EFTPOS & POS Solutions

With hundreds of point-of-sale (POS) providers in Australia, selecting the right one can be an overwhelming task. In this article, we outline the key factors to consider when choosing a POS, and recommend some of the best providers for your industry. If you’re a new or existing business owner, by now, you probably know  what a point-of-sale system is and how it works . The next step is choosing a solution that is appropriate to your business size and industry. To help make the right decision, read our list of considerations below and make note of which ones are the most (and least) important to your business, so that when you’re in conversation with a POS provider, you can be well equipped to ask the right questions. Then, learn which POS providers are the most popular among cafes, quick-service restaurants, dine-in restaurants, retail businesses, and bars and clubs. Important considerations when choosing the best POS system for your business. Hardware POS hardware refers to the physical devices that make up your POS system. This could include any or all of: a computer or display unit, a receipt printer, a barcode scanner, a cash drawer, and an EFTPOS machine. While large businesses may require a full suite of hardware, many smaller businesses can get away with little more than a tablet or smartphone. Portable devices like Zeller Terminal 2 (which has a POS system built-in) are often referred to as mobile POS or ‘ mPOS ’, and they provide excellent functionality, allowing merchants to do everything from managing their inventory to taking payments all from the one machine. Software The functionality of the POS software will arguably be the biggest factor in determining your final choice. If you are a retail business, you may want to prioritise a robust inventory management system – this will allow you to easily track stock levels, anticipate when popular items will run out, and stay on budget. For hospitality businesses, a floor management system may also be required to manage table seating and reservations. Additional functionality includes sales reporting, for managing cash flow; employee management, for automatically logging hours and tracking performance; and customer relationship management (CRM), for collecting customer data and implementing targeted marketing campaigns. While these are the most common and basic features of POS systems, those designed for individual industries will offer even more specialised features. Ease of use Think about who will be using the POS system on a day-to-day basis. Do you have a high turnover rate of employees? If so, consider how easy it will be to train new staff to use the software. A simple, intuitive interface will greatly reduce human error, which, in a fast-paced environment, could be critical. Integration For most businesses, their POS provider cannot just work alone, it will need to be able to integrate into a number of different systems. The accounting software,  payments provider , and/or e-commerce platform you use (or are planning to use) should ideally integrate with your POS system. By enabling information to flow easily between systems, you will greatly increase the efficiency of your operations, saving you and your team time and money. Take note of what platforms a POS provider integrates with before making a decision, as this can become a frustrating roadblock later on if it is neglected. Customer support How quickly and easily you can contact your POS provider is something that can be easily overlooked – but it’s extremely important. If you decide to go with a POS system that offers all the bells and whistles, but doesn’t have anyone to pick up the phone when you need help, this will quickly lead to frustration and potentially lost revenue. Check the provider’s website and LinkedIn: are their offices based in Australia? What are their customer service hours? Do they have a robust support centre with help articles and troubleshooting resources? Will you be assigned an account manager? Additionally, how quickly you need to get up and running is an important consideration. Many traditional POS providers require a technician to come out and set up the hardware and software, whereas newer web-based systems are often self-service and can be entirely set up remotely. Multi-location Do you run a multi-location operation or are you planning on scaling in the future? If so, it’s important to be sure that the POS software is equipped to deal with multi-venue requirements. Being able to push updates to machines at several venues at once, aggregating reporting from all venues, and monitoring stock transfers between locations, are just some of the features you’ll want to ensure your POS provider can support. Cost With varying pieces of equipment, features, minimum requirements, and pricing models, understanding exactly how much you’re going to pay for a POS service is not easy. To avoid bill-shock later on, make sure you understand exactly how each aspect of the service is priced. Are you buying the hardware outright or will you access it on a rental agreement? Is the software licence a one-time purchase or a monthly/annual subscription? Is there a cost associated with ongoing support and maintenance? Will you pay a fee each time a transaction is processed through the POS? Ensure you ask any potential POS provider all these questions before signing a contract. Best POS providers by industry The table below presents some of the best POS providers available to Australian business owners, organised by industry, with some of their noteworthy features listed on the right hand side. For a comprehensive list of features, be sure to contact the POS provider directly and request a demo before signing up. Let Zeller manage your payments. No matter how you prefer to manage your checkout process, Zeller is Australia’s leading payments provider, tailored to meet your business needs. For smaller or mobile businesses with a limited inventory, Zeller offers Zeller POS Lite, built into Zeller Terminal 2 at no extra cost. Larger, more established businesses can benefit from Zeller Terminal’s seamless integration with over 600 different POS platforms. Whether you’re looking for a simple, cost-effective mobile solution or a fully integrated EFTPOS machine with advanced features like tipping, bill-splitting, and custom screensavers, Zeller’s platform is designed to evolve with your business. Chat with our sales team today to set up Zeller POS Lite, or explore our Zeller Partner Hub to find the perfect POS integration for your business.

