This may come across as confusing, but bear with me.
I believe I have found the ideal solution for our carte bleu payments. We don't currently take carte bleu as the abbonements are too much for a very small business plus the majority of our sales in France are made while outside ie. markets and foires. We rarely have electric on those markets and 30% of the places we go to don't have a phone signal Vive la sud ouest !!!
I found out about iZettle last night, https://www.izettle.com/fr
It's a card reader that plugs into a smartphone or tablet and uses 3G to take payments. No monthly charge if you don't use it 2.75% of the take when you do.
I have now found out about 3G why it is different to Wifi. I realise that it will be necessary to make the system work when away from wifi hotspots etc.
My dilemma; I have an allergy to smart phones I have tried twice to get on with them but no go.
Sooo my thinking takes to to getting a 3G tablet and using that, however will I need to get a 3G compatible mobile abonnement to make the tablet work on 3G? The tablet solution would be more flexible as both my husband and I will be using the system so the tablet will mean he can take the tablet and card reader to a market and I won't loose my phone, which is what would happen if I bit the bullet and went the smart phone route.
Anyone know if 3G tablets work on 3G when you don't have a 3G dongle or abbonement?
Thanks for any opinions on any part of this subject.
I have gone ahead and taken the plunge and I now am ready for my first client who is willing to pay by card. I have created 2 blogs with my experience so far investigating this . I have based it on setting up iZettle on a tablet as that's the way I have chosen to do it but I guess it will work just as well on a smart phone. The blogs are here if the subject is of any interest to anyone.
https://clairessewing.wordpress.com/2015/06/09/adventures-of-a-small-buisness-chosing-to-take-card-payments/
https://clairessewing.wordpress.com/2015/06/16/adventures-of-a-small-business-taking-card-payments-part-2/
I have driven my self a bit mad researching this today. I can use a tablet just fine as a tablet I have a Kindle Fire and an Acer aspire switch but the smart phones don't work that well for me just a mental block I think. Plus I tend to sit on my phone in my back pocket and send blank texts to people when I am driving.
I am leaning towards buying a samsung tablet slightly older but not too old say something like this.
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/261890375227?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
I have checked it's compatibility with iZettle and then it will cost 70€ per year for 3G with orange on this system
http://boutique.orange.fr/tablette-et-cle/pochette-pret-a-surfer-internet-prepaye#Description
I may need an unlocked 3G key or the orange one may come as a set that I will have to see.
If it's a separate device either OH or I can take it when we go to market.
Upping my free abonnement to the 16€ per month will cost more over the year I think. Thank you for confirming my thoughts about having to have a sim card for 3G connection.
In order for a 3G tablet to work on the 3G network, you need to put a SIM card in it. In that respect it just like mobile phone. So yes, you need a abonnement and one that includes 3G data (so the 2€/month from Free Mobile would not work).
I think the cheapest ones are 5 to 10 € per month, including enough data for your payment system.
But if you are allergic to smartphones … in my mind a 3G tablet is the same as a smartphone with a big screen.