An All-In-One Credit Card Terminal for Retailers
Also known as “Square Point of Sale,” Square Register is a point-of-sale (POS) hardware device offered by Square. The term “Square Register” originally referred to the company’s iPad-based point of sale software application, but in October 2017, Square unveiled a proprietary device called Square Register designed to accept swiped and EMV payments made in-store via debit and credit cards. Intended as a cloud-based replacement for traditional cash registers, Square Register should be thought of as an all-in-one credit card terminal for retail businesses. Square Register can be attached to peripheral equipment to accommodate a number of industry-specific checkout configurations.
Is Square Holding Your Funds Right Now?
Thousands of merchants have had their payments frozen by Square. If you’re one of them, then you might find these resources helpful:
Not To Be Confused With Square for Retail
Square still offers its traditional Square Stand and add-on hardware components for iPad, iPhone, and Android under the name “Square for Retail,” but it’s clear that the company is now promoting Square Register as the preferred option for brick-and-mortar retailers. Merchants who opt for the company’s original iPad-based product lineup should be prepared for the possibility that support and development for those products may be phased out in the near or distant future.
Square Register Review Table of Contents
- Costs & Contract: Square Register hardware costs $799 upfront or $39 per month for 24 months. As of November 1, 2019, merchants are charged a rate of 2.6% plus $0.10 per transaction.
- Complaints & Service: Square Register has received more than 2,000 public complaints.
- BBB Rating: Square Register (as Square) has an “A+” rating with the Better Business Bureau and has received 2,591 complaints and 368 reviews in the past 3 years.
- Sales & Marketing: Square Register does not hire independent sales agents and has received a low number of complaints about its sales practices.
- Rates & Fees: How Merchants Got The Best Rates With Square Register
28 Responses
We own a small franchise Tex-Mex Quick Service Restaurant in NE Ohio. I did some research and decided on Square as my provider and when it came time to order the hardware, I went with the Square Register that they were promoting. Even though the cost was high, the speed of each transaction, customer facing display, and sleek design lead to me choosing it. After being told my current Epson printers and cash boxes would work, they claimed that was for the Square Stand they had also quoted me so I needed to buy a printer for each terminal and new cash boxes. Here’s the real downfall – I turned on online ordering and set up the store through Weebly (which they also own) – and nothing works the way I was told it would. After a few calls to their support line, I am able to get a notice on my screen that an order has been placed, but no way to print it. It also stays on the screen and prevents us from using the terminal normally. The recommendation that I buy an iPad to work around their issue (they can get it to print that way) is absurd after spending over $2600 on 2 systems. This was introduced to market WAY TOO SOON and now I set across from my area’s largest employer needing to explain how my otherwise professional-looking company, does not support this highly-requested feature.
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I signed up for square and it was pretty easy..connected my bank ..did a test charge and walla…no problem..i am excited to use my newly acquired credit card service to improve my business.. right! NO!!..charged 2800$ and it has been 2 weeks..cant call getting no response to emails….very poor customer support be carefull these fools will put you in a money cruch with your business…stay away
This post will help: How to Avoid Fund Holds With Square
Square has by far the worst customer support I’ve ever experienced! After ordering the new register bundle, I’ve had a hell of a time getting someone on the phone to replace the cash drawer that was sent to our business damaged. The customer code that was sent to me didn’t work to access a real person on phone support. After finally eating through to (supposedly) a human person via e-mail, they just referred me back to the manufacturer of the busted cash drawer. The manufacturer referred me to square in the first place after stating the drawer replacement is Square’s responsibility since it was either damaged before being shipped or damaged during shipping and therefore is not covered by their warranty. The support person for the cash drawer (APG) also said that this is not uncommon while working with Square. Horrible all l-around with Square service support.
