I have found a space for my pop up but heard that card machines and tills are really expensive, can you tell me the best way of keeping costs to a minimum?
The traditional method of taking card payments was a complicated and expensive process. It involved obtaining a new merchant account and seemingly endless negotiation back and forth with your bank. This would turn into a long contract with unwanted charges each month – far from ideal for a pop up space.
However, now this does not have to be the case. We spoke to Alex Segerby, Commercial Relations Manager at iZettle, about the new way of tackling transactions without such challenging obstacles or high costs:
“Luckily, times have changed. It is now possible to set up a card payments system within minutes. All you need is your smartphone or tablet and an account with a service such as iZettle. You download a free app, set up your account and a card machine is sent to you – which is also free! The only cost involved is a small percentage per transaction. On top of this, you can use the app to log cash transactions (free of charge) and receive detailed reports on your sales – which helps you keep on top of the business side of things.
This means that you can take payments for the duration of your pop up and when it’s finished you have no charges.”
All you have to remember is plug in, get paid.
Boost your sales.
People who pay by card tend to spend more than they do than when they pay with cash, and using an easy payment system such as this allows you to facilitate more transactions without large overhead costs. Saving on these rates and getting more money in your accounts each month will help maintain a healthy cash flow, so you can then invest those savings elsewhere in the company.
Get more mobile.
Create your own product library like the one in the iZettle app, speeding up payments and allowing you to keep track of your sales. Also, as each transaction is done on your smartphone or tablet, you can sell both on the go and in your store. Spend more time selling to customers direct from your iPad, and less time trawling through paperwork.
Build relationships with your customers.
Use the option of emailing illustrated receipts to personalise what your business is offering, with the primary aim of creating a customer database. Provide a coherent brand message in this way in order to form the foundations for maintaining your client relationships and building your all-important customer list.
Keep track of sales.
Use your payment system to follow up your sales and keep improving your business – the beauty of a pop up is that you can test a concept, measure its success and learn from the experience. By checking in with the statistics, you can optimise your time and effort: analyse what is popular with your customers in order to make informed decisions about top-selling products and potential special offers.
Grow your business with iZettle & We Are Pop Up
Get started with a free card reader for your We Are Pop Up shop. You also get the first £1,000 of sales free of transaction fees for the entire first month. Contact directuk@izettle.com for more information.
Got something you’d like to ask the experts?
Email ‘Ask The Experts’ to hello@wearepopup.com with your question and we’ll put it to the panel.
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