クレジットカード革命 — Squareを使ってみた

Squareはクレジットカード業界の常識を覆す、と言っても過言ではない。消費者の利便向上もさることながら、今までクレジットカードを取り扱うことができなかった非常に多くの事業者やさらに個人に対してまで、クレジットカード決済の道を拓いたことの意義は大きい。
　Squareはとは、スマートフォンやタブレットに小型のカードリーダーを取り付けてクレジットカード決済を可能にするサービスである。本稿ではクレジットカード革命ともいえるSquareを実際に使ってみて、ユーザー、すなわちクレジットカードでの支払いを受け付ける事業者（カード取扱店）の立場から評価し、これまでクレジットカード業界の常識とされていた諸事情がどれだけ変わるのかを考察する。

It would not be an exaggeration to say that ‘Square’ has the capacity to overturn what are perceived as 'common sense' practices currently underpinning the credit card industry. Put simply, Square is a credit card payment service, using a micro-size card reader that can be simply attached to a smartphone or tablet device allowing consumer transactions. Of course this allows greater convenience to consumers, but more significantly, the technology has paved the way for numerous small businesses, and even individuals, to accept credit card payments in a way, and at a level, until now considered impossible.
Drawing upon the author’s hands-on experience and evaluating from the viewpoint of a user, i.e., a merchant accepting credit card payments, this paper demonstrates how Square, a technological breakthrough in credit card payments, has the ability to change common practices within the credit card industry. This report will help readers understand the present and future status of Square by presenting a number of examples of actual usages of the service in the United States, as well as reactions to these developments by companies in the industry.
The service is currently available only in the United States, but may be expanded overseas from 2012 onwards. As a technological development, it can drastically change conventional business practices and help small businesses achieve remarkable growth. It is expected that the service will grow as a new business area to fill a niche market within the industry.