POS Terminals

A POS (Point of Sale) is a computer device for processing sales transactions in a business: it allows a shop, merchant or freelancer to accept payments by debit card, credit card, prepaid card, NFC wallet and many other electronic payment instruments.

A POS terminal can also be used to provide different types of service (utility payment, mobile top-up, prepaid card top-up) and is sometimes integrated into larger devices, such as terminals for the provision of services (think of self-service petrol stations , or at automatic tills in supermarkets), or vending machines.

There are different types of POS, designed for the needs of specific businesses. The most common is the physical POS terminal, which consists of software installed on a computer and a payment terminal: the hardware can accept various payment technologies, including magnetic stripe, EMV chip, Near Field Communication (NFC) or QR code reading, to process payment transactions.

Another type is the mobile POS, which allows merchants to process payment transactions using a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet. This type of POS is especially useful for businesses that operate on the go or need to make sales out of the store.

On the hardware side, we have the Smart POS, a particularly advanced payment terminal that integrates software, typically Android, on which it is possible to install applications dedicated to these POSs. Through a touchscreen it is possible to enter data and provide additional services to customers, or access the merchant's business management services.

In the hardware field we also have the integrated POS, designed to work together with other computer systems, such as the inventory management system or the accounting system. This type of POS allows merchants to easily integrate sales transactions with other business processes.

The POS terminal: an electronic card reader and ATM

The POS terminal is in fact an electronic card reader, equipped with a keyboard for entering the password and a display, which can be a touch screen for acquiring the signature. The device can be interfaced in various ways with the payment system of the business via a banking platform.

• the traditional POS is a portable or fixed stand-alone device, it connects via cable or wireless to the payment platform;
• the POS Mobile uses a smartphone or PDA equipped with software applications for the connection, it is a system that allows the operator's infrastructure to be simplified as much as possible, reducing implementation and service costs;
• the POS integrated in the payment totem is developed specifically for self-service devices, such as ATMs, railway ticket offices, parking payment systems, which can also be used to provide different types of service (utility payment, mobile phone top-ups, prepaid card top-ups) and is sometimes integrated into larger devices, such as terminals for the delivery of other services or vending machines.
• POS terminals integrate into a complete architecture that includes a series of utilities for merchants and also for users: notifications via SMS or email, electronic receipt archive, reports, certified security and authentication systems and other services based on to the manufacturer and the management banking platform.

In these pages you can find a complete overview of POS terminals, Pin Pads, fixed stand-alone POS, cordless POS, GSM/GPRS POS, Mobile POS and all related accessories (pinpad, printers, PocketPos, portable POS...)