Square Unveils 'Offline Mode' and Inventory Tracking Features The mobile payments company announced today an offline function, an inventory tracker and a pre-order tool.
By Geoff Weiss
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Mobile payments company Square will roll out three new tools this week to enhance the checkout process for business owners large and small.
First, Square will enable sellers to accept credit card payments sans internet connection with a new offline mode, which temporarily logs payment information until a connection is reestablished.
This feature is particularly handy, the company said, for transactions at expos, outdoor markets, trade shows or other events where Wi-Fi and cell connectivity are shaky or poor.
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Next, Square will unveil an inventory tracking feature whereby sellers can manage their stock quantities via a web dashboard -- which will be compatible with the company's in-person Square Register checkout tool as well as its ecommerce component, Square Market.
Users can set up alerts "so they are never caught off guard by low inventory," Square said.
And finally, the company will introduce a tool that enables consumers to preorder items from Square Market -- via online or mobile -- and then pick them up in-store. With an introductory rate of 2.75 percent through July 1, the pickup feature will ultimately charge an 8 percent processing fee per order.
This feature is especially useful for restaurants, Square said, noting that "food and beverage' is the second most popular category of all goods purchased on smartphones.
