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Square Reader

Square Reader could definitely streamline your payment process when meeting clients in person. It offers a convenient and professional way to collect fees.

Before you jump in, let's consider a few angles to make sure it's the best fit for your freelance ecommerce consulting business:

  • Fee Structure and Transaction Costs: Square charges a processing fee per transaction. You'll want to factor this into your pricing or decide if you'll absorb the cost. Their fees vary depending on the type of transaction (in-person, online, etc.). For in-person card swipes, dips, or taps, it's usually a percentage plus a small flat fee. You can find their most up-to-date fee schedule on their website.
  • Types of Payments You'll Accept: Square Readers typically accept major credit and debit cards, and often contactless payments like Apple Pay and Google Pay. Consider if this aligns with how your clients typically prefer to pay.
  • Reporting and Integration: Square provides reporting features that can help you track your income. Think about how well this integrates with your existing accounting or invoicing systems. They often have integrations with popular platforms.
  • Portability and Ease of Use: Square Readers are generally quite portable and easy to use. Consider which model would best suit your needs – some plug into a phone or tablet, while others are standalone devices.
  • Client Perception: Using a card reader can project a professional image and offer a convenient payment option for your clients.

Have you thought about which Square Reader model you're leaning towards, or what types of fees you typically charge for your meetings? Knowing a bit more about your current setup and needs will help determine if Square is the perfect solution for you.

That's a common consideration for freelancers! While Square doesn't have a direct feature to automatically add its processing fees to the client's payment, there are a few ways you can effectively have the client cover these costs:

1. Incorporate Fees into Your Service Price:

  • Calculate your average fee: Determine the typical transaction fee you'd incur based on your average meeting fee. For in-person transactions, Square's standard rate is usually around 2.6% + $0.15 per transaction.
  • Build it into your rate: Increase your standard meeting fee to account for this percentage and flat fee. For example, if your meeting fee is $100, the Square fee would be approximately $2.75. You could round your fee up to $103 to cover this.
  • Transparency with clients: Clearly communicate that your fee includes payment processing costs. You can mention something like, "My meeting fee is $103, which includes all payment processing charges for your convenience."

2. Add a "Convenience Fee" or "Payment Processing Fee":

  • Disclose the fee: Be upfront with your clients that there will be an additional fee for using card payments. You could state something like, "For card payments, a 3% processing fee will be added to the total."
  • Calculate and add at the time of payment: When the client is ready to pay with the Square Reader, calculate the fee based on the total amount and add it to the charge. You'll need to manually do this within the Square app.
  • Be mindful of client perception: While this is a direct way to pass on the cost, some clients might be less receptive to an explicitly added fee. Clear communication about why this fee exists (to cover processing costs) can help.

3. Offer a Discount for Other Payment Methods:

  • Incentivize alternatives: If you accept other payment methods with lower or no fees (like bank transfers or checks), you could offer a small discount for clients who choose those options.
  • Example: "My standard meeting fee is $103 via card payment. If you prefer to pay via bank transfer, the fee is $100." This subtly encourages other methods while keeping your card payment price inclusive of fees.

Important Considerations:

  • Legality and Transparency: Ensure that adding a fee is permissible in your region and that you are clearly disclosing it to your clients before the transaction.
  • Client Relationship: Consider how adding a fee might impact your client relationships. While it's a legitimate business expense, you want to maintain a positive experience.
  • Square's Terms of Service: Double-check Square's terms to ensure your method of passing on fees complies with their guidelines.