Solutions for Mobile Merchants

It's getting to be a wireless world. Vantage offers solutions for mobile commerce merchants depending on your card transaction volume, how well you know your customer (how risk averse you are), cost factors, and coverage areas.

Which Option is Right For Your Mobile Business?

Please consider your use carefully and contact a Vantage payment advisor before making a decision.

Touch Tone Capture: Use your land line or cell phone to dial an 800 number then listen to the voice prompts to enter card and sale information to obtain an authorization code. Use your order form or make a manual imprint of the card for a signed sales receipt. Touch Tone Capture service costs just 30 cents a transaction and is best for merchants that will process a limited number of transactions and to avoid purchasing equipment, wireless activation and monthly wireless coverage fees. Card Not Present Interchange rates apply so as sales volume increases, merchants should consider moving to swiped card mobile solutions.

Store & Forward (Batch Authorization Mode): Merchants who are looking for swiped card rates but do not need real time approval codes either because they are simply taking orders and not delivering goods and services or because they know their customers and are willing to take the risk of declined transactions when authorizations are attempted at time of batch settlement. In this sales environment, the card is swiped but no communication is available. While most wireless devices offer this service in situations where no wireless coverage is available at the location of the sale, merchants can purchase lower costs terminal units without wireless modems and capability as long as they have a power source at the point of sale. Store & Forward merchants willing to accept the risk can benefit from swiped card rates, lower terminal costs and no monthly wireless coverage fees.

Nurit 8000: For mobile merchants that need the functionality of a retail card processing terminal. With an internal wireless modem and battery power, neither a phone line or power outlet is necessary to run credit card transactions on the Nurit 8000. This unit has a built-in thermal printer and is preferred by merchants operating in a sales environment where multiple staff will need to operate the terminal, processing a high volume of transactions in a short time period.

Vantage supports the Nurit 8010US11 GPRS wireless credit card processing terminal. The Nurit 8000 terminal series is a flexible, lightweight, handheld terminal that enables fast and secure transactions on a multi-application platform supporting a range of payment & value-added services. Please note that GPRS service is not supported on these older technologies:
8010US12 =Motient (Now Dial Only- there will also be a sticker with a LLI number)
8010US13 =Mobitex (there will also be a sticker with a MAN number)

WAY: For mobile merchants that need wireless real-time swiped card approvals to qualify for the best Interchange rates but where the unit will operate in a sales environment where a single user will use the device with a single customer at a time (example: contractors, cab drivers).

With the WAY MTT1581 system you get a mobile device that networks with GPRS wireless carriers allowing merchants to accept both traditional credit cards and PIN-based debit cards in the field. The units form factor is in the shape of a cell phone and the portable printer is a separate device.

Vx670: For T&E merchants that benefit from its unique consumer facing payment software allowing both staff and cardholders to operate and interact with the terminal. Examples include Pay at the Table for restaurants and golf course beverage carts where cardholders enter tips. Another key reason to select the Vx670 is that multiple wireless units may be networked together for a single deposit and reporting source using IPCharge. The Verifone Vx670 is the smallest all-in-one wireless handheld payment device available in both GPRS and WiFi.

Authorize.net: For merchants that already have a laptop computer with wireless connectivity that they use to run their business. Adding Authorize.net's virtual terminal application (plus mag-stripe reader via USB port for card present Interchange rates) is a way to avoid additional terminal purchases and duplicate wireless connectivity monthly fees. Depending on your sales environment, a virtual terminal may be a suitable replacement when a single operator runs limited transaction volume. Note: QuickBooks users with laptops and internet connectivity can process cards in a similar manner.

Wireless-Broadband : Merchants can use an a ll-in-one Internet sharing router with wireless access point and built-in 4-port 10/100 switch to connect up to four PCs or credit card terminals like the Vx570IP unit. Perfect for merchants to operate one or more credit card terminals or their laptop from a single wireless connection. Merchants can save money and purchase an IP Ethernet terminal instead of more expensive wireless credit card terminals. This portable network solution is quick and easy to setup, with little or no IT support using the Linksys Wireless-Router with a standard PC card slot for a Mobile Broadband Connection card (sold separately).

PDA Devices: For merchants who own a Blackberry, smart phone or other PDA, software is available for download to process credit card transactions. These device types perform card processing by attaching a mag-stripe card reader and portable receipt printer accessories to your PDA. Vantage can provide merchant account numbers for a variety of devices and gateways certified on multiple networks including Global Payments and Vital.

In our experience, we have found mobile devices work best when the unit will operate in a sales environment where a single user will use the device with a single customer at a time. In addition, connecting and carrying card readers and printers with your PDA can present challenges.

Wireless Coverage
Selecting the right wireless device comes down to network coverage, so always start by finding the coverage area that best meets your mobile merchant needs. Just as you encounter coverage problems with your cell phone, you can encounter reception problems with a wireless terminal. Actual service area will vary due to location, weather, network traffic, terrain, signal strength, obstructions, building density, construction, environmental conditions, and other factors. Remember, there is no guarantee that coverage will be available from all spots (even if the maps say so).

GPRS coverage is the next generation wireless for merchants and offers greater coverage area. GPRS works with a SIM chip like your mobile phone and can roam network providers operating a GPRS tower. Because large carriers support these new networks, you’re assured coverage almost anywhere. With GPRS, the merchant can access all the GPRS carriers: AT&T  www.attwireless.com, Cingular www.cingular.com, T-Mobile www.t-mobile.com. Our VConnect chips have multiple GPRS carries (ATT, Cingular, TMobile) on a single chip.