First Data’s Clover Platform Takes SMBs Digital

While Square is going after Stripe (and BlueSnap, and PayPal, etc.) with its recent offering that allows merchants to accept payments online, it appears that First Data is hot on its tail.

After, earlier this year, launching Clover Go — which competes with Square in the realm of mobile payment acceptance — First Data yesterday (April 20) announced the launch of Clover Online Store, a solution that — similarly to the capabilities offered by Square’s “Build With Square” tool set — allows small businesses to build their own websites for making sales online, while offering a platform for the monitoring of all transactions, whether they were made online or in-store.

“Clover Online Store provides business owners with an ‘all-in-one’ integrated solution that includes shopping cart functionality, Web design and all of the business management features that come with Clover,” Guy Chiarello, president of First Data, stated in a press release. “Better yet, Clover Online Store is backed by First Data, the eCommerce industry leader that powers 28 percent of global online transactions.”

The release outlines a number of features offered by Clover Online Store, including data protection technology, search engine optimization, integration of shipping charges and customizable tax rates, live help support and integration with social media.

“Clover is unique in the marketplace because it has always operated as an open platform, which we feel is critical to the evolution of our SMB portfolio,” commented Dan Charron, EVP of global business solutions at First Data, in the press release. “Clover Online Store demonstrates the flexibility of the Clover API and is an example of the power and ingenuity of the new First Data.”