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Can I Buy A Used Clover POS? Here’s How To Avoid Scams
If you're looking to buy a used Clover POS system, the pitfalls are numerous. There are better ways to find a new Clover machine.
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Expert Analyst & Reviewer
UPDATED
Advertiser Disclosure: Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships, and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity.
Can you buy a used Clover POS? Absolutely! Should you? No!
While you can certainly find a used Clover POS system for sale on eBay or Amazon, buying one is never a good idea. Used Clover POS machines are not reprogrammable, and new systems are always sold with a merchant services contract, which you should never enter into lightly. Buying a used machine from a private seller on a site like eBay or Craigslist means their merchant contract won’t transfer to you, and the merchant services providers selling Clover POS machines on a site like Amazon are not usually reputable companies.
Keep reading for all the used Clover POS scams out there and how to avoid them, plus some POS system alternatives if you decide Clover isn’t for you.
Table of Contents
Why You Can’t Reprogram A Clover Machine
Many merchant services providers can reprogram terminals so you can reuse equipment from a previous provider. Clover doesn’t allow that—your device is locked to whatever merchant services provider you got the machine from. This means you can’t buy a used Clover POS and have your MSP reprogram it.
The problem with an unreprogrammable system is that you will be stuck with whichever merchant services provider you buy your Clover from. And not all merchant service providers are created equal. Some of them have good customer service; some have terrible customer service. Some charge lots of hidden fees, while others are fair and straightforward about the fees they charge. Some require years-long service contracts, while others are month-to-month.
As you might imagine, being stuck with a poor-quality merchant services provider is a nightmare for any small business.
Common Clover Equipment For Sale: Pricing Guide
Clover POS is sold by many different banks, merchant services providers (MSPs), and even retail stores, such as Sam’s Club. You will almost always pay the MSRP if you purchase your POS equipment from Clover.com, but pricing can vary if you buy from another party.
Use our table as a guide for Clover POS costs (based on Clover MSRP).
Clover Equipment Costs
| Clover Station Solo | Clover Station Duo | Clover Mini | Clover Flex | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Pricing | $1,699 | $1,799 | $799 | $599 |
| Hardware Included | Station, cash drawer, receipt printer | Station, customer-facing display, cash drawer, receipt printer | Clover Mini with built-in receipt printer and scanner (cash drawer sold separately) | Clover Flex with built-in receipt printer and scanner (cash drawer sold separately) |
| Compatible Software Plans | Register, Table Service, Counter Service | Register, Table Service, Counter Service | Essentials, Register, Table Service, Counter Service | Essentials, Register, Table Service, Counter Service |
| Monthly Hardware Payment Plan (If you can’t purchase in full) | $120/month | $130/month | $45/month | $35/month |
Common Clover Scams & Tactics To Be Aware Of
A common Clover scam is for a seemingly low-priced Clover system to be sold with a predatory merchant services contract that will cost you a small fortune in the long term. Another scam is a POS hardware scam that involves sellers hawking used Clover equipment online without mentioning that the hardware is unusable because it can’t be reprogrammed.
What To Know Before Buying On eBay
It is not difficult to find a Clover machine for sale on eBay. Some used Clover POS systems on eBay are sold “untested” or “as-is,” which usually means the system is unusable and can only be junked “for parts.” New Clover systems are also sold on eBay with a merchant services account.
The main issue with Clover POS systems sold on eBay is that a merchant services contract is not something you should enter into lightly and certainly not something you should enter into on eBay. Most merchant service providers who sell Clover on eBay are not providing a fair deal, as they can easily sneak hidden fees and long-term commitments into their contracts.
What To Know About Buying On Amazon
Like eBay, Amazon’s marketplace allows MSPs to sell Clover POS hardware with merchant service contracts. The concern with buying a Clover POS on Amazon is that you can’t trust a random Amazon seller to provide a good merchant services contract.
Most merchant service providers selling Clover hardware on Amazon are fly-by-night companies you’ve never heard of. Even though they may be selling for less than MSRP and advertise low processing rates, you have no idea what level of customer service they offer, their warranty policy, or what added fees they may charge.
Where To Buy A Clover Machine
There’s nothing wrong with shopping for a Clover machine for sale online, as long as you buy from a reputable company. Don’t buy used Clover equipment on eBay (it won’t work) or buy a new Clover system on Amazon (it will come attached to a shady MSP).
So where do we recommend buying a Clover machine? Fortunately, several high-quality merchant services providers sell Clover POS with a fair and transparent payment processing contract.
If you prefer to use a payment processing model such as interchange-plus or cash discount, you have options. Dharma Merchant Services or VizyPay are great places to start. We’ve put together an excellent resource about the best Clover resellers, which you should read to find a good Clover POS deal.
How To Choose The Right Clover Machine For Your Business
To get the right Clover machine for your business, you have to consider the hardware, software, and merchant services aspects of your POS system. You have to find a Clover machine that’s compatible with the software plan you want to use, the size and weight you want, and a merchant services provider that offers the Clover machine you want.
