Square, already well known for their contactless and Chip and PIN payment Square Reader, have today launched their Square Stand in the UK. The Square Stand is an out-of-the-box solution to turn an iPad into a fully integrated POS system, allowing businesses to accept payments and run their business operations right from their countertop.
Aimed at small and medium-sized businesses in the UK, Square Stand is stylishly designed and simple to use. It connects with the Square Reader to allow businesses to accept card payments and run their entire operation from one device.
The Square Stand is a fantastically well designed bit of kit and is especially aesthetically pleasing. It’s very Applesque in design and wouldn’t look out of place in any retail outlet no matter how high end – You can forget boring grey or black that payment terminals often come in, the Apple Stand is brilliant white and is almost a piece of art in itself.
Functionally, the Square Stand is a well thought out piece of kit. Using the Square Point Of Sale app, the retailer can either key in the total to pay or select from products previously programmed in. The entire device can then be swivelled 180 degrees so that the iPad becomes customer facing to confirm the total for contactless payments or for the customer to enter their PIN number. As screen is that of the iPad, the display is brilliantly lit, it’s large enough for customers to use without those with failing eyesight needed to dig for their spectacles and is clearer and larger than just about any conventional point of sale display.
There’s a surprisingly hefty holder for the Square Reader – it’s weighty so it won’t slip off the counter but when looking at it it’s not oversized and again wouldn’t look out of place in any retail environment.
To make options easy to connect, everything is linked through a USB hub so add a cash drawer and any SME could set up their own POS system without needing technical assistance – it’s practically plug and play once you’ve downloaded and set up the Square Point of Sale app.
“Square Stand was built to provide sellers with a unique and beautiful solution that makes taking in-person payments simple, elegant, and fast. Sellers in the UK have been asking for a full countertop solution for their businesses since we first introduced Square.
Investing in the UK is priority for Square, and bringing Stand here is a great way to expand our global support for local businesses.”
– Jesse Dorogusker, Hardware Lead for Square
If you’d like to see the Square Stand in action, head to All Points East this coming weekend – a brand new music festival taking place in London’s Victoria Park. Thousands of music fans will be able to to pay by card or phone at the event, with Square devices appearing on food, drink and merchandise stalls across the festival.
Of course one of Square’s selling points has always been it’s portability and you can unclip the Square Reader and take it with you using the Square Point of Sale app on your smartphone for outside events.
Square Stand is available to purchase online today at the Square shop for a special introductory price of £64 +VAT from Squareup.com/gb/stand.
Square fees are very simply – no monthly fees or commitments. 1.75% for Chip and PIN or contactless payments. 2.5% for manually typed in card transactions. Free Square Point of Sale software.
