Category Archives: Small Businesses

SCVNGR launches special local deals for start-ups!

by Eric Posted on April 7, 2011

Truly awesome local deals that will benefit start-ups.  You go Scvngr!

From VentureBeat:

Scvngr, a check-in app that asks users to complete activity challenges, recently launched LevelUp, a pilot in the local deals space. Now it’s offering a deal aimed specifically at entrepreneurs and their startups, dubbed “LevelUp Your Startup.”

Traditionally, local deal services such as LevelUp (and more-established players such as Groupon and LivingSocial) feature things like massages or restaurant discounts. However, this local deal, only available in Boston and Philadelphia, will allow entrepreneurs to incorporate, get their books in shape and have lunch with well-known venture capitalists Google Ventures, Highland Capital Partners and Common Angels in Boston and NextStage Capital, Robin Hood Angels and Dreamit Ventures in Philly.

The companies and prices involved in the LevelUp include legal services Foley Hoag in Boston and Morgan Lewis in Philly for $250 ($2800 value) as well as accounting firms Raphael & Raphael in Boston and PartenteBeard in Philadelphia for $150 ($2000 value).

The proceeds from this particular LevelUp deal will go to MassChallenge in Boston and Startup Corps in Philly, two organizations that help connect startups with valuable resources, like investors.

Source: VentureBeat

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Chase Paymentech Offering Chase Instant Storefront for SBOs

by Eric Posted on April 6, 2011

Awesome news for small business owners who are trying to create an online storefront for their businesses.  Chase Paymentech is introducing “Instant Storefront”, which all Chase Business checking account holder can take advantage of.  Here’s how it works:

For small business owners, Chase Instant StorefrontTM offers the ability to create a customized e-commerce website or dedicated checkout system that would expand sales through products sold online.

Small business owners can pick a template, upload store or company logos, and begin selling products online in minutes. After customers make a purchase, the money is usually deposited into your Chase Business checking account the next business day.

Chase is charging a monthly fee for this service ($29.95), but there’s all sorts of promo going on where they’re waiving application fees, set-up fees, POS fees, etc.

Chase is collecting $0.20 per transaction authorization and 2.18% per credit swipe and 1.95% per debit swipe.  This is much lower than what folks like @Square charges, by the way (I believe it’s 2.75% per credit swipe for Square).

You can sign up here, or visit your local branch to sign up.  Let me know if you do – would love to get a sense of the user experience!

Source: MyBankTracker

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Inc’s review on “5 Mobile Payment Tools for Business”

by Eric Posted on April 1, 2011

As the proud owner of a Intuit GoPayment reader and a Square reader, I can say that out of the two I much prefer the Square dongle (I am having some compatibility issues with my Nexus S).  Of course, I would rather prefer not having to use a dongle at all.

If you’re interested in getting a mobile payment device for your business, check out the article – Inc also covered OboPay, payWave, and Swipe.

Source: Inc

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