Square Online Text Notification Now a Paid Feature?

[Bumafide]

Hello, I was looking through the Square Online Store plans and noticed "order status text alert" is now only available through a paid plan, either Plus or Premium.  However, I remember this feature used to be free.  Does anyone know when did Square change this?  

[TheRealChipA]

Hi @Bumafide.  Unless my memory is totally failing me, this feature has always been a part of a paid tier.  When I used the free tier (back before I needed paid features like custom website fonts) my customers never received notifications that orders had been marked complete.  A few commented after the switch that they like my “new” feature.  Ha.  It makes sense that it is a paid feature, really.  I own an apartment building and in order to have “business text” with out tenants, I have to pay for a service on a monthly basis.  It isn’t exactly cheap.

[Bumafide]

Hmm..  we have had this as a free feature since 2020.  I was surprised to see it available only as a paid feature now, so was just curious when did they make the switch.

[TheRealChipA]

Understood. Maybe another seller will have an idea of when it changed, if they noticed the change when it happened.   I’ve searched the product update announcements and for other posts about “order status text alert.”  All I can determine is that it happened sometime between the middle of 2020 and now.  But since you are the first person to ask, my research has come up blank, I’m sorry to say.  You’re right — it definitely changed sometime, but “when” might not be available unless Square wants to chime in here.  My best guess is that it happened when they consolidated their paid tiers a little while back.  Sorry I can’t be more exact.

[Bumafide]

Thank you, you have been very helpful with the information you provided.  I’m just surprised Square would take a previously free feature and turn it into a paid one.  Usually it’s the other way around?

[TheRealChipA]

You’re welcome. I just had another thought. 2020 was the year that Square was bending over backwards to help sellers through the plague. That might have been one of those features they temporarily made available to everyone. They were doing that when they could, especially with online/contactless ordering since that’s how many businesses survived. Again, I can’t be sure. Lol