Guarete Figueira’s craftsmanship: how a small arts and crafts business found the perfect POS option.

Using a modern payment processing method is not only possible but vital for a successful micro-business, as it increases sales. The following Portuguese crafts business, located on the Island of Madeira in Portugal, is a good example.

Guarete Figueira is a businesswoman and an artisan who survived many economical challenges and brought her dream to life by starting a micro business called Guarete Figueira – Arts and Crafts. It is the result of her passion for creating handicraft pieces that evoke the Madeiran folklore and traditions with the use of polymer clay. She manages her work together with her husband, Rosendo Figueira.

As Guarete confirms, being a small business owner is not easy.

„We have to work hard to offer our customers attractive pieces of good quality. This means constantly juggling several tasks at once, as we work at home for three days (and sometimes for longer periods) in a bedroom that serves as a workshop. We do everything from choosing quality accessories for costume jewellery making, to selecting the raw materials for these and other pieces which allude to the folklore of our region, stock management, and even dealing with our finances. My husband and I dedicate all our creativity, love and care to making the pieces that we create”, explains Guarete Figueira. However, this was not enough to make our business prosper, and both she and her husband had to consider every possible way to improve their small business.

What makes a business unique?

First of all is the product, of course. At Guarete Figueira – Arts and Crafts, each piece is uniquely different, although there may be similarities between pieces. Each costume jewellery item is made to measure, from the moment the clay becomes flexible when heated by the artisan’s hands. Guarete makes the piece and bakes it for 30 minutes until the product hardens.

Second, to the great product is the convenience for the customer. Besides creating custom pieces in keeping with their client’s preferences, Guarete also has to worry about the payment part of the process.

With time, she began to notice that clients are less likely to make a purchase when they do not have enough money on them and need to go to the nearest cash point. For that reason, Guarete and her husband considered buying a payment terminal for their business.

“After a friend of mine recommended myPOS, I searched their website and found the terminals best suited to fulfil our needs”, said the businesswoman.

Guarete equipped her business not with one, but with two POS devices: the myPOS Go 2 and myPOS Pro.

“When I use myPOS Pro, there is no fear if a customer asks for a printed receipt,” she explained. “On the other hand, myPOS Go 2 works really well for those clients who prefer an electronic receipt. As soon as I enter the clients’ numbers, they receive an SMS. They are always satisfied and so am I!”

Talking about the myPOS platform, Guarete adds: “I can also see the total sales and all fees paid.” In short, the myPOS solution turned out to be everything a merchant needs to accept payments and excel at growing her business.

After four months of using myPOS, Guarete states: “We have noticed that customers feel more comfortable because we take payment by card and, for that reason, they end up buying more items”. Therefore, Guarete and her husband believe they’ll never have to worry about losing another client.

In addition, all myPOS devices are wireless, so business entrepreneurs like Guarete can go anywhere and accept payments at any time. The devices are always connected to the internet, thanks to the free SIM card included that comes pre-installed.

But what does myPOS do best for micro-business owners?

A myPOS business account allows all companies, regardless of size, to get their funds in a few seconds at no additional charges. As a myPOS customer, you get a free business card for instant access to the accepted funds. This allows you to immediately use your revenue for your business needs.

Thanks to all these benefits, Guarete and her husband are able to go to their favourite arts and crafts fairs sites three times a week to sell their products. As a small business, they are proud to offer their clients innovative payment methods, thanks to myPOS. Most of all, however, Guarete is thankful that her art can reach so many tourists, becoming a part of their memories from the Island of Madeira that people take back home with them.