Selecting Credit Card Equipment

With such a large variety of credit card processing equipment on the market today, finding the right one to suit your businesses needs may become a daunting task. Here are a few things you should to think about before you start your search.

1. Will the customer be present at the time of the transaction to swipe their credit card or will the information be keyed in for a card not present transaction? The majority of restaurants and retail businesses are able to swipe a customer’s card because they are present at the time of the sale. For these types of face to face transactions merchants will want to use terminals that have a magnetic card reader and printer or electronic signature capture. Software packages such as IC Verify are also available for merchants who have a PC available or want a gateway for transactions via internet.      
   (Some suggested terminals are the Verifone Omni 3730 LE, Verifone Omni 3750, or the Hypercom Optimum L4100)



2. How many transactions do I expect to do per month? Merchants who perform large amounts of credit card transactions might want to choose a terminal that has an integrated thermal printer. Thermal printers are not only faster than dot matrix printers but they have fewer parts and are generally more reliable.



3. Will a phone line be available? The majority of businesses have at least one phone line available that they can share with a credit card terminal. However merchants who are mobile may need a wireless terminal that can be used from any location similar to a cell phone. There are a large variety of wireless terminals are available today for merchants who are mobile such as trade show merchants, delivery drivers, and even restaurants that want to allow customers to pay at their table. (Suggested terminal: Verifone Vx 610)



4. Is it necessary to have printer? It is not a requirement for merchants to have printers. However, it is in merchants best interests to have hard copies of transactions and if possible the customers signature. It is generally only a few dollars more to purchase terminals with integrated printers and can save merchants more money in the long run by reducing transaction fees and reducing charge backs.



5. Will I be accepting debit cards? Merchants who plan to accept debit cards should consider purchasing a Pin Pad. Many terminals come with integrated Pin Pads and most others allow for the addition of one. Having a Pin Pad that is separate is useful for handing over to customers for Pin entry.  They are extremely durable. Pin Pads can also reduce transaction costs. (Suggested Pin Pads: Verifone PINpad 1000SE, Verifone SC 5000, or Hypercom S9 Pin Pad)



6. How many merchant accounts will I need? Most businesses only need to have one merchant account but some businesses such as a salon or doctors office may need to have a different account for each merchant. Other business that do large volumes of transactions including phone and swiped transactions may find it cost effective to have a second merchant account. Some of the more popular terminals that offer support for multiple merchant accounts include the Verifone Omni 3730 LE, Nurit 2085, and the Nurit 8320.



7. Which brand of terminal is right for my business? Ballistic Merchant Services would be happy to you to help you find a terminal that would fit your business needs but we do not endorse one brand over another. If you have found a brand that you feel comfortable with you should check out their latest model. Credit card terminals have been evolving rapidly over the past few years and newer models are not only easier to use but they allow you upgrade capabilities.

If you have any further questions or want help determining what type of equipment will be best for you, contact us toll free at (866) 860-3737.