What Options do I Have in Credit Card Machines?

So you’ve decided to start accepting credit cards at your store. You’ve picked the right merchant account service, you’re happy with the fees it offers, and now it’s time to choose a credit card machine. However, you’re not sure what your choices are, and which machine is best suited for your business.

Point-of-sale terminals, as they are commonly known, are the traditional option for retail face-to-face credit, debit, and prepaid card transactions. This machine also accepts checks and electronic benefits transfers (or EBTs). Using this machine is simple – simply swipe the card through it to process the transaction. If you add a PIN pad, you can also process PIN debit cards and EBT transactions. Some of the options out there are the VeriFone VX 520, the Ingenico iCT250, and the Ingenico iCT220 CTL.

For on-the-go merchants, you may prefer mobile wireless card machines. These machines can deliver secure credit card processing anywhere and at any time. This terminal is especially useful for delivery services, door-to-door salesmen, and mobile businesses. There is also an alternative to buying a new terminal – your smartphone or tablet. There are apps such as ProcessNow, which turn your mobile device into a credit card processing machine. If you choose to go with a dedicated machine though, your options include the VeriFone Vx680 and the Ingenico iWL250.

We’ve already mentioned PIN pads above, but it’s important to give them a category of their own, since in most cases they are either sold separately or available as an optional add-on. They are necessary if you want to accept PIN debit cards and EBTs, and some pads can be incompatible with some credit card machines. It’s important to discuss this with your vendor before making a purchase. In terms of models, you have the VeriFone VX805 and the Ingenico iPP310 PIN Pad.

While not credit card machines themselves, printers are an important component of the credit card payment process and can be sold separately or as an optional add-on. They are used to issue receipts, and these printers can be either ink jet, laser or thermal. Unlike regular printers, they need to fulfill a few criteria. A printer that’s used as part of a point-of-sale system must be compatible with your credit card machine, and it has to have an auto-cutter, fast printing speed, a small frame so it can fit on a counter and a convenient drop-in paper loading chute. An example of a good option here would be the Epson ReadyPrint T20 Thermal Printer.

As you can see, there are several options, depending on your business and how it operates. If you have customers that use EBTs, you want to have a PIN pad. If you’re always on the move when making transactions, you want a mobile machine. Whatever the case may be, there are options out there.

Does it sound confusing? If you want to find out what machine works best for you, visit , or call the experts at 1-888-924-2743 and sign up now.