Etsy launches free credit card reader for your smartphone


Etsy has made available its very own card reader, giving its loyal sellers the opportunity to make real-world sales.


The reader is very much the same as Square’s card reader, and will work Android and iOS.


You don’t have to pay to get one of Etsy’s new readers, but there is a processing fee of 2.75 cents per swipe. If a buyer needs to enter a PIN number, this fee switches to 3 per cent plus $0.25.


The reader is good to chew through cash from Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.


Despite supporting global card chains, only US sellers will be able to snag themselves a card reader from Etsy.


To use the card reader, you’ll need to make sure you have the Sell on Etsy app installed, which will allow you to collect money from real-world purchases.


The funds you acquire will be beamed direct into your Etsy Shop payment account, just like your usual online sales.


It’s worth noting that you don’t need to have a product listed on the site to sell it through the reader – anything is good to go, so long as you’re logged in to the service.


Fortunately for those not grounded on US soil, Etsy says it will be rolling out the reader further afield soon, although we don’t have a time-frame for a UK release just yet.


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