This blog focuses on the joys, challenges and lessons of living the creative life—and make a living doing it!
Author Gayle Mahoney is an arts marketing consultant and has shown and sold her own artwork for over 25 years.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Hip to be Square

Thanks to all who came out to the New Jersey Metal Arts Guild sample sale at GAS Gallery and Studio. I especially thank Elizabeth, Rick, Micha and Christine for your generosity and support in making the event happen.

I had a great day! I so enjoyed spending time with the other artists and the conversations we had about design, creative process, metalsmithing techniques and how to market one's work.

I wanted to share a tasty tidbit for any artisan who a) has a smart phone and b) does retail shows, trunk sales, etc. I used my SQUARE credit card swiper for the first time. I know, I know... Square has been around awhile now... I have had my swiper but this is the first time I used it because most of my trunk shows are set up as wholesale and the merchant handles transactions.

But, if you don't know about Square, it's a small device you plug into your phone (or iPad) that allows you to swipe credit cards. It costs 2.75% per transaction. If you don't have a smart phone, you can use a computer (3% per transaction).
Find them here...

Anyway, my sales all went through and were posted to my account the next day. Soooo much easier than carting around a big machine, paying all the merchant service charges, etc. typically associated with a merchant credit card account through a bank. It did take a little time for me to learn to do a proper swipe- but the app comes with a practice tutorial... anyway, I recommend it.

1 comment:

  1. Nice post. I was checking continuously this blog and I am impressed! Extremely useful information specifically the last part :) I care for such info a lot. I was looking for this certain information for a very long time. Thank you and best of luck. merchant account services

    ReplyDelete