This week I’m going to take a break from talking about shopping. Instead, I’ll be discussing about how you can make your day better. How many times have you woken up just a few minutes too late to swing by your local Starbucks? You tell yourself, “If only I could call ahead and not have to wait for the barista to make my grande pumpkin spice latte, then I could still make it to work on time AND grab my coffee.” Look no further!
Square, a 4-year-old start-up, has made buying and selling easy enough for just about anyone to do. Square will mail you a free credit card reader that allows you to accept credit cards from an iPhone, iPad, or Android device. All you do is plug the little reader into the headphone jack of the device, download the free Square Register app, and you’re ready to go! You’re probably wondering what this has to do with remotely ordering coffee. Well, Square just announced a new feature – Square Order.
Square Order is another free download in the App Store, and works based on tracking customers’ locations. In my example, your order would be submitted to the barista when the app tracks and deems you close enough for them to make your coffee. Without this location-based feature, your hot pumpkin spice latte would soon turn into an iced latte.
I downloaded Square Order to see what locations around me are using it, and it appears that it hasn’t hit the Baltimore market yet. Since Square is based out of San Francisco, it might take some time to make it’s way over. However, this is a really cool business opportunity for those in the right B2C industry. Related technology advances that are becoming interesting to merchants who like this remote ordering concept are:
- Digital receipts
- Scheduling appointments online
- Deeper analytics
Remote ordering is an awesome concept that will adapt quickly, especially during the work week. I don’t know about you, but I order whatever I can online with the least amount of human interaction possible. This goes for anything from dinner, to items at Target, to furniture at Ikea. (Ok, so it was inevitable that I didn’t mention shopping at some point.) With that being said, 50% of consumers expect the ability to buy online and pick-up in-store. Ordering my coffee online each night and having it ready at the exact time I need it in the morning would be amazing. Square Order, Come to Baltimore ASAP!
For more information on location-based apps, digital receipts, online schedulers, and advanced analytics, please contact me by email sengel@g1440.com or phone 410-843-3826.
Sarah Engel is a Marketing Consultant at G.1440 who joined the team after graduating from Towson University with degrees in Business Administration and Electronic Business. She’s an infographic nut and a forever-long Apple fan. When she’s not behind one of her Apple devices, she is often found volunteering with her dog King, or heading to the beach for the weekend.