Getting Paid

It will be interesting to see how innovators rethink how we do things that are currently in a state of flux. Improvements seem to come in stages, with a departure from how things have always been done (or not done) and the sometimes awkward stages before a new workable solution comes about. How we keep in touch, how we form communities, how we buy and enjoy music - all of these things are changing and perhaps we have not reached a long lasting solution yet. They are still in development. you have the converts, the skeptics, and at some point, we turn the corner and there is a new way of doing things that everyone just has to accept until the next sea change.

This article making the rounds is an example of an innovation that looks promising:

State of the Art
A Simple Swipe on a Phone, and You’re Paid
By DAVID POGUE
Published: September 29, 2010

Of course, other places, cell phone users have found it commonplace to pay via their cellphones. This service offers another option for getting paid for non-store purchases. Making use of the computer that is your cellphone, the Square up system allows users to exchange funds and track purchases/sales. It will be interesting to watch how these services pan out.

So let’s say someone from Craigslist comes over to buy your old junk. You snap the Square reader into your phone or tablet. You tap in the amount of the purchase; it could be $1 for a yo-yo, $25 for a box of old records or $12,000 for a used car (there’s no maximum amount). You type a description if you like, and maybe even take a photo of what you’re selling.

You input the payer's card information and bob's your uncle.