1. Cheddar Up
  2. Features
  3. Point of Sale

Accept point-of-sale payments

Collecting payments and information from groups oftentimes requires a transition from online payments to in-person (or point-of-sale) payments. Fortunately, Cheddar Up can serve both needs for group organizers – keeping all payments within one platform. Cheddar Up’s iOS and Android mobile apps and card reader (or Tap on Mobile experience) create a seamless point-of-sale solution for group organizers.


Collect in-person payments

Cheddar Up has point-of-sale functionality built into its mobile apps. It’s perfect for selling in-person merchandise or when transitioning from online payments to in-person for any program or event (keeping all funds tracked and located in one spot!). 

When you accept point-of-sale payments using Cheddar Up’s mobile app (available in both iOS and Android), you have three options for inputting credit card information, including:  

  • Bluetooth card reader
  • Tap on mobile (no hardware necessary!)
  • Manual entry


Here’s how to collect using Cheddar Up’s point-of-sale functionality:

  1. Download the Cheddar Up mobile app (if you plan to collect with our Bluetooth card reader, turn the reader on (and don't miss these tips!)). 
  2. Open the Cheddar Up mobile app, log into your Cheddar Up account, tap on the collection that you plan to collect on, and click the "Take Payments (POS)" button (if you were given an Event Code, on the mobile app home screen, click "Get Started" and then tap "I have an Event Code"). 
  3. Tap the items to add them to the cart and tap "Checkout” (upon receiving the prompt, click to enable location services).
  4. Select the customer’s payment method, decide whether to  enter an optional customer name and email (to record who paid and to send them an email receipt) and then click "Pay Now". 
  5. Next you'll see a "Connect Card Reader" view. Here you can either select "Search for Reader" or "Tap on Mobile". 

If you select "Search for Reader":

    • If your card reader is turned on, your reader will be found, and you’ll tap “Connect Reader”.
    • Once the reader connects, you’ll tap “Accept Payment”.
    • Next you will see a "Tap, Insert or Swipe Card" view. Select a method based on the type of card presented.
    • Once the card is detected, the payment will be processed.


If you select "Tap on Mobile":

    • The app will reveal a "Preparing" view noting that it is preparing the transaction (this may take a few seconds).
    • Then the payer will be prompted to hold their NFC credit card to the phone to pay (on iOS devices, payers hold the credit card to the front of the screen; on Android devices, payers hold the card behind the device).
    • Once the card is detected, you’ll see a success view with processing to follow.

 

Point-of-Sale Tips:

  • If efficiency is important to prevent long lines, consider eliminating as many item questions and form questions as possible (delete any fields that are not critical for in-person checkout).

  • If you are using the Bluetooth card reader, make sure NOT to connect your Cheddar Up Bluetooth card reader within your device settings. Instead, the reader will automatically pair when you reach the "Connect Reader" screen during your first point-of-sale checkout within the Cheddar Up mobile app.

  • If you are using the insert card method on the Bluetooth card reader, be sure to NOT remove the card until the message on your device indicates to do so (similar to checkout at any retail store).

  • If the customer is paying with cash or check, enter the amount tendered and the app will record the payment and calculate the customer’s change for you.

Looking for a downloadable how-to guide?

Download this step-by-step guide (with visuals!) that outlines what to expect when accepting point-of-sale payments with our Bluetooth card reader.

Guide for Account Owners    Guide for Event Code Users

 

Common Questions

Do I need an Internet connection to use point of sale?
Yes. You need to have a reliable Internet connection (Wi-Fi or cellular is sufficient) in order to successfully accept point-of-sale payments on the Cheddar Up mobile app. Basically, if you're able to go to google.com on your mobile phone, you should be set. We hope to be able to support offline point-of-sale payment processing in the future, but at this time, an Internet connection is required while accepting payments.
Why do I need to enable location services and how do I do it?
Turning on location services enables geo-location and is required when using Cheddar Up's point-of-sale features. Cheddar Up needs to know where transactions take place to reduce the risks associated with those transactions and to minimize payment disputes. You can enable location services for the Cheddar Up mobile app within your device settings.  
Can I enable signatures for point of sale?
Yes. By default, signatures are disabled in the Cheddar Up point-of-sale flow, but you can enable signatures within the mobile app's Point-of-Sale Settings.
What do I do if my reader will not connect?
If your reader will not connect, there's likely a valid (and fixable!) reason for it. Reference our "Getting Started with Your Card Reader Guide" (M2 | BBPOS) for troubleshooting tips. In addition, the most common reasons why a reader will not connect are because Bluetooth is not toggled on within device settings, or because the reader was paired within device settings instead of within the Cheddar Up POS payment flow. The guide mentioned above will walk you through all possibilities and will help you troubleshoot.
What's the best way to train others on using the card reader?
We highly recommend downloading our our "Getting Started with Your Card Reader Guide" (M2 | BBPOS). In addition, our Step-by-Step Point-of-Sale Payment Guides referenced above are extremely helpful and include screen-by-screen views of what you'll experience when making a point-of-sale payment (Guide for Account Owners | Guide for Event Code Users). In addition, if you haven't already, make sure you check out how to use Cheddar Up's Event Code feature-the easiest way for a team of people to collect POS payments (or scan tickets) on the same collection.
Are there cons to not collecting name and email on POS?

If there are any issues with a payment - such as a dispute or the need for a refund - not being able to associate unique point-of-sale payments with unique payers can be problematic. You’ll want to weigh the pros (speed) and cons (lack of reporting) when you decide to skip Receipt Information during point-of-sale checkout on Cheddar Up’s mobile apps.

How do I turn off the mobile app payment notifications?

For both iOS and Android, go to your Settings app and tap Notifications. There, you'll see a list of your apps that can send notifications. Find and tap the Cheddar Up app, and toggle off "Allow Notifications".

Can customers pay by echeck with point of sale?
No. Because it's not widely accepted to share bank account information for an in-person transaction, the echeck payment method is not an option when using point-of-sale payments. The customer can choose from credit card and cash/check.

Articles in this section