2013

mobile payments small businessThis trend is allowing smaller firms to accept credit card transactions in a more affordable way.

Owners of small businesses across the United States are discovering the opportunity that their tablets and smartphones are offering in terms of mobile payments that allow them to accept transactions from customer credit cards without renting expensive machines.

This has become a powerful new tool for smaller sized businesses to be able to process transactions.

The trend is not only common among small business owners who are setting up the option at the point of sale in an actual storefront, but others as well. There are many small firms that don’t have an actual shop, but that sell at trade shows, farmers markets, or that simply travel to meet their customers in various locations. These people are greatly benefiting from being able to turn their smartphones and tablets into a credit card scanner that they can use for mobile payments.

Mobile payments allow these entrepreneurs to be able to accept transactions no matter where they are.

As there are a growing number of mobile payments options available, these business owners have a choice and can make the selection that is best for them. Among the strongest players at the moment are PayPal Here, GoPayment, Square, and Intuit.

Often, they involve the use of a small device (sometimes called a dongle), which is typically provided for free and that plugs into the audio jack of the smartphone or tablet. This allows credit cards to be swiped so that the mobile payments transaction can be processed. Though the appeal for these services did start with individuals selling at farmers markets and other similar locations, it is starting to work its way into traditional point of sale locations on an increasing basis.

This is because it allows the small business owner to be able to accept credit cards without having to deal with a bank, and it provides a number of options that are more affordable and convenient than those that are otherwise available. Mobile payments also often come with a number of different types of loyalty tools, and the fees for accepting the transactions are generally lower than the usual form of credit card purchase.