This post will help: How to Contact Square
Sheer well away from this bunch! They will freeze your customer’s payments to you in hostage of questionable verification processes. I don’t understand as to why they don’t notify of process changes when it is implemented, not when there is a transaction taking place. They froze us of $1000 order from our customer requesting further documents they’ve never requested before…Better options out there! You’ve been warned!
square is a nightmare! I got a card reader and a payment gateway from them and after few days of using it they deactivated my account without any reason and hold my fund for 90 days. They will not tell the reason why!! I am so angry!!!!
Worst company ever… First days of taking payments and holding funds.. What the fuck?
I own a Horticultural lighting company. I started using square two weeks ago. After a lengthy and extremely convoluted application process I was finally set up to use CC online.
After one sale they put my account under review and then cancelled my account after a $2000 sale. They stated that “my business was not appropriate” and closed my account. Worst part is they charged my $60 on a $2000 purchase.
What the actual f$&k Square.
Worst CC company ever.
Do not use.
Absolutely worst customer support, if you can even say they have customer support. As mentioned in the article, you have to have a customer code to get access to a human, otherwise the automated system will disconnect the call. If you don’t have it written down, and you have a login problem, forget getting any phone support. They will also conveniently disable your customer code in certain situations so they do not have to talk with you. I’ve had 2 significant issues with them over the last two years that left the company in a bind. I’ve also had funds sit for over 4 weeks waiting for deposit with real no explanation on why. Happy to no longer be relying on them for credit card services. Do not recommend.
I promptly notified Square and the Credit Card company that a charge appeared fraudulent (and the card information was probably stolen) when the individual requesting a service insisted that when funds are cleared and received at my bank that part of the transaction is returned to the individual in cash. Square Up held funds and charged me over $175 for processing a charge that didn’t go through because I told them about the possible fraud. I felt it was my responsibility as a business owner to stop the transaction to protect the actual card holder and credit card company. I think Square doesn’t care about the public or it’s merchants. They only care about making money. How sad it is that Square is so morally bankrupt.
Hi, i have a small electronics repair business, I have opened a merchant account with square, I have submited all required Information and started accepting payments with this company, I had received couple of payments in my bank on time, now all of sudden they have put my next deposit under review and asked me for supporting documents, I have forwarded all documents even i have explained them that all cards are swiped inside my store to collect payment, there is not a single payment over the phone or manual entry, this company responded me back with their usual cheating email which they sending to many i can say thousands of merchants per day, I urge BBB to check their complaints over internet that how many people got cheated by this company, They sent me email saying we hold your funds for 90 days, and also suggesting me for faster Payments please refund Payment to original person who paid, i have small electronics repair store, i had repaired walking customer’s electronics now where i go and find those people? This is intentional cheating and fraud. This company openly doing criminal activity and no one there to stop them. I have just $875 which is ok i will earn other time but what about those small business who hardly getting their bread and butter and their living from this? This kind of criminal activity broke neck of those businesses and shut them down, even families of those businesses getting affected by these criminal people. Please it’s a request i don’t need my money back but expose these criminals so other innocent small business people can be saved from this fraud.
Why do I receive email receipts from vendors and I’m NOT the customer???? This is the craziest and I don’t know how it happens. My email is Mine and no one else has this email so why do I receive receipts that belong to some other customer?
Someone used your email because they did not want to use theirs… duh.
terrible> worst customer service i have ever been apart of. would never recommend.
I give them an F. I have used the card 5 times in the last 2 years. Last week, I received a gift card and thought I’d just deposit it into my account. The next day I recieved email from Square saying I violated the sellers agreement and that my funds will be held for 180 days. The email said the decision was final.
No phone support, so, I tried email support. All I get is the same form message saying the decision is final and that they’re holding my funds for 180 days.
I had problems with my first sale with the chip not working and had to manually key it in several times before it was accepted. I got so pissed I through it away
after I saw I was charged extra percentage in my account. I don’t know if I’ll use it again, although the retail season is upon us now. I hope I don’t have these problems again. Mike N
Read customer comments….nothing but processing and customer service issues. BEWARE of working with this company. They will wait until you have a large deposit and then cancel your account and hold the funds for 6 months. BAD, BAD, BAD
Horrible I am on hold for hours?! They keep your funds on hold & your customers are left waiting & waiting. They suck!!!!!!!!!
