Amazon has introduced yet another convenient way for people to spend their hard-earned money. A new card reader in the form of the Local Register lets Amazon to swipe money ala Paypal and Square to pay for purchases.
The secure card reader works with a mobile app on an iPhone or an Android device. This is Amazon's attempt to bring easy credit and debit card payments to local businesses and allow consumers to pay from a tablet or smartphone.
This isn't a first of its kind but Amazon's new mobile payment method promises the same customer support experience and access to Amazon's in-app tracking tools.
Amazon plans to bring the Local Register to more industries: contractors, clothing stores, accountants, food trucks, organizations, and various businesses. It's a secure payment processing that can be trusted because it's from Amazon.
"We understand that every penny and every minute counts, so we want to make accepting payments so easy and inexpensive that it no longer gets in the way of a business owner doing what they love - serving their customers and growing their business," Vice President of Amazon Local Commerce Matt Swann said.
People who would sign up for the Amazon Local Register before the 31st of October will receive a 1.75 percent per card swipe as promotional rate on all major credit and debit cards. The promo will run until Jan. 1, 2016 and after that, rate will be 2.5 percent.
The Amazon Local Register Secure Card Reader costs only $10. The e-commerce site is offering a $10 processing credit that will offset the first $10 processing fees that will be charged.
The card reader works with select Android phones (Samsung Galaxy S3, S4, and S5), iPhone (iPhone 4, 4S, 5C, 5, and 5S), iPad, iPad mini, and Amazon's very own Fire HD and Fire HDX tablets.
The Amazon Local Reader also allows automatic deposits to bank accounts the next business day. User can choose to spend money on Amazon.com for a faster shopping transaction.
Using the Amazon Local Reader is easy: get the card reader, download the app and sign up for an Amazon Payments account, and then begin accepting debit or credit cards on a smartphone or tablet.
