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Starbucks (SBUX) will equip nearly 7K stores with Square's tiny card readers, and invest $25M in...

  • Wednesday, August 8, 2012, 12:57 AM ET
    Starbucks (SBUX) will equip nearly 7K stores with Square's tiny card readers, and invest $25M in the payments juggernaut. Starbucks will also support Pay With Square, an app-based solution that lets users set up a tab, later this year. Now that Square, already very popular with small businesses, has landed its first big retail chain, time is running out for card-reader rivals (I, II) such as PayPal (EBAY), Verifone (PAY), and Groupon (GRPN) to gain critical mass. (SBUX mobile apps)
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This news story has 13 comments:

  • Great news for SBUX and Square and consumers alike. This will make paying easier and cheaper. SBUX has given credence to Square's ideas of using technology that the public already own and I see it as being usable in any type of business - small or large.
    8 Aug 2012, 02:19 AM Reply Like
  • This story is nonsense. I don't see the point in Starbucks using Square; Square is for merchants on the move, away from B&M, not for at B&M establishments, and the funds still have to come from somewhere (credit card / bank account) and then go somewhere (bank account), and I am sure Starbucks will want their receipts promptly, as they now do get from the traditional players.

    Sheesh, next Starbucks will be announcing "Pay With PreyPal", after eBay agrees to pay for the whole clunky roll out, of course ...

    Comical ...
    8 Aug 2012, 03:15 AM Reply Like
  • It's PCI compliance problems. The model is irretrievably broken and the "standards" are internally contradictory and impossible to meet. Even after becoming compliant, you are not secure. That is a whole separate project.

    It is as if Eisenhower had attempted to assure secrecy around D-Day by promulgating standards for every soldier to follow while giving them each a copy of their part of the plan.

    There is no reason for a merchant to be involved in security for banks' transactions. There is no reason for every merchant to be have all the keys to every customer's account on file just in order to receive a payment.

    The technology has been on the counter top a long time. But never used. Obviously, the credit card should be secured with some sort of authentication, and the authentication should be between the card holder and the payment processor, not through the merchant as a trusted agent.

    Obvious to me, anyway. However, for whatever reason, the credit card companies are dead set on maintaining a high level of fraud. Perhaps it's the chargeback fees. Perhaps it's just laziness. Perhaps it's incompetence. For whatever reason, simple and obvious solutions are ignored.

    Even tokenization is lagging. It's a no-brainer, unless you prefer fraud and large and costly requirements on the merchants for some reason.
    8 Aug 2012, 11:33 AM Reply Like
  • Why do you have 1,578 posts with 5 followers???
    Why does Bret have 3,843 posts with 4,716 followers???

    THAT, my son, is FEEDBACK.

    Feedback is NOT something you give yourself -- It's something that is given to you by others. Stop flapping your lips about how high your feedback is...

    Your feedback is NOT high. <<< Re-read until it sinks in.

    Your number of posts is high, but your investment advise is complete crap. You told everyone the sky is falling in over 1,000 posts in the past year when the stock has soared 50%+. Loser.
    8 Aug 2012, 05:44 PM Reply Like
  • Phil Conehead : Something must be seriously wrong with you. Must

    have been that last hit in the head with the Boomerang.....You're

    slipping up... You forgot to mention your case study #5...What gives??

    I thought you would have kept on blathering on and on.....You

    disappoint me...I needed a good laugh....OH well Maybe next time.

    **********************... THE E BAFIA **********************...
    8 Aug 2012, 04:59 AM Reply Like
  • Wot, still trying to attract attention to your employer, eBay's, criminal activities? Thanks for reminding me eBay shill ...

    And for those of you that are curious as to what is causing this eBay shill so much anxiety, it’s a demonstration of the utter unscrupulousness, indeed criminality, of her employer, eBay ...

