Credit card surcharge for older Square Register?

[eclecticsgaller]

Our tiny artist's co-op is using the Square Register (Square for Retail) that we purchased in 2020. As of last September, it's no longer getting software updates for features and whatnot. 

Does this include the Beta "credit card surcharges" option? I have it set up on my computer's Dashboard, but the first customer said she was using a credit card, and the surcharge wasn't there. 

Actually, on the instructions for adding the surcharge, it lists these items where the surcharge can be implemented. Does this mean it won't work on ANY of Square's own HARDWARE? I guess I'm confused. 

• Square Point of Sale app

• Square Restaurant POS app

• Square Retail POS app

• Square Appointments app

• Square Invoices (web only)

I know people have reported that not ALL credit cards seem to be adding the surcharge and perhaps I need to see how the rest of the day goes. But I'm wondering if anyone can break my heart and tell me that we won't be able to use the surcharge on our first generation Square. That would suck. We're a tiny shop and we can't afford a new $900 machine. Especially if that $900 machine won't add the surcharge either. 

[MayaP]

Hey @eclecticsgaller  - Thanks for hanging in there! I'm happy to help figure this out.

Just to clarify: you're only using surcharging on the Square Register, and it's stopped getting updates? When did that start happening? Have you tried a factory reset? That can sometimes push updates through. Updates are important for keeping everything running smoothly.

I'm digging into this on my end too. Let me know those details when you get a chance!

[eclecticsgaller]

Hi, Maya. We have a Square Register first generation, I guess. It stopped getting anything but critical security updates last September. Our gallery cannot afford a new machine right now, and we were really hoping to take advantage of the surcharge to help with expenses. (A year's worth of surcharges is close to a month's rent for us.)  I fear doing a reset, as our system is already somewhat obsolete. 

Yesterday I was texting support on Facebook from my personal account, and included a screenshot of the fact that we HAVE implemented the surcharge on our account, but even though I have full access to the official "admin/owner" account on the Square and on my laptop,   I (the human) am not the "owner"  by name on the Square Machine, and they wouldn't help me any further.  

[MayaP]

Can you tell me what app version the register is on? Do you also have a screenshot of what is showing on your end? Not this right? @eclecticsgaller 

[eclecticsgaller]

Hi, Maya. We're running Square for Retail  6.77.1 on our Square Register. 

I have tried to PASTE in an image, but I get a red warning that says "You do not have permission to upload images" across the bottom of this text window. When I click the Camera icon, I get a box asking for source, description and dimensions, and frankly I don't know what to do with that. The source is my own computer, so... 

I can tell you that when I go to Settings/Payments/Surcharges, the line shows "Credit card surcharge .... Eclectics Gallery.... Taxable 1 assigned tax.....2.6%  ....and then the printer icon". So it's there. It's just not working. 

Nowhere on the Register side nor the customer side does any amount including a surcharge ever appear. 

[kitaara]

I'm experiencing the same issue.

[balmonte]

I don't believe that the credit card surcharge is working with the older version that is no longer accepting upgrades. I have one of each, the older version and the 2nd generation. Only the second generation is working - and even with that its intermittent. I am noticing that only AMEX cards are getting the fee added. Doesn't look like its fully working yet - at least not for me.

[eclecticsgaller]

Thank you for replying and for sharing your own experience. That's kind of what I suspected.

We recently transferred our Square ownership to a different member of our art co-op (we're all technically equal partners in the gallery) and we're still not getting any help from Square. Even though the surcharge has been instituted on the software via the website interface, no surcharge is being added to transactions. It's strange that the people we've communicated with, stating CLEARLY that we have a first generation Register, can't tell us whether or not the surcharge should be working.  That's frustrating. And kinda unprofessional. 

Our gallery is wonderful, charming, people love it, but we barely make enough to cover expenses. A $900 machine isn't in the budget. It would be frustrating to have to switch platforms. 

[androo]

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@eclecticsgaller wrote:

Actually, on the instructions for adding the surcharge, it lists these items where the surcharge can be implemented. Does this mean it won't work on ANY of Square's own HARDWARE? I guess I'm confused. 

• Square Point of Sale app

• Square Restaurant POS app

• Square Retail POS app

• Square Appointments app

• Square Invoices (web only)

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Those apps are what Square runs on Square hardware or your own device. 

I can't help with surcharges sorry as I don't use those (and they're soon to be outlawed in Australia). I suspect it may be related to Gen1 devices no longer receiving anything but critical security updates.