Market Stalls
How to Accept Payments at a NZ Farmers Market
Many NZ market stall holders still run cash-only — not because they want to, but because EFTPOS terminals are expensive and impractical for a weekend stall. Here's how to accept card and bank payments at any farmers market without renting hardware.
Why EFTPOS terminals don't suit market stalls
Traditional EFTPOS terminals cost $500–$800 to buy outright, or $20–$50 per month to rent. They require a reliable phone line or internet connection — which is rarely guaranteed at an outdoor market. For a part-time or seasonal stall, the monthly cost of renting a terminal often exceeds the benefit.
The result: many vendors either go cash-only and lose sales from customers who don't carry cash, or accept bank transfers manually — which is awkward to verify on the spot and prone to non-payment.
Your payment options at a NZ market stall
- Cash only: Simple but you miss sales from cashless shoppers, which is an increasing share of the market.
- EFTPOS terminal rental: Works, but costs $20–$50/month, requires stable connectivity, and locks you into a contract.
- Manual bank transfer: Awkward to verify on the spot. Customers often forget to pay or enter wrong references.
- QR code payments (Tillify): Customer scans a QR code, pays instantly by bank transfer or card — confirmed in seconds. No hardware, no monthly fee.
How QR code payments work at a market stall
With a QR code payment system like Tillify, you display a printed or on-screen QR code at your stall. The customer scans it with their phone camera — no app download required — and pays by bank transfer or card. You receive instant confirmation.
Pay by Bank supports all five major NZ banks: ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Westpac, and Kiwibank, powered by New Zealand Open Banking APIs. Funds arrive in your account within hours. Card payments (Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay) are also accepted via Stripe.
Many stall holders print a laminated A4 sheet with QR codes for each product (e.g. “Honey — $8.00”, “Jam — $12.00”) or a single open-amount QR code that lets customers type in their total.
What do market stall payments cost with Tillify?
Tillify uses tiered pricing designed to keep small-sale costs low:
- • Sales under $6.25: 5% (minimum $0.10). A $2 punnet of strawberries costs $0.10 in fees.
- • Sales $6.25 and above: 1% + $0.25, capped at $2.50.
- • No monthly fees, no hardware, no contracts.
Use the fee calculator to compare Tillify vs terminal rental based on your actual transaction volume.
Setting up for your next market: step by step
- Create a free Tillify account at tillify.nz/sign-up.
- Connect your NZ bank account for payouts.
- Generate QR codes for your products or a single open-amount code.
- Print your QR codes or keep them on your phone screen.
- Customers scan and pay — funds settle directly to your bank.
Need a stall helper? Share a delegation code so volunteers can take payments on your behalf without needing your login.
Ready to go cashless at your next market?
Free to set up. No hardware. No monthly fees.