Help with card reader and phone apps

UK Craft Events
1

Hello everyone - Just wondering what card reader or phone app people use for craft fairs. Any information would be appreciated. thank you :grinning_face:

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I use the PayPal POS app as I used to have a Zettle card reader which no longer works and as I already have a PayPal account connected to my Folksy shop it made sense to me to use that.

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I use iZettle, which is now Paypal. Never had any issues with app or card reader.

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I also use zettle (not used since last Christmas though, need to check the card reader still works). My phone is relatively low tech so I have to run the app and card reader, my partnerā€™s phone is higher tech so he can take payments via the app without the card reader (touch to pay on his phone). So if you phone has near field technology (think thatā€™s what itā€™s called, itā€™s the tech that allows you to pay using Google wallet and waving your phone at terminals) you might not need the card reader.

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6

I use a SUM UP card reader, and as someone who isnā€™t tech savvy it suits me well! If I can use it without problems then it must be easy :sweat_smile:

Iā€™ve got the app on my android, just an average Samsung smartphone..works well and so far hasnā€™t let me down.

There always seems to be a good deal available with it as well :open_hands:

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I have a Square card reader which does not need an app on a phone.

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Thank you all - I will go and check each of these out :+1: :blush:

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(I deleted my earlier ranty reply, because I realised this is not what you asked :joy: )

My problem is that I donā€™t have a smartphone, and even the standalone card readers require you to go through an ID verification process on an app. Apparently they all have to do it now to prevent money laundering. When I bought my Sumup Solo (which is otherwise just fine), it wasnā€™t made clear anywhere that Iā€™d have to use an app at any point, so now Iā€™m only able to use it up to a Ā£5000 limit, and have other restrictions on what I can do, before I have to verify. They have no systems in place for people who donā€™t have smartphones, so my only option is to find someone with a smartphone who doesnā€™t mind me downloading an app on their phone, then deleting it again.

If anyone knows of a reader that has a more flexible ID verification process for people who choose not to use smartphones, please let me know!

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Iā€™ve had 3 iZettles (because they all failed to work properly) and 2 SumUps. The basic one connected to my tablet has worked 80% of the time. I upgraded to the standalone one thatā€™s supposed to pick up any signal anywhere - on itā€™s 2nd trip out it told me to return it as it didnā€™t want to work anymore. Got the replacement which worked when it felt like it, then gave up altogether and froze a few months ago. I had a devil of a time getting a replacement (because it was a replacement for a replacement and they didnā€™t seem to have a procedure for that) - it went on for over a week - their ā€œhelplineā€ definitely seems to be AI and not programmed well enough. Anyway I won in the end. Meanwhile, I was fed up of being passed around and I bought a Square. Not used it in anger yet - I still have the oldest most basic running off my tablet, the replacement posher one and now the square with my phone which is a different network to my tablet. Iā€™ve been to so many fairs when Iā€™ve been completely let down, Iā€™m hoping that with 3 of them, I should get some successful sales! :sweat_smile:

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I have found Square pretty reliable, and the fees are low.

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