These are some things to consider when looking for the right Clover hardware:
- How portable do you want your Clover machine to be?
- How large do you want your POS screen to be?
- How much space do you have on your counters (if any) for a POS machine?
- Do you want customers to be able to verify their orders?
- Do you accept large volumes of cash?
- How much do you want to spend on your Clover POS?
As an example, let’s say you run a food truck. You’ll want a Clover machine that doesn’t take up too much space and works with the software plan you want (which will probably be the Counter Service Restaurant plan). You’ll want customers to be able to use their phone or hold their card up to a card reader, but you may also want a larger screen for actually inputting orders.
In this case, you could stick with the lower-cost Clover Flex to take orders and payments. You could also purchase a Clover Station Duo and place the Clover Mini part of the setup just inside your window so customers can verify orders and pay on their own screen while you take orders on a larger one, which takes more physical space and initial investment but could be worth it in the long run when you’re not awkwardly passing a mobile POS machine back and forth with customers.
After you find the right Clover machine(s), you have to find a solid merchant services provider that offers good merchant agreements and reasonable payment processing rates for your business. Learn how to negotiate a merchant agreement for the best contract terms.
Clover Not For You? Here Are Some Good Alternatives
If you’re learning for the first time that Clover POS equipment is not reprogrammable or reusable with a different merchant account, you might be reconsidering whether you want to buy a Clover POS at all.
Clover is one of the best POS systems, but many merchants want a more flexible system that allows them to purchase pre-owned POS equipment. Or, you may want POS equipment that you can reprogram for use with a different POS software or merchant account down the road.
The following are a few alternatives that provide more flexibility than Clover when it comes to POS equipment. For a more comprehensive look at available Clover competitors, read our post on the best Clover alternatives for small businesses.
Square: Can Be Purchased New Or Used
Square is a free POS app with no contract. Though Square does sell proprietary equipment that can’t be used with another system (Square Terminal and Square Register), you also have the option to use Square on a universal iPad POS setup.
Why We Recommend Square
Square is the ultimate free POS — you only pay a flat rate for processing. Square is incredibly versatile in that you can use it with just about any type of small business, and it also works with mobile POS hardware setups. You can use Square with an iPad on a $199 Square Stand (pictured above), which swivels and includes built-in payment acceptance, or you can use one of Square’s proprietary hardware systems. You can even use Square to sell with a smartphone.
If you want to buy used equipment, you can easily find it on eBay or Amazon, and it’s equally easy to set up this hardware with your own Square account.
Toast: Can Be Purchased New Or Used
Toast is one of the best Android-based POS systems for restaurants. Toast recommends purchasing your proprietary POS equipment from the company directly, though it is possible to buy used Toast equipment online and use it with your Toast subscription.
Why We Recommend Toast
Unlike Clover, Toast POS is specifically designed for restaurants. As one of the best restaurant POS systems, it offers numerous features with built-in payment processing. You can buy your Toast POS equipment new at a reasonable price ($799 for a Toast Flex terminal, payment device, and router) or even get it for free — though you’ll be charged a higher payment processing rate on the free plan. It is also possible to buy used or refurbished Toast equipment on eBay and activate it with your Toast account. Just make sure you confirm with Toast that said equipment will work with your system, as they have phased out support for some older tablets.
One of the only downsides of Toast is that it requires a two-year contract with an early termination fee. Before committing to Toast, make sure this is a POS system that will work for your restaurant business long-term.
Lightspeed POS: Can Be Purchased New Or Used
Lightspeed provides cloud POS software for restaurants and retail that uses a standard iPad POS setup. Lightspeed prefers you source your equipment from them to ensure it’s compatible, but you have the option to use any new or used iPad POS equipment with your Lightspeed account.
Why We Recommend Lightspeed
Lightspeed offers industry-specific POS software packages, including Lightspeed Retail, Lightspeed Restaurant, and Lightspeed Golf (if you are searching for one of the best POS systems for golf, or other niche businesses). And it is the clear winner as one of the best POS systems for inventory management.
This iPad POS has reasonable monthly pricing and comes with built-in flat-rate payment processing. Unlike Square or Toast, you have the option to use an outside payment processor with Lightspeed, though you will pay a higher monthly fee if you use an outside processor. Lightspeed also incentivizes businesses to pay for a year of service upfront (the price is higher if you pay monthly).
Lightspeed uses pretty standard iPad POS equipment that’s easy to source yourself if you don’t want to buy a new hardware bundle from the company directly. Lightspeed makes it easy by listing all compatible POS hardware on its website. Lightspeed Retail can also be used with a desktop PC setup.
FAQs: Used Clover POS Systems
Nicolette Kier
Expert Analyst & Reviewer
As a small business owner, contributing writer Nicolette Kier has been sharing her knowledge on all things related to freelancing and eCommerce since 2019. She earned a BS in Physics and a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Pittsburgh.
View Nicolette Kier's professional experience on LinkedIn.
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