The Easiest Way to Start Selling In-Person with Shopify — Shopify POS News (2022)

In-person selling is set to surge as brands look for cost-effective ways to engage with new customers, drive customer loyalty, and grow sales without sinking resources into online ads. But selling in person is still harder than it has to be. 

That’s why we’re excited to announce Tap to Pay on iPhone, the simplest way to accept payments in person using just an iPhone and the Shopify POS app for iOS. Tap to Pay on iPhone makes it easier for you to sell your products at local events, farmers markets, festivals, or wherever your customers are, without needing to invest in a separate card reader or other additional hardware.

What is Tap to Pay on iPhone? 

Tap to Pay on iPhone is a new capability that lets you securely accept contactless payments, like physical debit and credit cards or mobile wallets like Apple Pay, directly from any iPhone with the Shopify POS app installed.

Start selling in person faster than ever  

Purchasing and setting up point-of-sale hardware makes selling in person harder than it has to be—especially if you’re an online-only merchant who wants to try it for the first time. 

With Tap to Pay on iPhone, merchants can start selling in person without purchasing hardware, paying signup fees, or signing any long-term contracts. This makes it more accessible than ever to take your products on the road and sell at farmers markets or craft fairs, and more—with just an iPhone and the Shopify POS app. 

For digitally native merchants like Daniel Vu Ceramics, selling at craft fairs provides a welcome and cost-effective alternative to spending precious resources on digital ads to increase online sales. 

“It’s very difficult to sell ceramics online unless people already know your brand,” he explains. “Shoppers want to see the ceramics for themselves before feeling comfortable buying, which is why selling at events is so beneficial.” Since he began selling at events regularly with the Shopify POS app and Tap to Pay on iPhone, in-person sales have come to account for 70% of his ceramics brand’s revenue. 

My first day of selling in person, I made a month’s worth of online revenue.

Accept in-person payments risk-free

Connecting with customers is part of the magic of selling in-person. Tap to Pay on iPhone with the free Shopify POS app enables you to connect with new customers, build relationships, and accept payments anywhere—from weekend pop-ups to in-studio pickups and beyond. 

For merchants like Daniel, Tap to Pay on iPhone helps them delight customers at craft fairs without getting in the way of their interactions.

“The blend of both online and in person makes your brand more accessible, which is great for expanding your customer base and increasing repeat purchases online,” Daniel says. “But if technology distracts from the transaction, that can ruin the experience. Consumers lose interest when the cashier has to fidget with their payment terminal or their card reader stops working.” 

With Tap to Pay on iPhone and the Shopify POS app, checkout ends each interaction on a high note. “I like the idea of not having to use the card reader. It makes accepting payments feel more seamless, and I can just send their receipt by text or email.”

I love the convenience of having everything I need to sell in-person on my iPhone. I don’t have to stress about card readers disconnecting and can just focus on the person in front of me.

Get clear rates and quick payouts 

Each payment you accept with Tap to Pay on iPhone is backed by Shopify’s integrated payment processing, Shopify Payments, which helps you accept payments quickly and securely while paying one clear, predictable rate for Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and mobile wallet payments—starting from just 2.7% + 0¢. There aren’t any monthly fees, statement fees, or chargeback fees. You pay only when you make a sale. 

Getting paid shouldn’t feel like a hassle, that’s why whenever you make a sale with the Shopify POS app and Tap to Pay on iPhone, money is deposited in your bank account as soon as the next business day. You can also track cash flow from Shopify admin with real-time sales and inventory updates.

With Shopify, everything is connected. It makes my life easier knowing where my money is going, how much inventory I have, and how much I’ve sold.

Manage everything from Shopify

When you choose Shopify, you get everything you need to sell in-person, online, or out in the field. You can manage your entire business in one place and there’s no training required. 

For merchants like Daniel, managing online and in-person orders, inventory, sales, and payments in one place makes running his ceramics business straightforward. “I manage online and event sales from Shopify, and everything is connected. It makes my life really easy knowing where my inventory is at, and how much I sold for, and where my money is going.”

As a solopreneur, I need less friction in my life. With Shopify, I have all the tools I need to manage online and in-person sales in one place.

Daniel also appreciates how easy it was to start using Shopify POS. “I like that it’s very simple to use and that I can customize the look and feel,” he says. “Shopify POS automatically synced with my online store’s product catalog and I didn’t need to set up a card reader. I was ready to transact at my next event really fast.”  

Tap into in person selling with Tap to Pay on iPhone  

Tap to Pay on iPhone is the easiest, fastest, and most convenient way to start selling in-person with the free Shopify POS app. Get set up without signing long-term contracts or buying hardware, pay one stable rate per transaction, and manage your whole business with Shopify.