Local commerce grows with Square
The October edition of the Business Review Canada is now live!
Square, the company making commerce easy for everyone, launched in Canada. One year later the company has empowered tens of thousands of Canadian small businesses to accept credit card payments on their mobile device. Collectively Square businesses have processed over $100M in sales in Canada.
Local businesses are the backbone of communities across Canada with more than 1 million small businesses in Canada and 2.7 million Canadians who are self employed. Canadians carry an average of two credit cards per household. Square enables anyone to accept credit cards ensuring local businesses needn’t ever miss a sale.
Before using Square, Steve-O-Reno’s Cappuccino in Halifax was a cash-only business that had to turn customers away for not having cash. “We were attracted to the simplicity and affordability of Square,” said Steve Armbruster. “Since using Square, we’ve seen an increase in business. We see more new faces, and have more repeat customers who know they can come back and pay with credit card.”
Read related content:
- BlackBerry's open letter to consumers
- JUST-EAT.ca Android app available for anywhere, anytime ordering
- Ford Fiesta partners with Beyond the Rack
- Square reader available at London Drugs across Canada
This week Square co-founder and CEO, Jack Dorsey hosted Let’s Talk, an event designed to bring local business owners together to collaborate, connect and strengthen their communities. Owners of Toronto-based Hula Girl Espresso, Mehoi, Superfood Eateries, and SWAT Wildlife contributed to an in-depth discussion on small business growth at the Fermenting Cellar in the historic Distillery District.
Square hosts “Local Business is Beautiful” events across Canada for local businesses to connect, share stories and gain new insights on how to get started and grow. The series kicked off in Calgary, where 95% of local businesses are also small businesses. Next month Square will host an event in Vancouver on November 6th.
Earlier this year Square ran #LoveLocal, a contest to promote small business and offer a chance to win a suite of innovative business tools including Square Readers, iPad 2, an iPad stand, and a cash drawer. Hundreds of local businesses across the country entered. Winners include La Belle & La Tête salon in Montreal and Flatbread Pizza Co, a farmer’s market pizza outpost in Ottawa.
