Square launches iPad app with point-of-sale, store management system for retailers

Posted:
in iPad
Commerce company Square has launched a new set of tools to help medium-sized businesses manage their affairs, with Square for Retail combining a point-of-sale app with other important business functions, including managing employees and inventory.




The Square for Retail package centers around a new iOS PoS app called Square Retail, which allows an iPad to be used to conduct transactions with customers. Optimized for retailers rather than small businesses, the app includes a search interface and barcode scanning functions for building the shopping cart, with employees able to quickly modify the total by applying discounts to individual items or the entire total.

The same app also includes a customer database, with tracked sales used to create a profile of the customer's habits, which can then be assigned to different groups. Notes and preferences can be assigned to a customer, which can be used to personalize their experience in the future.

As sales take place, the service's inventory management updates in real time, both in the app and in the central dashboard accessible online. Purchase orders can be managed through the dashboard, which can be used to manage stock across multiple business locations, with data points including the cost of goods old and margin reporting provided to managers.

Employee management tools are also included in the package, with individual accounts for staff members able to be assigned permissions to access only the aspects of the app they need for their job. A timecard system for employees to clock in and out via the register app feeds back to the dashboard straight away, with management able to quickly see labor costs compared to sales to help assist with scheduling staff.




Square for Retail is being pitched to businesses in the United States at a cost of $60 per month, per register, though there is a free 30-day trial of the service also available. On top of this monthly fee, Square also takes a cut of payment processing for credit and debit cards, with a 2.75 percent fee for each card-based transaction.

While the service can run from an iPad using the app and the dashboard through a Mac desktop, businesses will have to acquire extra hardware if they want to perform more common transaction types in stores. For example, the Square Stand for Contactless and Chip is a $169 till that holds an iPad, which is able to accept contactless payments including Apple Pay, as well as card payments using the magnetic stripe or chip.

The Square for Retail launch is the company's latest effort to expand its presence in US stores. Last month, Square and Apple announced a partnership where US businesses would get $350 in credit to cover Apple Pay transaction fees, after setting up a marketing kit promoting Apple Pay at the counter.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,263member
    This is an example of why an updated iPad mini is needed.
    edited February 2017 cali[Deleted User]
  • Reply 2 of 8
    lukeilukei Posts: 386member
    entropys said:
    This is an example of why an updated iPad mini is needed.
    It's absolutely not an example. A full size iPad is requisite for this application. 
    ireland
  • Reply 3 of 8
    Yeah I don't think I'd want a smaller mini display size for this (I use both at home). In fact a local small business I went to the other day was using the larger Pro for their POS. Medium size seems just right.
  • Reply 4 of 8
    Square would be a interesting acquisition by Apple.

    It's not a slam dunk:
      - Expensive ($5 B market cap)
      - Losing money

    But I still think it could be a transformative acquisition by Apple:
      + triggering a major push by Apple into Retail
      + demonstrating progress in the Enterprise space
      + accelerating the merchant acceptance of Apple Pay
  • Reply 5 of 8
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,263member
    lukei said:
    entropys said:
    This is an example of why an updated iPad mini is needed.
    It's absolutely not an example. A full size iPad is requisite for this application

    Yeah I don't think I'd want a smaller mini display size for this (I use both at home). In fact a local small business I went to the other day was using the larger Pro for their POS. Medium size seems just right.
    What about be able to process a sale/order from anywhere in the shop? A restaurant and the wait staff could process on the spot for example. Why couldn't the next iteration of iPad have the ability to process PayPass on the iPad itself? That would be awesom in an iPad mini.
    edited February 2017
  • Reply 6 of 8
    chiachia Posts: 714member
    What about be able to process a sale/order from anywhere in the shop? A restaurant and the wait staff could process on the spot for example. Why couldn't the next iteration of iPad have the ability to process PayPass on the iPad itself? That would be awesom in an iPad mini.
    Why lumber an iPad with a feature which 99.99% of purchasers will never use?
    The sales volume of such an iteration of iPad will be too low to justify the cost of its design, certification and manufacture unless Apple is able to really sell it to the card processing, POS and other relevant enterprise companies.
    edited February 2017
  • Reply 7 of 8
    entropys said:
    lukei said:
    entropys said:
    This is an example of why an updated iPad mini is needed.
    It's absolutely not an example. A full size iPad is requisite for this application

    Yeah I don't think I'd want a smaller mini display size for this (I use both at home). In fact a local small business I went to the other day was using the larger Pro for their POS. Medium size seems just right.
    What about be able to process a sale/order from anywhere in the shop? A restaurant and the wait staff could process on the spot for example. Why couldn't the next iteration of iPad have the ability to process PayPass on the iPad itself? That would be awesom in an iPad mini.
    Here in Scotland, I've seen a few places use iPad Minis on the shop floor. Pets at home are one, it has a custom app that they use to tally up sales, take details (checks against database live) and signatures etc. then it's automatically sent to the tills. There's a restaurant chain locally also use it to take orders at the table but I can't remember which one atm. Carrying a full size iPad or iPad pro would be cumbersome and look daft imho. the mini can fit in many pockets/pouches and hang around the neck on a lanyard as I've also seen.
  • Reply 8 of 8
    YP101YP101 Posts: 172member
    Square would be a interesting acquisition by Apple.

    It's not a slam dunk:
      - Expensive ($5 B market cap)
      - Losing money

    But I still think it could be a transformative acquisition by Apple:
      + triggering a major push by Apple into Retail
      + demonstrating progress in the Enterprise space
      + accelerating the merchant acceptance of Apple Pay
    Apple would buy Tweeter not Square.
    Apple already have Apple Pay system. Create POS software is not that hard.
    Apple does not even need to create hardware at all. There are tons of credit card reader/scanner with NFC enabled.
    Also Apple can give free POS software if store using only Apple Pay. If they are not use only Apple Pay then they need to pay one time software purchase.
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