Card machines for small businesses ─ U.K.

We live in an increasingly cash-free society. In fact, the latest stats reveal that U.K. consumers spent over £647 billion on credit and debit card purchases in 2016. Industry reports suggest that figure is only going to grow as shoppers increasingly come to value the convenience and security of payment cards versus cash. So, what does this mean for your business?

A great way to drive growth and profits is to provide customers with as many choices as possible regarding the way they prefer to pay. Worldpay offers a variety of card terminals to suit your business. But with so much choice, it can be confusing knowing where to start.

Which type of card machine is suitable for my business?

Worldpay’s card terminals come in three types: countertop, portable and mobile. The type you need will depend on what sort of business you run and how you like to take payments.

• Countertop card machines are suitable for most types of business, including retailers, stationary shops, convenience stores, grocers, restaurants and cafes. As the name suggests, they’ll enable you to take fast, secure payments over the counter at fixed locations.
• Portable card machines allow you to empower staff to take payments around your premises. You might want to do so to reduce queues at the till and/or to improve the customer experience. The device comes with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity.
• Mobile card machines are ideal for businesses on the move. You might be a tradesman, a delivery business, or need to take payments at occasional outside events. As long as there’s mobile coverage, you can accept payments.

The value of contactless payments

Contactless payments are an easy way to reduce queues and improve the customer experience by offering shoppers more choice to pay they want to. There are several options:

• Contactless cards allow users to “tap and pay."
• Apple Pay allows users to pay by holding their iPhone near the terminal.
• Android Pay allows users to pay by holding their Android smartphone near the terminal, up to £100.
• Samsung Pay allows users to pay by holding their Samsung smartphone near the terminal.

Additional functionality on card machines

Additional features may be available via the MENU button, including:

• Gratuities — allowing customers to leave a tip when paying.
• Pre-authorisation — which are used mainly by hotels at check-in. This secures funds on the card but does not process a transaction.
• Duplicate receipt — enables you to print off a copy of the last printed receipt.
• Mail/telephone order — allows you to accept payments made by phone or mail.

Have questions? We're here to help. Reach out to us to learn more about card machines for your business.

Disclaimer

This content is for information purposes only. We have taken care in the preparation of this information but will not be responsible for any loss or damage including loss of profits, indirect, special or consequential loss arising as a result of any information in this document or reliance on it. The content of this material may not be reproduced without prior consent of Worldpay.

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