Allowing Online Payment Through Square Cash and How It Can Elevate Your Small Business
What is Square Payment?
Square, Inc. offers an Application Programming Interface (API, for short) so that you can easily receive credit card payments through the online marketplace on your website. This is a powerful tool to make your small business a more convenient option for customers. Whether you’re selling a good or service, the ability to receive online payments puts you ahead of the competition. Using Square to add an online payment system is a simple way to elevate your online presence and make customers look to you before anyone else on that Google results page.
The Power of E-Commerce
With regard to local businesses, the power of E-Commerce doesn't lie in its ability to extend a business's reach outside the specific geographic location. So why should a company that only operates in a specific region need to accept online payments? The power in this regard stems from the convenience that it provides your customers. By providing your customers the ease of setting up an appointment and completing the transaction immediately puts your company ahead of your competition. By removing steps for your client, you offer them a more immediate solution.
PCI Compliance
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is mandated by the major credit card brands in order to guarantee information security for cardholders. While the PCI DSS is not technically a federal law in the United States, compliance with this standard when taking credit card information from customers is required. Failure to comply will result in fines and poor reputation with consumers.
It takes a lot of time and energy to ensure that your online payment system complies with this standard. Perhaps your business cannot afford this time and energy. This is when Square’s API comes in handy. Simply by setting up a Square account and adding their payment platform to your company’s website, you are ensuring PCI-Compliance. Built into Square’s infrastructure is the necessary firewalls, encryption, etc. for you to guarantee that your client’s information is secure. By outsourcing this task to the Square API, your company can avoid the risks of taking credit card payments while still enjoying the huge benefits of e-commerce.
Setting up your Square Account
Creating a Square account is fast, easy, and, most importantly, free. To start, just head to squareup.com and click “Sign in” in the top right corner. Then, click “Sign up” and enter your email and desired password for your account. Once signed in, you will be directed to your Square dashboard. Once at your dashboard, on the left you can click on “Items” and edit the products you want to be made available by adding them to your inventory. You simply enter the product name, a description, an image, the price, and your stock of that item. If you’re looking to offer a service rather than a good, you can click on “Appointments” to allow your customers to book your services and pay online.
