Choosing a Wireless Card Reader
Accepting credit and debit cards in a mobile environment is critical for nearly every business today. Learn all about wireless card readers and how to choose one for your needs right now.
1. Consider the Upfront Fees
Does the wireless card reader require a monthly fee? Do you have to pay for the reader upfront? No business wants extra costs, so look for devices and plans that have free readers and little to no monthly fees.
There are plans available with these features. Do your research because it will pay off. The reader’s seller will ultimately make up the cost of a free device with transaction fees.
2. Weighing Reader Abilities
There are readers for practically any application. They can read magstripe, contactless, chip and bar codes. Your chosen reader may not have all of these features, however.
Explore each reader’s published details because they’ll help you narrow down a selection. Do you really need a bar-code reader? Some businesses don’t require this feature.
Be sure to keep up with chips and contactless needs, however. Everyone likes paying with their phones, for instance, and your reader’s ability to perform this task might create repeat business.
3. Unraveling Transaction Fees
The transaction fees can be as confusing as your high-school calculus class. You can’t make out any clear numbers!
Take some time in this area so that you can understand the percentages or flat rates attributed to each sale. In addition, look at fees that differ between in-person or keyed-in transactions. It may not make a difference to you, but the reader processes these transactions in unique ways.
4. Remaining Compatible With Your POS System
Choose a wireless card reader that’s compatible with your business’s POS system. Ask the device manufacturer if you aren’t sure. No reader is valuable if it has problems “talking” to your software.
You should be able to access inventory and manage it with the reader’s assistance. It becomes another outlet for keeping up with your stock. Although readers aren’t inventory tools, they must connect to your counts in order to release an item for a sale. Nobody wants confusion during the next inventory count because of a card-reader mishap!
5. Staying Within the Plan
Get the most out of your reader by simply sticking to the rules. Being a rebel in the business world will only add up to excessive costs and fees. Once you choose your device, use their payment processor and remain within your contracted charging amount.
If you choose a plan that’s based on an average of $10,000 charged through the reader, stay close to that amount. Going over or under that amount by several thousand dollars will cost you in fees from most providers.
Don’t hesitate to ask for hardware upgrades as your time with the original reader grows longer than one or two years. Loyal businesses should receive a discount on an upgrade at some point. The latest software and hardware will give your wireless card reader a new life with each swipe.
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