Some of the biggest companies in the world are flocking to wireless payments systems, but it’s the small business owner and aspiring entrepreneur that stand to gain most from this increasingly ubiquitous technology.
According to North American Bancard, a juggernaut provider of merchant services to more than 180,000 businesses in North America, the flea market scene is where the growth of mobile payments has turned business-as-usual completely upside down… but for the better.
“Flea markets are fun, swarming environments where like-minded, independent merchants can earn money for their passions with minimal overhead,” says the team at NAB. “Nonetheless, it’s important to have a means for accepting payments in all different forms, even in the most remote of settings. The perfect solution here is wireless payments, which can expedite sales for flea-market merchants.”
Among the categories cited as being particularly ripe for mobile payments include:
Antique Sellers
Antique sales can be lucrative for people who know the trade. Depending on the culture of a particular region, you might do well with art nouveau prints, art deco frames or even dishware dating back to the colonial period, NAB says. But whether you’re selling things from the 1750s or the 1950s, you’ll make the most money by accepting all forms of payment.
Home Craft Sellers
Home craft-making is an enjoyable pastime for anyone with a creative spirit,” From baskets and kites to ceramics and crochets, there are certain handmade staples that sell well at flea markets. The ultimate dream for the average home-craftsperson is to earn a living off his or her passion. Having crafts that sell is your first step; having a means to process payments is the next.
Used Comic Book Sellers
As one of the great American art-forms for more than a century, the niche market of comic books continues to draw big bucks. With fervent collectors in all age groups, dealers can rake in bucks on everything from the Golden Age of Marvel to the underground graphic novels of the last quarter century. Collectors snap up titles impulsively, especially when they can pay by credit or debit card.
According to the latest data and projections from eMarketer, mobile payments will top $1 billion in the United States for 2013. This year’s milestone is the anticipated precursor to mobile payments reaching $58 billion by 2017. So if you haven’t encountered mobile payments at a local business or flea market near you yet… chances are, you soon will.
