Shopify Brings its Chip and Tap Card Reader to Canada

Need to Know 

• As part of its next effort to support small businesses during the pandemic, Shopify is bringing its Tap and Chip Card Reader to Canada.
• The new hardware device allows shoppers to pay with contactless methods when using their credit cards, debit cards, or Apple Pay and Google Pay.
• This initiative is one of many moves Shopify has recently launched to support Canadian retailers during the ongoing pandemic.

Analysis

Shopify has announced that the e-commerce company is bringing contactless payment options to Canadian retailers, allowing them to prepare to re-open stores in a post-quarantine world. 

The new Tap and Chip Card Reader is a hardware device that was previously not yet available in Canada. The POS add-on allows customers to pay by “tapping” their debit card, credit card, or Apple Pay and Google Pay devices. 

The Tap and Chip Card Reader devices are also mobile-friendly, meaning retail staff can meet their customers at the door or at the curbside, allowing for more flexible payment options. 

“We want to help local businesses in Canada to become more resilient, and we know technology can help,” said Ian Black, director of retail at Shopify. “Shopify POS and our Tap and Chip Reader allows retailers to re-open their doors while prioritizing safety; with contactless payments, curbside pickup and local delivery. We are empowering Canadian retailers to unify their online and offline businesses in one place, so they can continue making sales whether consumers are in-store or at home.”

Naturally, the card reader is also integrated with Shopify Payments, the system used by Shopify merchants to manage their financials, both online and in-store, all in one place. 

According to Shopify, by using their POS system, Canadian retailers have been able to adapt to delivery and curbside pickup so well that “Shopify’s Canadian retail merchants managed to replace 99% of lost in-store sales with online sales over a six week period.”  

In addition to a recently-revamped POS system, Shopify has embarked on a number of new initiatives to support small businesses throughout the ongoing global lockdown. 

Last month, the retail giants launched Shopify Capital, a small business loan program for Shopify merchants to take advantage of during the pandemic. They’ve also launched an app challenge for developers, with the chance of winning up to $20,000, and a brand new one-stop shop app for conveniently browsing everything Shopify retailers have to offer.