I have been trying to find answers to this question, but I can't find anyone with this problem. I just got a square card reader, and I can't get it to swipe for the life of me. I have tried several of my own cards, and after many tries one or two go through, but then they won't again. I have swiped every way possible, fast and slow, always smoothly and evenly, but it doesn't work. I have a brand new Motorola Razr and the Square is brand new too. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling (twice), turned the phone off and on, taken the cover off, wiped the device. I had the same issue with the same card reader on my old phone as well. (That phone died soon after I got the card reader.)
I am at an art fair now, and I have been keying in the credit cards. Does it sound like I have a defective card reader, and that buying a new one might fix the problem?
Replies
the easiest tip someone told me is rub the card on your shirt, like you would polish an apple, then swipe. It sets up a low grade static, which seems to help with the swipe process. Works every time.
If your reader doesn't work, you can manually enter the cc numbers. Just hit the button on the top right corner of the little register and it'll bring up the info screen where you type in the buyer's information right from the card. You pay .025% more when the card isn't swiped, but if you're stuck, it's a great solution. I told another artist friend about this and he saved 4 sales.
Here's an entry in the "Things to be aware of" category. My husband and I use both an iPhone and an iPad to take credit cards at our shows. At a very small show recently when we were unable to plug the Square into the iPad, we discovered the tip of one of them had broken off in the audio port (where you plug it in). We used just the iPhone at that show, and the next day my husband took my iPad to an authorized Apple Dealer (but not the Apple Store) here in our home town. One of their techs removed it very quickly and didn't charge my husband for doing it! So be aware this can happen, don't despair if and when it does, and look for help from an authorized Apple Dealer.
I would suggest swapping out the square for a new one as it sounds like the one you have is dodgy. Be aware that Square has a new policy of putting holds on payments to vendors for transactions manually typed in and not swiped, so this could impact you. I don't use square myself, but know many artists and vendors who do. If there is an 800# for support or a website you can access, you might inquire there for troubleshooting help. I hope the rest of your fair is going well.
Thank you. This actually happened over a year ago, and the art fair turned out extremely well! I bought a replacement reader at an Office Depot or something, and it came with a rebate coupon, so I got the whole amount ($10) refunded. The new reader has been working fine ever since, but it takes a certain technique, which I by now have down pat.
Thanks to everyone for all the responses. I hope the answers can help others as well. I love the Square, for the most part.
Yes, that's exactly what it sounds like. If you contact Square, they will send you a new one. Alternately, stop at any Radio Shack and pick up 2 or 3. Then let Square know, and they'll credit your account for the cost of at least one. It's worth the small extra expense to have another one when one stops working.
Use an old fashioned knuckle buster.
Thanks, everyone! I have updated the app and also got another reader (as well as requesting a new one from Square as a back up). I tested the new one and it works great, but I'll recheck the first one and see if I just didn't push it in far enough. It was rather loose, but I was having trouble pushing it back any farther and didn't want to break anything if that wasn't the problem. The new one went in just fine (and farther than the other one), so I'll check to see if the old when just has more trouble going it. If so, that just means I now have a couple spares which is always a good thing.
The first time I used the Square at a show it wouldn't work. Turns out that it wasn't in far enough. I figured it quickly but it was scary.
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