Credit Card Machines?

[SSC!]

Hello folks,

I currently have a Streamline card machine for my business at home, however I am starting to get into trade events and looking at the mobile GPRS machines for payment ease. I have called Streamline and they would like the pleasure of charging me £135 for an upgrade and I then enter into a 3 yr contract paying £27+vat a month.

I am wondering if anyone gets a better deal out there, or if there are companies I should avoid, PM me if you wish. I need to make a decision on this quick as I have a show coming up.

Many thanks

Avril

[auditt]

I too would like to know more about these as they will be needed when getting payment when going to peoples houses..

thank you

[Rockatansky]

I have a vague feeling I saw an ad for something like this in a recent FSB newsletter, I'll have a look for it tomorrow but it may have already been filed

I have heard of the following company, but I have no experience of them so can't really recommend or otherwise. Might be worth a call? http://www.adelante.co.uk/chipandpin_short_term_hi...

[Simpo Two]

PHer 'Anatol' was looking for this a few weeks ago - not sure how far he got - have a search.

[maser_spyder]

I was in a similar situation a couple of years ago.

Ended up buying a second hand 'Thyron' terminal off ebay, sending it off to Thyron for re-programming (cost about £50), just cost the price of a sim card to run after that.

I think we paid about £150 for the terminal, but that was three or four years ago when they were more expensive, they're bound to be cheaper now.

I would recommend you look to purchasing one outright, then add it to your merchant account (they may want a little extra for the second terminal).

Over 2 or 3 years, it will work out a lot cheaper.

HTH.

[TurricanII]

Streamline may have a cheaper option - a 'virtual terminal' - a web page you can process cards through. If so, you might be able to process transactions using wifi or gprs from laptop, or maybe an iPhone!

[maser_spyder]

TurricanII said:

Streamline may have a cheaper option - a 'virtual terminal' - a web page you can process cards through. If so, you might be able to process transactions using wifi or gprs from laptop, or maybe an iPhone!

That's a good idea in theory.

Down-side, is no chip and pin means no chargeback protection.... And possibly/probably against the T&Cs of the merchant account due to using a CNP account to do cardholder present transactions. Frowned upon by most merchant providers.

To do this properly, you really need a proper terminal that you can insert a card in for chip and pin. This is completely secure, as you can't do a fraud chargeback if you've used C&P.

[Rockatansky]

In the short term could you just use the old fashioned card imprinter?

You can then either process the transactions normally or later via your terminal as cardholder not present.

Not ideal, but buys you time to research it more fully.

[TurricanII]

maser_spyder said:

TurricanII said:

Streamline may have a cheaper option - a 'virtual terminal' - a web page you can process cards through. If so, you might be able to process transactions using wifi or gprs from laptop, or maybe an iPhone!

That's a good idea in theory.

Down-side, is no chip and pin means no chargeback protection.... And possibly/probably against the T&Cs of the merchant account due to using a CNP account to do cardholder present transactions. Frowned upon by most merchant providers.

To do this properly, you really need a proper terminal that you can insert a card in for chip and pin. This is completely secure, as you can't do a fraud chargeback if you've used C&P.

Ahh I have never used any of these services, learning all the time! OP - could you have someone sat back at home able to take payments over the phone, if that is within your Streamline t&c's?

[maser_spyder]

TurricanII said:

maser_spyder said:

TurricanII said:

Streamline may have a cheaper option - a 'virtual terminal' - a web page you can process cards through. If so, you might be able to process transactions using wifi or gprs from laptop, or maybe an iPhone!

That's a good idea in theory.

Down-side, is no chip and pin means no chargeback protection.... And possibly/probably against the T&Cs of the merchant account due to using a CNP account to do cardholder present transactions. Frowned upon by most merchant providers.

To do this properly, you really need a proper terminal that you can insert a card in for chip and pin. This is completely secure, as you can't do a fraud chargeback if you've used C&P.

Ahh I have never used any of these services, learning all the time! OP - could you have someone sat back at home able to take payments over the phone, if that is within your Streamline t&c's?

Ah, you've misunderstood Turrican.

CNP (cardholder not present), does not 'literally' mean this.

It means 'internet or mail order', i.e. a customer buys a product that you ship to them.

A CNP merchant account is different to a cardholder present account (where you have a terminal with chip and pin).

Cardholder present merchant accounts are generally easier to get (and sometimes cheaper), as there's a lot less fraud that can be carried out.

The ONLY way to do this properly is with a GSM terminal, so that you can use chip and pin.

This doesn't have to be expensive if you buy the gear up front rather than leasing!

[Tyre Smoke]

123 Send. They do long or short term hire and sales.

[SSC!]

Thanks for the info guy's. I ended up staying with streamline and ordered up a wireless unit as due to the postal problems I decided I better be safe than sorry as I need it for the 26th.

Thanks again.

Avril