Square debuts order-ahead option on its POS software

Payments company Square debuted Tuesday a new feature to its point-of-sale software that allows merchants using Square Market to offer an order ahead and pickup tool, as well as additional functionality that provides an offline processing mode and inventory tracking.

With the web-based pickup feature, users pay for items and schedule a time to retrieve the items at the merchant's tore or restuarant. The feature integrates with Square Register, which Square said makes the order fulfillment process quick and seamless. 

It seems as though Square assumes the function will help merchants make sales they otherwise may not have, and it's charging a hefty 8 percent processing fee per order, with an introductory rate of 2.75 percent through July 1. 

In addition, Square also introduced Offline Mode, a setting enabling sellers to use Square's mobile register, including accepting credit card payments, when temporarily without Internet connection. Payments swiped offline are processed when a connection is reestablished.

Finally, Square is touting a new inventory tracking feature as one of its most requested. It gives sellers a free way to track their item stock when selling both in person and online, with sellers managing inventory in their web dashboard.

Square said the features rolled out early in (where else) San Francisco and New York. In February, Uniqlo offered Square's pickup tool to customers looking to pre-order Valentine's Day gifts and pick them up in store, and customers at Bay Area Whole Foods Market stores have been pre-ordering sandwiches with the tool.