7 Reasons Local Businesses Should Accept Mobile Payments

Limiting your cash flow is the worst financial move you could make for your business. And as a business owner, you know this.

Yet, you still don't accept mobile payments. Your customers (especially the younger ones) are consistently using their mobile devices and the internet to make purchases. 

As this trend continues to grow (and it's expected to substantially), you'll find it harder to compete with other local businesses that contactless payment.

By 2020, mobile will play a large role in the growth of mobile payments. It's already predicted that 64% of consumers will be using a mobile wallet by then. That's an 18% increase in just three years. 

But if this doesn't convince you to make the switch, then maybe the following will.

1. Give Your Sales a Boost By Accepting Mobile Payments

Your business accepts cash and credit card payments already. And since you're local, you may think that's all you need to run a successful business.

But as it turns out, today's consumers (particularly Millennials and Gen-Z) are looking for an omnichannel experience. They want to shop locally for the in-store experience, but also want to have the convenience of buying online through their mobile device. Plus, 75% of consumers plan to shop both in-store and virtually.

When you accept mobile payments, you're catering to everyone, which means more money for your business. It's also worth noting that omnichannel shoppers spend up to 300% more!

2. Accept Mobile Payments to Make Your Business Legit

You're a new company just starting out. You have the means to accept cash and checks, but not credit card payments. Not only will this hurt your reputation, but it'll likely tank it within the first year.

More than half of consumers are using credit and debit cards when they shop at local businesses. Businesses that don't accept major credit cards are looked upon as lower, outdated or even illegitimate.

But you don't have to buy expensive or clunky equipment to give your customers the convenience they desire. Instead, you can use contactless payment to accept online and mobile payments via all major credit and debit cards. You also have the ability to accept payments through SMS text, mobile wallets, mPOS terminals and more!

3. Accept Mobile Payments from Anywhere

When you have the means to accept credit and debit cards online, you empower your business to take payments anywhere. All your customers need is a mobile device to complete purchases.

Having the ability to accept mobile payments opens the door to so many possibilities. For one, you can set up shop at a local event or operate as a mobile business, without the worry of carrying loads of cash. You can accept payments on the whim from customers wherever you serve them -- regardless of where your business takes you.

4. Offer Customers Convenience (and Earn Repeat Business)

People like to shop with businesses that make their lives easier. This includes being open at the right times and allowing flexible payments.

If you want to attract more business and earn repeat business, then you need to focus on customer experience. Try to remove all the friction and make shopping with you a breeze.

When you accept online payments, you give customers the freedom to pay at POS or even in advance. It also makes booking appointments and consultations simpler on both sides.

5. Accept Mobile Payments to Gain a Competitive Edge

How many of your competitors are accepting mobile payments? Chances are, some or most of them aren't. When you decide to accept mobile payments, you immediately make your service or product easier to obtain and reach a much wider audience -- every consumer with a smartphone.

This means more foot traffic and/or phone calls to your business. Just make sure to advertise that you accept online mobile payments on your business listings in Google My Business and other directories.

6. It's Cheap & Easy to Accept Mobile Payments

Perhaps the biggest benefit of accepting mobile payments and using mPOS  is that you can get started today without paying any hefty upfront fees. You don't have any equipment to buy or shipments to wait on. 

You can use your own smart device (smartphone, tablet)and turn it into a portable and wireless point of sale (POS) terminal by attaching a magstripe, chip, near-field communication reader (NFC), or Bluetooth card reader and just like that you're ready to accept mobile payments. Of course, it's not always that easy -- it depends on what provider you choose.

contactless payment is a solution local businesses are using to up the ante.

7. Book Appointments Online

If you're in the service business, then you likely operate by appointment. After all, you only have but so many people who can perform a service at one time.

So to make matters easier, you can accept mobile payments and set up online appointment bookings. This not only frees up your phone lines and your time so you can focus on delivering satisfactory services to customers, but it also enables your customers to book appointments whenever and wherever it’s convenient for them.

Ready to Accept Mobile Payments?

If your business could use extra sales, better credibility, and a competitive edge, then your answer is likely:

Yes!

But where do you go from here? The first step is to learn more about how payment processing works and the available mobile payment options out there. Once you do this, you can accept mobile payments anywhere, on the go, and with confidence.