Square to Sunset Square Reader for Magstripe

When the Square Reader for Magstripe hit the market in Canada just over a decade ago, it was a game changer for small businesses to accept credit card payments. Fast forward to 2019 and we were excited to announce our favourite little payment processor Square was able to accept credit and debit card payments wirelessly. Since then the technology has taken a leap, industry regulations have changed and the market has moving away from the tried and true magstripe. It’s now focusing on more secure chip and pin technology and contactless transactions. To that end, Square has announced that their flagship Square Reader for Magstripe will be discontinued officially in Canada on October 13, 2022.

[Read more…]

With Square, you too can accept wireless debit and credit card payments

Square Wireless Contactless (Tap) & Chip card reader

Square Reader. We’ve all seen it, or heard about it. You may have even made a purchase or saw someone swiping their credit card through a little white square dongle attached to a smartphone.

Step into a small cafe or market or stroll down any art walk promenade and you’ll probably see the iconic logo, “Square Accepted Here.” 

But have you ever thought, “I can use that?”

[Read more…]

Get U.S. Cash at Canadian ATMs

CIBC US Cash

I learn something new everyday. Yesterday, it was that I could get US currency from a Canadian ATM at CIBC. At this one particular branch in Edmonton, one of the ATM machines has been given the additional capability of dispensing US Cash – but it has to be in $20 denominations.

Now I didn’t actually need U.S. currency at the time; I was actually just venting to one of the staff that the machine I was using only dispenses $50 bills, so now I had to stand in line to get change. That’s when the helpful customer service person smiled and said, “Just look above the machine. You see the 50 icon? That means it dispenses $50 bills. And by the way that machine at the end issues US Currency – see the American Flag above it?”  The young lady also happened to mention that I would likely get a better exchange rate than at the till; she didn’t say how much and I could withdraw the currency right from a Canadian account.  Read more…at Canoe Tech Blog.

Square now accepts offline credit card payments

SquareiPhone

I’m sure many of you by now are familiar with Square. It’s a service that allows businesses or even individuals to accept payment by credit card using a little dongle attached to the headphone jack of their smartphone or tablet. This type of service relies on the ability to securely transmit card information either through an Internet connection or data connection like 3G, 4G or LTE. But what happens when there’s no connection available? Read more…at CanoeTech Blog.

Square mobile payment system gets invoicing

Square invoices

Strolling through Old Strathcona last Saturday during Edmonton’s Whyte Avenue Art Walk 2014 I noticed something different this year.  More vendors were accepting payment by credit card – VISA, MasterCard, American Express – many through the magic of this micro-payment system called Square. It’s changed the way small businesses do their transactions. And now here in Canada, they’ve taken it one step farther with the introduction of invoices allowing complete secure payment transactions when not dealing face-to-face.

Invoicing is certainly a logical extension to the Square payment system with many potential benefits. In fact, people like Kat Doell, an emerging artist and illustrator finds Square payments handy, particularly for high ticket items welcome its extended functionality.

“I haven’t used the invoices yet, but all the new options look perfect for small business,” says Doell.

Read more…At CANOE TECH BLOG