15th January 2010

Card terminal: it will bring your company on a new level of merchandising

In case you consider the option of buying a card terminal for your company, it is crucial to take into account all the factors concerning the peculiarities of your business.

In case you consider the option of buying a card terminal for your company, it is crucial to take into account all the factors concerning the peculiarities of your business. Among these factors the most important are the following ones: the frequency and place of using a terminal, your consumers' needs and last but not least – budget. 

Sometimes business owners try to avoid additional expenses, but there are investments which cannot be neglected due to the number of advantages and benefits they guarantee. Indeed, getting a terminal will not only pay all the money back in short terms, but without exaggerating it is possible to say that being able to process credit cards will bring your company on a new level of merchandising.

The wide range of available card terminal models represents also the variety of prices, so it is possible to choose the most suitable model for your business as far as the cost is concerned. Besides, you can go for a leasing option. This course of action has some advantages too: after testing a card processing device in use, there will be no doubts whether it meets all the requirements of your business or not. Different models of terminals have different sets of features, some of them may appear more important for your company than the others. If it involves remote sales, obviously you need a wireless device with a store and forward features, as there is no guarantee that coverage will reach some distant places.

Make sure your card terminal prints out the receipts, as this feature is often required by customer as confirmation of their transactions. The printer can be attached or built in, and you can choose which one suits you better. Naturally, if your business provides the services at a client's site and payments take place over there, the less equipment you have with you the better. The same concerns limousine and taxi services, participation in trade shows, exhibitions and fairs, sales on the go and so on. Also, during the outdoor sales the printer should be protected against the dust and moisture, that is why it is better to have a built in one.  

Another feature, which is highly appreciated by the customers – the ability to swipe the cards. A swiping option is much more secure than typing in credit card information, as there is no chance for this information to be lost. A special encryption system in your card terminal will make the process of conducting the transactions even safer.

One more important point is a merchant account needed for processing the credit cards. Investigate the offers of different providers, learn their rates and fees for the installation. Make sure it will be possible to change the provider if there is a necessity. Sometimes the equipment is offered for free or for a symbolic price, but the merchant account prices are exorbitant.  

The styles of the terminals vary as well, but in the world of today compact sizes and light weight are much more preferable, of course. With such characteristics a card terminal is easier to carry and operate, especially outside your office or shop. Taking into consideration everything written above, it is obvious enough that a proper model can get irreplaceable in the course of your daily merchandising

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