Hip to go square…
Most artists I know, especially the ones hitting the show circuit, have at some point considered POS solutions built around cell phone technology. The main stumbling block being 1 the cost of the equipment, and 2 the requirement that it be attached to a merchant account.
Enter Square.
From the people who brought us Google, square is free (equipment-wise), runs on iPhones and Android phones, and can be attached to non-commercial accounts (I’ve attached mine to my PayPal account). They charge 2.75% of transactions, which being high, will probably do until you’re doing such gangbuster business the extra equipment fees vs. lower transaction fees ratio makes sense.
Still, for those of is who want the ability to accept credit card payments from time to time this is a great way to get started. Check them out at www.squareup.com.
If you check out the video of Steven Colbert after his landmark FEC hearing, he’s using a Square card reader to swipe credit cards after his press conference. It’s black because they covered it up with gaffer’s tape in order to avoid inadvertent product placement.