As one of the first global mobile payment solutions, PayPal Here is helping small businesses, including salons, barbershops and independent service providers, accept almost any form of payment. The service includes a free app and fully encrypted thumb-sized card reader, which turns any iPhone—and soon Android smartphone—into a mobile payment solution. With PayPal Here, stylists and barbers can accept debit and credit cards, checks and PayPal using one simple product.

By offering clients more payment options, salons, spas and barbers are realizing more sales opportunities. The service provider can accept payments by swiping cards in the card reader, scanning cards and checks using their phone cameras, or manually entering card information into the app. They can also send an invoice and set payment terms directly from the app. And, of course, they can accept PayPal payments in a brand new way.

Travis Sweeney, an independent barber with Shane’s Barbershop and Shave Parlor in San Mateo, California, has used PayPal Here for a year and a half, and says in what has been a traditional cash-pay business, having payment options has improved client retention, as well as his ability to up-sell. “Often, clients would just bring in enough cash for their haircut, so it was challenging to sell them a product or an add-on service like gray blending,” he says. “A majority of my clients were PayPal users already, so it was relatively easy to get them to use it for their services. And, I’ve also found when clients pay using PayPal they tend to tip higher than when using cash.”

PayPal also released a consumer app that complements PayPal Here, by allowing users to access the ‘Local’ feature to find nearby businesses that accept the mobile payment system. Once the client is ready to pay, they can simply notify the merchant with a quick tap on their phone and merchants can use PayPal Here to accept the payment by simply referencing the shopper’s name and picture—no wallet is needed.

“Helping small businesses grow and accept payments has been in PayPal’s DNA since its inception 14 years ago,” said PayPal’s vice president of mobile, David Marcus. “We’ve heard small businesses loud and clear. They don’t want to miss sales opportunities because they can’t accept the payment type that their customers want to use. They want quick access to their money, a reliable card reader, and one transparent, low fee to process these payments. I’m thrilled to launch PayPal Here because we’ve been able to bring all of these key features together into a product that’s so simple to use.”

PayPal Here offers a competitive fee structure with no monthly account or set-up fees. Merchants pay a simple flat rate of 2.7 percent for card swipes and PayPal payments. In addition, every PayPal Here merchant receives a business debit card for quick access to cash and 1 percent cash-back on eligible purchases. If merchants use the debit card for purchases, their fees effectively come down to 1.7 percent.

“Everyone is really busy these days,” says Sweeney. “Making it easier to pay for a service keeps business running smoothly.”

Beyond all of the unique capabilities offered by PayPal Here, the key differences from other existing mobile payment solutions are that it includes PayPal’s world-class fraud management capabilities, as well as 24x7 live customer support. PayPal has more than 100 million customers around the globe and 13 years of experience providing secure payment products that have helped millions of merchants grow their businesses globally.

PayPal is a faster, safer way to pay and get paid online. The service allows people to send money without sharing financial information, with the flexibility to pay using their account balances, bank accounts, credit cards or promotional financing. With 106 million active accounts in 190 markets and 25 currencies around the world, PayPal enables global commerce.  More information about the company can be found at www.paypal.com.