Tag: square wallet

The latest update of the wallet app is designed to make it easier for givers and receivers.

Square Wallet has just announced that its mobile payments app has a new update that will make it simpler for its users to be able to purchase and to exchange gift cards for participating retailers.

This latest update is available for the application designed for both Android and iOS devices.

The announcement stated that Square gift cards can be sent directly from the purchaser’s smartphone or tablet, directly to the recipient. It is reported to function immediately through the electronic receipt that is sent to the purchaser (the giver) from merchants who accept mobile payments through the Square Wallet program.

This is an important step for Square in its gift card mobile payments offerings as it could expand its own use.

The mobile payments app first started its compatibility with gift cards in December of last year, just in time for the heart of the last minute holiday shopping rush. This provided merchants with the ability to offer electronic gift cards to consumers, who could then redeem them using their smartphone and tablet devices.

Participating retailers enjoyed this capability as it gave them the opportunity to offer these gift cards without having to rely on a third party provider for the plastic cards and redemption systems.

This latest update to the mobile payments app allows consumers to both buy the gift cards and send them directly to the recipients through the receipt that they receive electronically from the merchant. The Wallet company feels that this is an important step for providing convenience to the users of the service.

However, there is also a great deal of benefit to be had for Square, itself, if the program should take off. To the company, the true benefit isn’t necessarily convenience as much as the fact that if a recipient would like to be able to receive the gift card, then he or she will be required to download the mobile payments app and then use it when making a purchase. Potentially, this could expand the downloading and the use of the smartphone wallet service as consumers purchase and send gift cards to one another.

The transaction system has already seen massive success through Starbucks and is moving to another coffee chain.

In 2012, Square mobile payments scored a tremendous deal in order to power the smartphone based credit card transactions at Starbucks, which was already known for its tremendous successes in this sphere.

Now, the company has announced that it is integrating with an additional coffee chain company.

Square will now be supplying the mobile payments at the point of sale at the boutique café chain, Blue Bottle Coffee. Its news release indicated that during the first wave, consumers at the Oakland, San Francisco Mint Plaza, and Brooklyn locations will be able to use the Square Wallet. However, over the next few months, the coffee chain intends to continue to roll out this option at its other locations.

Unlike Starbucks mobile payments, Blue Bottle will be using the Square Register as its complete POS system.

This will allow Blue Bottle to accept cash, credit card, and mobile payments, while it also tracks its store inventory, and is provided with reports on a daily basis so that it can monitor its progress. Consumers will be able to use the Square Wallet system to make a purchase by simply saying their names to authenticate the transaction.

According to the Blue Bottle Founder, James Freeman, in the news release, “We put a great deal of thought into every detail in each of our stores. We think about the right wood for our counters, the best beans, and how we can continue to serve our customers the perfect cup of coffee as we grow.” He also added that they felt that Square was the right mobile payments option for their business due to that company’s customer focus and “attention to detail.”

At the moment, there are 11 Blue Bottle locations in New York City and the San Francisco Bay area. It intends to continue its expansion and will bring its mobile payments along with it. It is one of several small chains that have joined with the Square Register, which is powered by iPad, over the last few months.