Posted on 02/11/2021 12:25:12 PM PST by nickcarraway
A California state park concessionaire is accusing the contactless payment operator Square of abruptly deactivating their account without warning.
The shop believes the misunderstanding involves the sale of non-firing replica firearms.
Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey is the CEO of Square, Inc. The company began as a portable credit card reader geared toward small businesses.
Columbia Booksellers and Variety Store is contracted with Columbia Historic State Park in Tuolumne County, which is a preserved 1850s gold rush town.
“The building was built in 1854,” owner Michael Sharp said. “Columbia became a boomtown overnight and there were thousands of miners and prospectors in the heyday between 1850 and 1870. So, the Columbia State Historic Park interprets that time period. So, all of the shops that are here — the merchants — are state park concessions.”
Michael and Rosanna Sharp used Square until January when they were deactivated.
“We received an email — kind of a boilerplate email — from Square that says our account is being deactivated. That we have violated Section 3 of their payment terms,” Sharps explained. “We’re baffled. Rosanna is getting ready to go to work, and I open my email and realize we can’t open today.”
The couple explained not only were they not warned, they weren’t given a clear reason why. However, when they read through the sections mentioned, they found the sale of firearms are prohibited.
“What we have in the case are non-firing, non-operable replicas of 18th and 19th-century firearms,” Sharps explained. “These firearms tell the story of Columbia. They tell the story of California history, and U.S. history as well. None of these can be modified to fire a live round. They really are just expensive toys.”
California State Parks would not comment on the specific issue with Square, Inc. but confirmed it was made aware of the situation.
“Functional weapons are not permitted. Columbia Booksellers is in compliance with their contract with California State Parks,” in an excerpt of a statement to KCRA3. “Concessionaires are contracted to embody the experience, setting and ambiance of this era, in the spirit of the department mission to provide cultural education for the public.”
Square, Inc. declined an interview or statement on the Sharps’ matter. But the company closes customer accounts if they violate Square’s terms of service.
“The frustrating part about it all was the fact that they wouldn’t tell us anything specific, as far as which item in that section we were violating,” Sharps said. “The fact that they did not call first. The fact that they didn’t at least email us and warn us that, ‘Hey, we think you might be in violation. Can we talk about this? Or can you explain what these things are?’”
Although Square indicated existing customers have multiple methods to contact their team — including by phone and email — KCRA 3 could not find what options are available for accounts that have been deactivated.
“I’m trying to call our account manager and explain that these aren’t real. They don’t fire. If that’s what it is? Is it something else? They just will not talk to us and tell us specifically what it is,” Sharps said. “But I feel like, if they would have picked up the phone and just called us, a five-minute phone conversation would have cleared this whole thing up.”
The Sharps' were able to re-open after finding a new credit card operating system. However, their online store is still closed for sales because they need to re-enter their inventory of nearly 3,000 items.
“We had our point-of-sale cash register, we have our website and online store is on Square, we have our customer loyalty program that keeps tracks of points so people can earn discounts. Our gift cards are on Square,” Sharp explained. “We have reached out on numerous occasions with Square; they have been unresponsive.”
The Sharps estimate $4,000 in losses between their storefront closure for two weeks, and lack of online sales.
“They are treating us with contempt as if we’ve done something wrong,” Sharps said. “It’s frustrating that you cannot just get ahold of anybody.”
Welcome to the cancel culture.
Anyone who lets Jack Dorsey , (Or Zuckerberg or Google etc.) process their payments DESERVES to lose money.
When I purchase something in a small shop and they use a card reader plugged into an iPhone, I always ask who the payment processor is.
If they use Square, I cancel my purchase or pay in cash.
I have cancelled 4 purchases so far.
When I cancel the purchase, I tell them why... because Square is trying to take away 2nd Amendment which sell firearms and ammo.
Hmmm. I didn’t realize cash registers were hooked up to Square. I though it was only those card readers plugged into iPhones.
This changes things. Looks like I will need to be asking more questions and cancelling even more purchases.
They are criminalizing the thought of a gun. Next it will be criminalizing the possession of a gun but ONLY FOR NON-VIOLENT citizens!.
Hey -we woke people could get a fake wound from a fake gun doncha know?!
Will have to go to a fake hospital for fake emergency services then a fake head doctor for fake counseling.
They can got to a fake hospital for fake treatment. They’re a bit like children what with living in a fantasy world.
This doesn’t end well...
Someone is going to get majorly upset.
I don’t advocate it, but people being people, they’ll only
take so much.
The Left has far exceeded their sell-by date.
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