The Roadside Stalls project will probably never make money. It’ll probably never break even. And while that’s okay, it is so lovely to have a sponsor helping us. Today we’re proud to announce our first and best sponsor: PayByQR!
What is PayByQR?
PayByQR is a system that allows stall holders to add a QR-code to their stall. When a customer scans the QR they can make a payment to the stall using whatever payment types they currently use on their phone (eg credit card, Apply Pay or Google Pay). It’s probably the easiest way to add a payment system to your roadside stall.
Why would you want PayByQR?
The first and most obvious issue that PayByQR overcomes is how to add an electronic payment system to your stall. That in-turn overcomes the problem of people not having the right amount of cash or not enough cash. We shop at roadside stalls frequently and we know this is always an issue for us. We’re currently driving around with a can full of loose change we inherited. When that runs out we’ll be struggling to find correct change for our purchases. When that happens, we’ll often put stuff back so our purchases fit within our cash budget.
Some people put their BSB details on their stall. We find that a great alternative. It can be an issue for some people though. When you use BSB you’re exposing your personal details to the seller. That doesn’t bother us but it does some people. The other issues is, you have to have a bank app set up on your phone. And it’s a bit cumbersome. I’m not a big fan of BSB payments but it does the job in a pinch.
PayByQR overcomes that by using the phone’s wallet, something most people already have set-up, and by being anonymous and fast.
What we like about PayByQR
If we don’t have the exact cash on us, we like to err on the side of honesty when we are shopping at a roadside stall. But I’m going to assume that not everyone does. Small losses can add up for stall holders. Having a way to accept full payment electronically allows people to pay the full amount. Given the choice to do that, most people will (I hope!).
The other choice shoppers like us face when we don’t have the right cash is returning the goods. It’s a lost sale for the stall. With PayByQR that problem is solved by offering a simple electronic transfer method.
The other big risk for roadside stalls is the cash box. One day we’ll do a post on the most ingenious ways to secure cash. Some are built to survive the apocalypse. Even that doesn’t guarantee someone won’t swipe your money.
Your local moron can’t pinch your electronic funds. Having PayByQR is likely to increase sales and prevent losses.
Attract new customers!
I definitely drive past roadside stalls when I don’t have cash. And I can guarantee others do to. It’s getting to the point where most people don’t carry cash. It stands to reason then, if you offered a cashless transaction you’re going to get more customers. A roadside stall with a sign, “Credit Card Accepted”, or words to that effect, will pull over cars that would otherwise drive past.
Things to consider
The only real deterrent to using PayByQR will be the need for phone reception. Not just Telstra reception either. Many of your customers will have Optus or Vodafone. (I’m on Vodafone. One month left!) The same applies to anyone who offers BSB or Pay ID of course. It’s not a problem unique to PayByQR. It’s more a problem with our patchy cellular network. (Did I mention, one month left.)
How did PayByQR come about
The man behind PayByQR is Alex. Orginally a country boy, he and his wife Tina moved back to the country and started using roadside stalls regularly. His wife even has her own stall now, Bespoke Preserves And Pantry. It occurred to Alex that there had to be an alternative payment system than cash for all payments. This idea rattled around in his brain for a while until COVID, where the usage of QR codes exploded. Alex had an ah-ha moment and started working on the idea behind PayByQR. That lead to the current system, which was first trialed on Bespoke Preserves And Pantry. The stall now takes in about half of its payments through this system.
Who would use PayByQR
This system is great for unattended payments, like farm stands. But also, say, buskers. They’re there but they don’t want to stop their performance to take money.
It would also be great for anyone who wants to offer electronic payments at a one-off event, like a sausage sizzle or charity fair.
I have an online payment portal on my website. We use this occasionally for various reasons, like when the EFTPOS machine broke, or when staff are onsite and don’t have access to the EFTPOS. The rates we pay for that are very similar to PayByQR. The big difference is the ease of use. Our form requires a lot of personal details to be entered. PayByQR would be super easy in comparison.
Ease of use is a major incentive in sales. The smallest bit of sand in the gears is enough for many people to pass on a purchase. I can’t see any system easier than PayByQR.
About the sponsorship
It’s clear from talking to Alex that a large part of his motivation is to help grow avenues for producers to make income. He’s enthusiastic about our project and wants to help it grow. He’s also got a product that will facilitate that growth, making us a great fit. Hopefully this relationship helps people find PayByQR and in turn his service enables them to sell more of their produce and get better returns on it.
For us it means a shot of motivation to help grow this little community. We’re super pleased to have Alex and his PayByQR sponsor us and look forward to what that collaboration might bring.
Hopefully the roadside stall community will rally behind this idea and give it a go. There are no set-up costs so you’ve got nothing to lose. And hopefully, in turn, it provides something that was previously missing, a way to make electronic payments possible on your stall.
