Retail Cost Clarification

[nodrogfarms]

We are trying the square retail and wanted to get some claification on the cost. What is defined as a "register" is it the actual stand or any app on a mobile device or tablet? Before we commit to this, we want to know the cost. We don't really need the extra features such as employees, etc just to use the program. It has the purchase order options that we used quick books for which was an additional cost to us. Can someone claifiy the cost on the retail?

[Sean]

@nodrogfarms - Happy to help clarify. While you may be accustomed to logging into the Square Point of Sale app using your email address and password, if you subscribe to Retail POS, you'll be assigned a device code to log in. If you needed to log in to multiple mobile devices to take payments, you would need a subscription for each device. You will continue to use your username and password to log in to the dashboard. That part of the process doesn't change. Does this help? 

[nodrogfarms]

If we sign up for the retail, does that not validate the POS on the remaining devices? In the event that the registered device did not work, would we still be able to accept a payment through the POS app? If we register a device, and then one month need two, can we register another and then go back to one device the next month? 

[Sean]

@nodrogfarms - Lots of questions! Let me take a stab: 

If we sign up for the retail, does that not validate the POS on the remaining devices?

 Square Retail is a different app in the app store. You will need to download the new app, and then sign in using a device code. 

In the event that the registered device did not work, would we still be able to accept a payment through the POS app?

 If the device doesn't work, you could remove that device through the Square Dashboard, and then sign in to a new device. 

If we register a device, and then one month need two, can we register another and then go back to one device the next month?

 Sure. It's a monthly subscription basis. 

Hope this helps, and feel free to keep them coming.

[LocavoreStore]

I had a question about that Sean.

I haven't had a whole lot of time to explore the new app, but I look forward to.
I use 2 registers at my store location. One of them is purely for backup, and only gets used once a week during a shift change. How exactly will all of that transaction data be seperate if I use both Square Retail on 1 device, and Square Register on another device?

When I download a transaction report for the week, I assume the sales from our main device using Square Retail would have some new columns of information (namely the COGS, and/or vendor info)? If the inventory has the COGS one one device, won't it be there for the other device's inventory sales too? Or will it be seperate somehow? Hope that make sense 🙂

Thanks

[Sean]

@LocavoreStore - If you do have to accept payments using the Square Point of Sale app on occasion, it is permitted. Having said that, if you need it for regular use, you would need to subscribe for two devices. Sales and inventory data will sync between the two apps. 

[LocavoreStore]

I see... I figured you guys would let us still use both. I just wasn't sure if I'd be downloading 2 different reports, and having 2 different inventories and whatnot.

Not sure if I really want to use both ultimately. Mostly just so we don't have our employees learning 2 diffent apps, but I'm pretty sure I didn't want to subscribe for both devices, when one of them is just for backup.

Thanks @Sean

[nodrogfarms]

Does using the square dashboard on a computer count as a device?

[Spenser]

@nodrogfarms - Nope! Just mobile devices that are logged in using device codes to take payments.

[MarianBLUE]

Hi Sean - 

Can you clarify WHY we need to pay a monthly fee for multiple devices if all devices are logged into the same account selling the exact same items from one store via all devices? I'd understand the need for multiple charges if each device was logged into separate accounts which generated multiple reports for multiple stores but if all devices are ringing up the items for one store in one building why do we have to pay a monthly fee for EACH device? This doesn't make sense to me and could easily be a deal breaker for us. Most days we only need to use one iPad but there are a handful of events each year which require multiple iPads...sometimes up to 4. It seems silly to pay for these 3 add'l subscriptions when they're only needed every few months. Suggestions?  

[VanKalkerFarms]

You can continue To use Square POS for free, which is what we are doing.  The license is a per-seat license so you pay for each device that is connected to their server.  I agree a one-time monthly fee would be better but that isn't the model Square choose For Square Retail.

[nodrogfarms]

95% of the time, we need only 1 device when we do craft shows. The other 5%, when we do need to utilize a 2nd device, we use the original POS. Once all said and done, we still get the "Cost of Goods" report for all sales, which is why we signed up for the Retail version. Our only complaint about the retail system is the "Screen" is dark and when its bright outside, the screen is hard to see. Other then that, we are vary happy with the system

NodrogFarms

[redstickspice]

Charging $60 per device is a deal breaker...we have 3 devices at one location and two devices at a 2nd loction. That would be $300/month just to run our registers. I dont understand this model.

[Chad]

Thanks for the feedback on pricing @redstickspice. I'll make sure to share your feedback with our Retail Team!