Credit Card Terminals: The Backbone of Credit Card Processing

In the face-to-face retail environment, point-of-sale terminals are the backbone of credit card processing. Regardless of brand — and VeriFone and Hypercom are two of the best offered by Merchant Express® — these countertop models will get the job done efficiently, securely and cost effectively for traditional brick-and-mortar merchants.

Not all terminals are created equal, and that’s important because not all businesses have the same credit card processing requirements. However, every terminal is equipped with the basics required to process credit, debit and prepaid cards: a cardreader, phone or Internet connection to the processor and a receipt printer. Most merchants add a keypad so they can process PIN debit cards and EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) cards.

At Merchant Express, we pride ourselves on offering a variety of state-of-the-art terminals that are all PCI compliant and fully equipped to make every part of accepting credit cards — including authorization, settlement and management of transactions — as simple as possible.

A relatively new addition to the terminal lineup is the wireless terminal, which can be used both in-house and in the field. Most multi-application wireless terminals today offer an all-in-one design that’s enhanced by feature-rich software for processing versatility.

Some merchants require special features from their credit card terminals. For example, restaurants often opt for Pay-at-the-Table with tip prompting, while almost any business can benefit from bi-lingual capabilities. Secure processing features to watch for are end-to-end encryption (E2EE) with SSL. An integrated PIN pad and built-in printer are added pluses for many merchants.

Whether you choose a phone or Internet connection — or to go wireless — is your decision. Merchant Express can provide terminals for either. Merchants who already have Internet access at their point of sale may want to consider an IP-capable terminal for exceptional speed and savings, since a separate phoneline is no longer necessary. And, with an Internet connection, you can also take advantage of our electronic payment gateway, Transaction Express™.

Merchant Express’s terminal offerings have been chosen from among the most popular and easiest to use models from top manufacturers. All are equipped with the latest technology and we feel they represent the overall best value, especially when backed up by our 24/7 customer service and support.

Contact one of our trained representatives today to find out which terminal is the right one for your credit card processing needs.