The problem
Customers message to ask whether something is in stock and to put it aside, and others never ask and buy online elsewhere. If a shop with no online ordering misses 12 orders a month at $47£35€42A$67C$66 each, that's $559£420€500A$806C$790 a month going to bigger websites.
What the AI does
Square Online is Square's online shop. Its plans page says every plan, including the free one, has click and collect and syncs items, orders and stock with Square's tills, so an item sold in the shop comes off the website. Choose which lines to show online, add good photos and honest descriptions, and set collection hours. Online card fees are 1.4% + 25p for UK cards. Plus, at $27£20€24A$38C$38 a month billed annually, adds a custom domain and preorders, which a shop doesn't need to start.
A worked example
A gift and homewares shop in Harrogate with three staff, already on Square for Retail. It puts 200 of its best lines online for click and collect on the free plan and expects about 12 orders a month.
Before
No online ordering: 0 orders from customers who can't visit
After
12 click and collect orders a month at $47£35€42A$67C$66 = $559£420€500A$806C$790; card fees 12 x ($0.65£0.49€0.58A$0.94C$0.92 + $0.33£0.25€0.30A$0.48C$0.47) = about $12£9€11A$17C$17
What it's worth
About $223£168€200A$323C$316 a month in profit, at an assumed 40% margin on $559£420€500A$806C$790 of extra sales ($559£420€500A$806C$790 x 0.4). The 12 orders a month is an assumption, not a promise. The Square Online free plan costs $0£0€0A$0C$0; online card fees are about $12£9€11A$17C$17 a month in the example.
How to set it up
- Set up Square Online from your Square account on the free plan.
- Pick the lines you keep reliably in stock and add your own photos and checked descriptions.
- Set collection hours and how customers will be told their order is ready.
- Place a test order and walk it through: pick, bag, collection and refund.
- Do a quick count of the online lines every week so the website matches the shelves.
What goes wrong
- Online stock is only right if every sale, return and breakage goes through the till; a wrong count means refunding an order you can't fill.
- Online sales carry a 14-day right to cancel for most items; check your returns policy covers click and collect orders.
- Free plan sites carry a Square address rather than your own domain; Plus at $27£20€24A$38C$38 a month adds a custom domain.
- Descriptions and photos must match the item; don't copy supplier claims you can't back up.