LIMITED service. Many boundaries forcing your business to stay “inside the square”. Customer service talks to you, not with you. Many hidden fees.
KaBOOOM. I would not recommend Square to anyone at this point. As of right now Square made my account jacked up my account in fees that I did not tell them to Bill to this account. They do not have managers or supervision in place to assist you over the phone when admin is needed. The Phone reps are unable to assist this type of transactions and no one called me back or resolved my issue. This issue is 100% the fault of SQUARE DONT DO BUSINESS WITH THEM THATS MY EXPERIENCE!
Square register is one of the best things I have found in my thirty years of business. We travel and sell remotely. Square is fast, accurate, and the reports available are incredible. Started with 4 register and now have 84 and still buying. Highest recommendation.
Square refused to give me banking info of their customer who ripped me off. I have a legal judgement which they refuse to disclose where my stolen money was sent to. Disgraceful company!
A month ago, I made a sale for 700, they say it’s suspicious, take my money and cancel my account. I’m a dressmaker.
I just want to speak with somebody about my account!!!!
ASAP or I will be cancelling my account
I love the square registers. We take them to special events and they work flawlessly and provide us with excellent real time sales info. No flaws, best system we have used by far.
How is it aquare advertises that they are the best? My first experience with square is turning into a nughtmare.. before i registered i was geeting all these great emails how great the ap[ps are customer service money availabilities,, and get emails every 30 minues but once i go thru the process to register, add my information and try tio read the small terms and Conditions which seem to go on and on,, and then when im putting in my charges the system doesnt give any flags or markers stopong the user by notifying verification is required before moving forward,, it just lets you enter evrything, then the next morning io get an email saying a rep has been trying to contact you to verify your account so that your money isnt held up.. and the then you go back to your dash board and then you ask for contract, orders, and so fourth. yet you dont provide any disclaimers on the program screen.. then you try to down load docs and ask more questions then you need to know.. and then.. it becomes difficult get help. Then you go to help. and your made to fill out send an email,, then you send response saying Thank you in Bold Black letters?? is that some type of red flag, for us poor smucks who just gave you our hard work money?? because after that.. you send emails.. asking for assitance . and then you send blank emails.. with subjet line thank you.. and then.. nothing happens??
Its amazing I spent less then fifteen minutes entering my first ever CC charges, money i worked haed for.. and then i spend 4 hours waiting docs yo uplooad.. and nothing happens..
and what worsed.. if we canel you still keep our money for 14 buisness days.. is that so your company can look profitable on wall street index?
Isn’t that allot like loan shark, except you guys never loan.. you only take?
Maybe its PONZI.. hey thats great..
Thanks square for making my first ever business cc transaction a bad one.. so bad.. that i will have suffer your sadistic game. and wait.. but never again will ever use Square.. and im sure that the best way to advertise is word of mouth.. and guess what??
its holiday weekend.. and what a great way to start it with Square…. get the kids ready.. load up the Rv and then Sit in your drive way because Square just drove by honkng at you and your family screaming.. SUCKAAAASSS!!!
The worst customer service on the world
I swiped my customer’s card 8 days ago the funds still not available on my account
they don’t have customer center phone for real person and thru email they will respond only 3 days latter that you have to wait
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Hello, first let me say that without Square I wouldn’t have the sales I do have, thank you for that. Now the new card readers do not seem to hold a charge for very long I am constantly recharging the readers(I have 2) is this going to improve any time soon? Or is this what we have to deal with?
Thank you. Charles Ehrenhaft
I have been trying to find a way to get a 1099k sent to me. nothing comes up when i go to dashboard. There is no phone #. I have just started working on taxes this week and i can find nothing on computer nor iphone. I have defended square but I am not so sure anymore.