Etsy Reader Unboxing

Etsy Reader Unboxing

I already have Square, Amazon and PayPal Anywhere for accepting credit card payments. My Square reader doesn’t actually scan cards and Amazon has made me jump through hoops to confirm my account information, so I eventually gave up. PayPal was my active payment method by default.

Etsy Enters the Game

When I received an email that Etsy had created their own reader, I didn’t hesitate to order my own. I trust Etsy and appreciate their user interface already. The reader was free, so there was nothing to lose!

I ordered the reader on October 23rd, which was the day I received the email. I received an email that it had shipped on October 28th. The reader actually arrived on November 1st, so it took about a week from the time I ordered until it arrived at my door. It came via Smartpost in a sturdy padded paper envelope, sealed with an Etsy sticker.

The Packaging

The first thing I noticed when I tore open the envelope was that the reader came all wrapped up in a thick chipboard box. It’s almost like a block of wood. There’s no way that thing is getting damaged in transit. It was all held in place by a thick, Etsy-orange rubber band.

The cover card has a cute message on the back. It says “We hope you like your reader as much as we like you. Which is kind of a lot. -Your Friends at Etsy-” Under the rubber band and cover card is an instruction booklet for downloading the Sell on Etsy app. It also lists the cost, which is 2.75% per swipe with no Etsy transaction fees. That’s good news because I was concerned transaction fees might negate the benefit of the reader.

Moving on, under the instructions is a card that advertises the major credit cards accepted with the card reader. Flip it over, and you’ll see this serves double duty. The back has a place to write your shop name so if you have to step away from your booth, customers will still be able to find you. The best part? That sturdy chipboard box has a slot in the back, so you flip it over to make it into a sign holder for the payment card!

The Reader

Once all the cards are removed, we find the actual reader. It’s not much different from the other standard readers, although it has a rubber pad on the back to help brace it and protect your phone when it’s in use. Of course, it’s Etsy orange and has the Etsy name on it, so you’re communicating a trusted brand to your customers.

I’m excited to start taking payments with my Etsy reader. I really appreciate the way it is packaged and how the packaging serves double duty. It’s a very well thought out product and is incredibly easy to use. The accompanying Sell on Etsy app is also super intuitive and easy to use. Etsy came into the card reader game late, but they definitely took the time to do it right. Bravo.

Get your own reader at Etsy.