    “Shill Bidding on eBay: Case Study #5”
    http://bit.ly/N1nTlc

    Maybe all your inane remarks will yet bring the matter to the attention of a federal or states’ US Attorney … We can only hope …

    eBay / PayPal / Donahoe: Dead Men Walking
    8 Aug 2012, 06:57 AM Reply Like
  • Please address: >>>

    Why do you have 1,578 posts with 5 followers???
    Why does Bret have 3,843 posts with 4,716 followers???

    THAT, my son, is FEEDBACK.

    Feedback is NOT something you give yourself -- It's something that is given to you by others.

    Stop flapping your lips about how high your feedback is...

    Your feedback is NOT high. <<< Re-read until it sinks in.

    Your number of posts is high, but your investment advise is complete rubbish.

    You told everyone the sky is falling in over 1,000 posts in the past year when the stock has soared 50%+. Loser.
    8 Aug 2012, 05:45 PM Reply Like
  • Pill Conehead: Thanks, I needed a good laugh this morning !!!!!

    $$$$$$$$$$ E-BAFIA $$$$$$$$$$$$
    8 Aug 2012, 08:39 AM Reply Like
  • Hey, eBay shill, if your job is to keep bringing attention to eBay's criminal activities, why don't you simply post the link to the story yourself? For you benefit, here it is again ...

    “Shill Bidding Fraud on eBay Auctions: Case Study #5”
    http://bit.ly/N1nTlc

    That's for anyone that wants an understanding of just how utterly corrupt eBay is, and here are a few others the eBay shill would like potential eBay investors to read ...

    “When Do We Start Calling eBay A [Failed] Payments Company?”
    http://bit.ly/KCQt78

    And, some comment on PayPal’s off-eBay products: "The New Way To Pay In-Store" (at Home Depot), PayPal Here, SmartPay, PayPal Digital Wallet, PayPal Debit MasterCard, PayPal Local and Watch With eBay ...
    http://bit.ly/MqwRY0

    eBay / PayPal / Donahoe: Dead Men Walking
    8 Aug 2012, 03:14 PM Reply Like
  • Stop flapping your lips about how high your feedback is...

    Why do you have 1,578 posts with 5 followers???
    Why does Bret have 3,843 posts with 4,716 followers???

    THAT, my son, is FEEDBACK.

    Feedback is NOT something you give yourself -- It's something that is given to you by others.

    Your feedback is NOT high. <<< Re-read until it sinks in.

    Your number of posts is high, but your investment advise is complete crap. You told everyone the sky is falling in over 1,000 posts in the past year when the stock has soared 50%+. Loser.
    8 Aug 2012, 05:45 PM Reply Like
  • And, if anyone wants a demonstration of the desperation and utter unscrupulousness, indeed rampant criminality, of eBay, ignore this idiot eBay shill and take a look at the "message" that she does not like and refuses to address ...

    “Shill Bidding on eBay: Case Study #5”
    http://bit.ly/N1nTlc

    eBay / PayPal / Donahoe: Dead Men Walking
    8 Aug 2012, 05:59 PM Reply Like
  • I don't see this as a game changer in any way. I have no desire to carry around another object just to pay for merchandise. I don't have a cell phone with a data plan and don't want one either. As far as I'm concerned Verifone has nothing to worry about and that crap about time running out is a joke. Most of the world uses Verifone and will continue to. I wouldn't trust one of those little squares and when they start to find out that hackers are having a field day with them the square toy will be history.
    8 Aug 2012, 05:36 PM Reply Like
  • As a "small business" owner, I can tell you that Square has been has been great. Hardware costs: none, minimum monthly fees: none, money deposited to my bank account: within 24 hours. No special connection costs. Ease of use: EASY! Customers like it. I like it. I think the idea of hitting an app icon on your smart phone and paying for your order is good. Manxbuilder: I think Steve McQueen drove his Manx on the beach at Cape Cod in the movie "The Thomas Crown Affair" how many years ago.? You have no data service on your phone? I'm 65 and I have data service. You need to get into the 21st century dude. And you don't have to carry anything extra around on YOUR phone to authorize YOUR purchase. And all that hacking going on? Where is that in the news?
    17 Aug 2012, 07:09 PM Reply Like
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