Brick and Mortar Strikes Back: How Mobile Card Reader Technology Is Empowering Small Businesses to Be Like Amazon

No one who has witnessed the success of e-commerce giants like Amazon can doubt the power convenience has over American consumers. Among the innovations that have made Amazon the master of convenience, the one that looms largest is Amazon 1-Click.

When Amazon first created 1-Click in 1999, it changed the way we think about buying. Twenty-first century shoppers have made it clear that they won’t ever get enough of the quick, painless, and paperless experience that is Amazon 1-Click. Customers using this method input their card and delivery information just once, and then with the tap of a button, a package is on its way. Clearly, consumers enjoy being able to focus more of their time on choosing and enjoying the products and services they buy and less on paying for them.

While the trend toward speedy transactions may have some brick-and-mortar businesses trembling in their boots. Competing with online superstores is daunting. But the truth is, the Amazon ease-of-payment model is quite simple to emulate at your small business’ physical location, or even on the go.

All you need is the right technology.

Looking for a simple and affordable payment solution?

Get the SumUp Air Lite 3-in-1 Card Reader! For only $19 you can increase your payment acceptance by taking debit, credit and contactless payments. No monthly contracts or obligations!

Bringing Instant Payments to Main Street

With the SumUp Card Reader, a rapidly increasing number of American solopreneurs and small-to-medium business owners are offering their customers the tap-and-go convenience of a virtual transaction at their points of sale. Immensely popular in Europe, the SumUp Card Reader is a light, elegant, and highly secure device that can fit in your pocket. With only the card reader, an internet or data connection, and a mobile device or tablet, you can accept any major credit card in your customer’s wallet.

To perform a transaction, you need only enter a cost in the SumUp app, and the customer can swipe, tap, or use their chip reader and be on their way in under a minute. If the customer wants a receipt, you can type in an email address or cell number to send it straight their inbox or phone—zero paper required.

One of the most attractive features of the SumUp Card Reader is its compatibility with digital wallets like Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Google Pay. This is a trend that small business owners would be foolish to ignore. According to Business Insider, the number of Americans who use their mobile phones at local retailers is expected to reach $150 million by 2020. By then, the dollar value of in-store mobile payments is expected to surpass the $500 billion threshold. VISA reports that a full 78% of its top retailers are already taking advantage of the convenience that contactless payment provides.

What’s more, an increasing number of U.S. mobile phone users are buying smart watches with tap-to-pay capabilities, making transactions as easy as a flick of the wrist. No small business owner wants to miss that bandwagon.

Imagine a jogger who remembers his wife’s birthday in the middle of his morning run. On his way home, he passes Fred’s Floral Paradise, a local mom-and-pop business equipped with the SumUp card reader. Even without a wallet in his pocket, our jogger can stop in, tap his watch to the reader, and hurry on home with a beautiful bouquet to kick off his wife’s special day.

Now let’s say a homeowner comes home from work to find a devastating leak. He makes an emergency call to a plumber, who quickly finds and fixes the problem. Ready to sign off on the job, the plumber pulls a SumUp Card Reader and his smart phone from his tool kit and has the homeowner tap his digital-wallet-enabled phone to it in order to settle the bill. In no time flat, the homeowner has his evening to himself again.

By providing a quick and convenient way to pay, both these small business owners have accomplished something important: they have encouraged repeat purchase behaviors. The next time these customers have a similar need, they will remember a seamless, hassle-free experience with their friendly local provider.

With SumUp, Convenience Goes Both Ways

One of the reasons so many small business owners are choosing SumUp to streamline their customer experience is that the reader offers speedy service for merchants too. With SumUp, you can expect ultra-quick payouts to maintain your cashflow. Once a transaction is processed, it immediately begins its journey to your bank account and will become available in just two business days.

SumUp also provides one of the simplest fee structures for point-of-sale transactions on the market. You can purchase the SumUp Card Reader for a one-off fee, and there are no subsequent monthly subscription fees or per-transaction fees. For each transaction, SumUp charges a flat 2.65% processing fee (less than what PayPal offers), making calculating your profit margins dead simple. The simplicity of the SumUp system means that you spend less time on doing math and more time on what you do best: serving your customers.

Getting Started Couldn’t Be Easier

With a robust, intuitive, and secure SumUp Card Reader in place, you can do business anywhere and out-convenience your competition.

Ready to add a SumUp Card Reader to your customer service arsenal?

Buy your reader now for $19! Signing up is simple and takes only a few minutes. Pay only what you use – no monthly contracts, no hidden fees!