海角大神

Amazon听is taking direct aim at mobile payment systems such as Square by introducing the听Amazon听Local Register, a credit-card processing device and mobile app designed to help small business owners accept payments through their smartphones and tablets.

The move places the largest U.S. e-commerce retailer in competition with Square and other established mobile payment processing systems such as PayPal Here and Intuit's GoPayment.

Amazon's听technology includes a card reader that attaches to a smartphone, Kindle or tablet. The reader processes credit or debit card payments via a secure听Amazon听network, the same one that processes Amazon.com purchases. The service is designed to serve on-the-go small business owners who might otherwise only accept cash or checks, including massage therapists, food truck operators and artists who sell their work at outdoor fairs.

Small businesses can start using Local Register by creating an account on听. Businesses must buy听Amazon's听card reader for $10, and download the free mobile app from the听Amazon听app store, the Apple app store or Google Play. The app works on most smartphones and tablets, including the Kindle Fire.

Similar to听Amazon's听strategy in many of its businesses, the company aims to compete on price in the mobile payment arena. For customers who sign up for the service by Oct. 31,听Amazon听will take as its fee 1.75 percent of each payment processed, or each "swipe" of the card, a special rate that will last until Jan. 1, 2016. For people who sign up after Oct. 31,听Amazon听will take a service fee of 2.5 percent of each payment processed.

The first $10 in transaction fees will be credited back to the customer, essentially paying for the card reader.

That's below most of its competitors' rates. Square takes a fee of 2.75 percent of each transaction. PayPal Here takes 2.7 percent of each transaction and Intuit's GoPayment rates start at 1.75 percent per transaction if businesses pay a $19.95 monthly rate or 2.4 percent of each transaction without a monthly payment.

"I've actually heard some business owners say the only thing that would make them change (point of sale) systems is cost savings," said Matt Swann, vice president of local commerce for听Amazon.

"Payments are hard and that's one of the things that gets in the way of serving customers, especially for small businesses," Swann said. "Payment tools need to be inexpensive, simple and trusted to get the job done."

Local Register is part of a slew of new products and services that Seattle-based听Amazon听has introduced this year. The company's Fire smartphone debuted this month. In April, it began selling the Fire TV, a media streaming device. Meanwhile,听Amazon听is expanding its same-day delivery service and offering grocery delivery and video and music streaming for its Prime loyalty club members.

Investors have largely given听Amazon听a pass on profit as it focuses on spending the money it makes to grow and expand into new areas. But there are some signs patience may be waning. The company's most recent quarterly report in July showed a deeper-than-expected second quarter loss despite surging revenue. Since then, the company's stock has fallen about 11 percent.

Amazon听has been expanding into the payment space with other products:听Amazon听payments, which lets users with stored credit card or banking information on the听Amazon听site use their听Amazon听login to pay at sites other than听Amazon. And听Amazon听Wallet, a beta app that lets users store gift cards, loyalty and rewards cards and membership cards and redeem them in store or online.

The launch of Local Register comes amid a months-long battle between Amazon and book publisher Hachette. The turmoil started because Amazon made e-book prices $9.99, a lower selling price than Hachette wants. Over the weekend, Amazon picked another fight with Disney, as reported by 海角大神.听

In a clear echo of its battle with Hachette, Amazon is not accepting pre-orders of forthcoming Disney DVD and Blu-ray titles like 鈥淐aptain America: The Winter Soldier鈥� and 鈥淢aleficent.鈥� 听

The move shows that Amazon is willing to take aggressive measures across the industry 鈥� including harming its own image or short-term sales 鈥� in order to strengthen its negotiating leverage and protect its pricing preferences.

Now it looks as though Amazon is can add Square and PayPal to its list of enemies.