Until May of 2016, Groupon owned Breadcrumb, the point of sale system designed for bars and restaurants. Having sold Breadcrumb to a startup called Upserve, it’s unclear what services Groupon Payments will continue to offer, if any. For the time being, Groupon Payments still has information about accepting mobile payments on its website. We’ll focus primarily on that in this Groupon Payments review and profile.
Groupon Payments’ card processing services are currently limited to mobile processing and key-entering transactions. Credit and debit cards can be swiped using terminals and card readers, or keyed in for card-not-present transactions online or using mobile devices like tablets and smartphones.
Since the sale of the Breadcrumb POS system, mobile processing is the primary way to accept cards with Groupon Payments. If you need to accept payments using a mobile device (such as a smartphone or tablet) Groupon Payments offers a mobile app, Groupon Merchant. The app lets you accept payments or even process Groupon offers with ease. You can calculate tax and tips directly in the app. An optional card reader is available for purchase.
Groupon Payments can work with a variety of existing devices or equipment through Groupon Payments. The company offers new card terminals like the Verifone VX 520, capable of swiping EMV chip cards in addition to traditional magnetic stripe credit and debit cards. Groupon also offers mobile card readers that can be connected to smartphones and tablets.
Groupon Payments provides real-time reporting with an online Payments Center. You can track purchases and sales trends to better manage your business and identify areas for growth.
Claiming no monthly fee, Groupon Payments’ website publishes the following rate information:
Swiped: 1.99% + $0.15 per transaction
Keyed: 2.49% + $0.15 per transaction
American Express rates vary; Groupon states costs between 2.89% - 3.5% + $0.05 - $0.15 per transaction.
Groupon Payments also provides a limited offer of $5,000 in transactions for free. The company claims there are no statement fees, compliance fees, or hidden costs. Groupon also claims there is no contract, effectively providing customers with a month-to-month agreement. Be sure to read all information carefully though before signing up.