The reason is simple - cost, said Greg Buzek, CEO of IHL Group, which recently published the research report, "mPOS: Houston, Do We Have a Problem?"
"Where mPOS, and tablets in particular, have been the most popular is in new mom-and-pop retailers. You can get a tablet POS with software for less than $100 a month. Contrast that to $3,000 to $7,000 up front for a traditional POS," Buzek told PaymentsSource. "Many of these retailers simply purchase these tablet POS, fix them to a stand and then run them like a traditional POS." They use programs like Square, Clover and ShopKeep.
While a stationary terminal is usually cheaper to operate over time, the low cost of entry of mobile hardware is more compelling as a sales pitch, particularly to smaller operators, he said.
