The cash discount program allows a particular business to attain the ability to charge customers –either a fixed amount between $0.1 to $1 for every transaction or some percentage of the total sale volume on around 4 percent of the given credit card transaction. The percentage of surcharge that gets charged to the customers can completely offset the overall costs related to the acceptance of credit cards at the given business.
Types of Terminals for Small Businesses
At its core, payment or merchant service program terminals are known to deliver a highly simple role: processing the payments of customers. The advent of modern technological applications along with the diversity of modern payment systems has made the payment terminals to adapt.
Once payment terminals were regarded as simple payment methods. However, with modern technological advancements, payment terminals are now part of some larger systems delivering a wide range of functionalities –right from the acceptance of contactless payment systems to inventory tracking and so more.
For small businesses, the selection of the right one from the wide list of different types of payment terminals out there can be a time-consuming and overwhelming decision.
What is a Payment Terminal?
Payment terminals are known to refer to specific machines that are designed to accept electronic card payments –including credit card terminals, POS terminals, PDQ terminals, and so more. All the given set of hardware solutions deliver the same type of core functions. However, payment terminals can vary significantly –both in performance and capability.
Payment terminals are imparted their functionalities with the help of a software solution.
The software solution is responsible for backing the given hardware device. A major part of the performance and capability differences that exist in different payment terminals are linked to the overall software potential in comparison to hardware capabilities. When you wish to select the best payment terminal out there for your small business, it is important to come across the right software & hardware requirements that are required for keeping your business secure & profitable.
Traditional Payment Terminals for Your Small Business
Conventional payment terminals for small businesses served to be typically an extension of the respective cash register. Customers went forward with producing some mode of payment. Then, the given payment was accepted. The transaction got completed behind the scenes. Eventually, this cycle ended. Some of the contemporary instances of conventional payment terminals are the basic credit card payment machines.
Credit card machines are regarded as the perfect payment terminals for ensuring affordability, security, and reliability.
However, the overall simplicity of credit card machines along with that of wireless credit card machines will not exclude them from serving as powerful devices.
Contemporary credit card machines are capable of accepting a wide range of payment modes –right from the acceptance of chip cards to ensuring contactless payment methods like Apple Pay or Google Pay, and various other types of electronic payments. All of these are backed by the presence of highly advanced security protocols.
Integrated POS (Point of Sale) Payment Terminals
A POS or Point of Sale terminal for modern payments can be regarded as a dedicated hardware system for the processing of credit card payments at specific retail locations. A dedicated software solution for scanning or reading magnetic strips present in debit & credit cards is embedded in the given hardware unit.
Portable devices (not available as terminals linked to some counter) –either third-party or proprietary, along with the presence of contactless payment capabilities for modern forms of mobile-based payments, are used for representing the upcoming generation of POS systems.
In other words, the lines between contemporary POS systems, conventional credit card machines, and modern mobile systems are getting more blurred due to the advancement of technological applications. The major points of differences that exist between integrated POS payment terminals and basic payment terminals are:
- Integration with Other Business Systems: The major selling point for most POS payment terminals is the capability of speaking to the other subsequent software systems in the business. This can include buying patterns, tracking of customer data, inventory, and so more.
- Advanced Software: POS systems are also known to feature the market of both third-party as well as native apps that can be personalized on the interface as per the specific requirements of the business.
- Advanced Hardware Capabilities: POS systems are mostly known to represent high-end payment terminal technology for hardware capabilities. While it is not essentially true that POS systems will be outperforming specific conventional credit card machines, the chances are quite significant.
Valor Terminals
With this payment terminal, you can deliver a high-end shopping experience that turns out seamless both for your business as well as your customers.
Some of its advanced features are:
- Presence of a large-sized screen display of 3.5 inches
- On-screen tipping and bill splitting suggestions –no additional charges on tips
- Mobile number capture and digital signature and receipt
- Handheld payments at the counter with Wi-Fi & 4G options for connectivity
- Digital copies of the transactions
- Contactless payments including Google Pay, Samsung Pay, and Apple Pay
- Support for dual MIDs
- Cash discount displayed before the sale completion
PAX Terminals
It serves to be the ideal counter-based Android SmartPOS payment solution for both small-sized as well as medium-scale business enterprises. The payment terminal is highly versatile to serve as the countertop solution as well as the indoor portable payment processing terminal. It is supported by the presence of the optional battery backup.
Some features are:
- Ultra-safe security processor
- Unmatched security
- SD expandability
- Certified through NFC contactless technology
- PCI PTS 5.x SRED
- Support for 3DES Micro, AES, and RSA
Conclusion
As a business owner, you should note that mobile payment processing is not essentially less secure in comparison to POS terminal processing like PAX. However, business owners should understand the process of protecting the payments –both during as well as after the purchase transaction.
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