Merchants, whatever be the wares they sell, are all prepared and equipped, to get paid by plastic. This is because Customers typically choose to patronize stores that move shoppers through check-out lines quickly. Credit Card Processing allows you to do just that.
Swipe terminals are the best processing solution for retail businesses, however, POS (Point Of Sale) Software can be used also. POS terminals, primarily, are used in a “Card Present” situation. “Card Present” means that at least 80% of your business is done face-to-face with your customers so you can “swipe” or “slide” the card through the terminal. Card swiping is the least expensive of processing solutions, because they are considered to be the lowest risk of fraud. Most terminals work with phone lines, however, they do make portable ones that operate off of air-waves or with a cell phone. These types of portable POS terminals are good for taking to trade shows where their is no phone jack present to plug a regular POS terminal into.
While some POS terminals are only meant for credit card processing, there are others that may be used for Debit/ ATM card Processing, EBT processing, Gift/ Loyalty card processing, smart card processing and Check conversion/ authorization. Not all terminals support other processing solutions mentioned above. Check with a Merchant Account Provider or equipment manufacturer for details. The pricing greatly depends on the units features and how much the Merchant Account Provider wants to profit off of a terminal sale.
Some things to look for when shopping for the right credit card processing terminal for your business include a terminal that supports AVS (Address Verification System), and an integrated printer, that supports thermal printing. The following bundled solutions offer a terrific deal for any retail business.
Hypercom T7Plus, recommended for Dial up connections: This latest model is designed for merchants requiring a compact countertop POS terminal accepting all magnetic stripe cards and delivering fast online transaction authorizations. It features the completely new SureLoadTM printer with significantly faster receipts delivery, and has an attractive, compact design.
Verifone Omni 3750: This POS terminal is all about power, flexibility and performance! Along with an ATM style interface, large display, printing capabilities and an integrated PIN pad in a compact, “hand-over” design, the Verifone Omni 3750 offers smart card capabilities.
Verifone Omni 3200SE: The Omni 3200SE offers an ATM-style interface, good memory, Fast processing, integrated “clam-shell” printer that features drop-in loading, and supports for all payment types. This model is a bestseller with its fresh new look and customizable faceplates. It has a 30% smaller footprint than its predecessors, and is fully backward compatible with the Omni 3200, resulting in faster time-to-market .