Credit Card Processing Equipment

Point-of-Sale Terminals

Point-of-Sale terminals allow a customer to slide their credit card through a terminal to verify transactions in real-time. Look for a terminal package specific to your industry. Not only will the point-of-sale terminal(s) be suitable for your business, but the supporting package should be geared to suit your needs as well.

Point-of-Sale terminals begin at about $350, but can cost up to $1,500 for high-end models. Some vendors will allow you to lease the equipment for a monthly fee.

Card Present Service (Terminals)

In most cases, the point-of-sale terminal is connected to the merchant account provider¡¯s network via a private dial or leased line. This allows real-time verification. In some cases, the point-of-sale terminals connect to a computer system. The provider will likely offer to install everything for a set-up fee.

Software starts at $400. A dependable modem is also required.

Card Not-Present Service (mail/phone)

For mail orders and low-volume phone orders, customer transactions are entered into a computer system (or in some cases, a point-of-sale terminal). Transactions can be integrated into your existing customer database.The provider will likely offer to install everything for a set-up fee.

Software must be loaded onto each computer (starting at $400). A modem must be connected to the merchant account provider¡¯s network via a private dial or leased line.

Card Not-Present Internet Application Service (phone)

If you expect to process a high volume of phone transactions (several per hour plus), consider an Internet application service. This service allows quick real-time verification of each transaction, reducing the potential for chargeback fees and entry errors.

The Internet application package begins at $400; dedicated internet access is required; and there is a Monthly Gateway Fee.

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