I need some helpful advice:
For my small (US-based) yoga studio, I have created web-based tools for student managment, including capturing and saving student credit card data using the Web Payments SDK. Among these web tools is a ‘sign-in’ Android tablet at the door, where students sign in with a PIN created for them during my web-based registration process. This tablet identifies that a registered student is taking a class. Students often buy ‘class packs’ – the tablet sees if the student has run out of ‘class cards’ and provides for 1-click purchase if required, based on saved credit card info.
The web-based registration process requires manual card entry. For regular, recurring students, this is not a big problem. But for one-time only drop-in students, manual credit card entry creates a frustrating delay, and the drop-in typically asks ‘can’t I just use my visa?’
Our work-around for drop in students, is for the teacher to log in to the square app, using an Andoid phone at the front desk, then go through the multiple steps required to locate the ‘drop-in’ item, OK the charge, initiate the charge, etc., etc. to provide card-tap payment. Then the drop in can use our ‘Square Reader for contactless and chip (2nd generation)’ to tap a card to make the payment. But this multi–step process places a burden on the teacher during the busy class setup time.
My ideal solution would be a “Drop-in” button on the sign-in tablet web page, that sets up the card reader with a payment amount, and let’s the drop-in tap their card. (2 simple steps).
I would appreciate advice on how I might integrate a simple drop-in setup like this based on my current front-desk web-page code, if possible.
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Based on the docs, I’m not sure if our ‘Square Reader for contactless and chip (2nd generation)’ is acceptable for a method like this, or whether the ’ Square Terminal" or similar device is needed for integration like this?
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I’m not sure if Square Terminal Apis that provide for a connection would reset the terminal, which is now connected to that Android phone for sales of other items (t-shirts, etc), or if that connection to the Square App can be maintained?
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I have lots areas where my code uses Square APIs, and it’s not clear to me if the terminal api can be integrated into my webpage using php/js web code, or whether a standalone app based on an SDK needs to be created.
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I’d like to consider whether the current manual card entry for saved card capture could be replaced by a card tap if a new ‘recurring’ student is present by the terminal when registering their additional required information on a phone
I’m very ready to buy a Square Terminal if necessary, ane/or to have a separate ‘dropin’ tablet if necessary to make the whole thing simpler. But I’d prefer to do this with code, not hardware, because code is much cheaper!
I just need some practical, brotherly advice about these questions.
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