PayPal has announced that it is discontinuing its Here POS services, which have been on sale for the last 11 years. The change went live on April 3, with the company ceasing support for the Here card reader devices and the PayPal Here app. Instead, users are being urged to switch to PayPal’s Zettle range of products, which were announced last year. The move means that users will need to purchase new hardware, with PayPal recommending Zettle-branded devices. Those who purchased a PayPal Here device after February 1 will receive a full refund to invest in new hardware.
The shift to the Zettle range could prove costly for some businesses that have recently purchased a PayPal Here device but missed the February deadline for a refund. PayPal is practically enforcing a full hardware upgrade by stating that “After April 3, 2023, all elements of the PayPal?Here product including devices, the app, and SDK will no longer be supported in the US and will stop working.”
The new card reader will cost users $29 for the first device and $79 for subsequent devices, while a full terminal with a barcode scanner will cost $199 plus a $40 supplement. Users will be charged 9 cents plus 2.29% for card-present and QR code transactions. However, invoices and manual entries will increase that percentage to 3.49%, potentially making it more expensive for small businesses. This could spell disaster for PayPal as it competes with other POS services such as Square.
PayPal has advised users to dispose of their now-deprecated devices according to local e-waste regulations. Alternatively, devices can be sent to PayPal’s address for disposal: PayPal, Inc., Attn:? Hardware Operations, 2211 North First St., San Jose, CA? 95131.