For Australian merchants, card fees are a necessary cost of doing business. Every time a customer pays with a card or digital wallet, the merchant pays a fee to process that transaction. These fees might seem small per transaction, but they can add up if you’re not monitoring your costs, and ensuring you’re optimising your business payments for affordability. Many business owners find merchant fees confusing or buried in complex statements, so understanding how merchant fees work is crucial for protecting your profits. In this guide, we’ll break down what merchant fees are, how electronic payments are processed, the different types of fees and pricing models, and why fees vary. By demystifying merchant fees, you can take control of your payment costs and keep more of each sale in your business. What are merchant fees? Merchant fees are the costs businesses pay to accept and process electronic payments. In simple terms, whenever a customer taps, dips or swipes their credit or debit card (or uses a mobile wallet), a small fee is charged for securely and efficiently moving the money from the customer’s account to the merchant’s account. This fee, often called a merchant service fee, covers the technology and infrastructure that make instant, secure card payments possible. Compare merchant fees in Australia. How electronic payments are authorised. When a customer makes a card payment, there are several players working behind the scenes to authorise the transaction. Each participant in this chain may charge a small fee for their role, and together these make up what the merchant ultimately pays as fees for the transaction. For online payments, a payment gateway serves a similar role to the terminal, securely sending transaction data to the acquirer. Types of merchant fees. Not all merchant fees are created equal. Here are the most common categories: Transaction fees These are the fees charged on each card transaction, usually calculated as a percentage of the sale and sometimes with an additional fixed amount. This includes the interchange fee (paid to the cardholder’s bank), scheme or network fees (charged by Visa, Mastercard, American Express or EFTPOS), and any fees charged by your payment provider to cover their operating costs. Terminal and equipment fees If you use an EFTPOS terminal, you may be charged a rental or purchase fee. Some providers lease terminals on a monthly basis, while others let you buy the hardware outright. Zeller charges no ongoing rental fees, your terminal is yours to keep, and you can purchase one for as little as $99. Account and service fees These might include monthly account fees, statement fees, payment gateway fees, or inactivity charges. Zeller does not charge any of these fees whatsoever.  Situational fees These include chargeback fees, refund fees, international transaction fees, early termination fees, and more. Zeller does not charge any of these fees whatsoever.  Understanding merchant fee pricing models. The way your fees are structured matters. Here are the three main pricing models used in Australia: Flat-rate pricing One fixed rate for all transactions, which is simple and predictable. For example, Zeller charges a flat 1.4% on all tapped, dipped or swiped card payments, no matter the card type – even American Express.  Interchange-plus pricing This breaks down the wholesale cost (interchange and scheme fees) and adds a fixed provider charge on top. It offers transparency, but your fees may vary month to month depending on your transaction mix. Tiered pricing Transactions are grouped into “tiers” with different rates, depending on the perceived cost or risk. It’s the least transparent model and often leads to bill shock. Many businesses avoid it for that reason. Why do merchant fees vary? Card transaction fees can change depending on several factors, like: Card type Debit cards usually have lower fees than credit cards. Rewards cards (particularly premium ones) typically cost merchants more due to higher interchange fees – but not with Zeller. We charge the same flat rate across all major card types, including American Express. Transaction method Card-present transactions (tapped or inserted cards accepted in-person) cost less than card-not-present transactions (online or keyed-in), due to decreased risk of cardholder fraud. Card country of origin International card payments usually incur higher fees due to currency conversion, cross-border processing, and enhanced fraud protection. Unlike many providers, however, Zeller maintains consistent merchant fees for both domestic and international transactions. How to reduce your merchant fees. Here are five key ways to get your merchant fees under control: Review your statements: Understand exactly how much you’re being charged, and for what. Check if you’re paying hidden fees you weren’t aware of. Ask your provider questions: Request a detailed fee breakdown. Ask if better rates are available, or if you can switch to a more cost-effective plan. Compare providers: If your fees seem too high, shop around. Look for transparent pricing with no lock-in contracts or hidden charges. The Zeller Sales team can help you compare offerings from providers – get in touch here . Consider surcharging: Surcharging is allowed in Australia, but only to the extent of your actual cost of acceptance. Be transparent and stay within RBA and ACCC guidelines. Reduce fraud and chargebacks: Implement good fraud controls . Fewer chargebacks mean fewer surprise costs. Even small changes, like switching to a provider with better pricing or reviewing how your customers pay, can significantly reduce your merchant fees over time. What to ask when choosing a payment provider. Before signing with a payment provider (or when reviewing the merchant fees offered by your current provider), ask: – What pricing model do you use? – Are there any setup, rental, monthly or cancellation fees? – Do rates vary by card type or transaction method? – Can I purchase my terminal instead of renting it? – Are your statements transparent? – What POS and accounting integrations do you offer? – What fraud protection tools are included? – What customer support is available if something goes wrong? A good provider should be able to answer these questions clearly and confidently. If they can’t, that’s a red flag. Zeller – a lot more than just lower fees. A flat, transparent 1.4% rate on every card payment is great, but Zeller gives you even more ways to optimise your business finances.  With Zeller, payments are settled nightly into your Zeller Business Transaction Account 7 days a week, giving you fast access to your money. And with a Zeller Savings Account , you can earn interest at a rate significantly higher than what the big-4 banks offer. Plus, tools like Zeller Invoices streamline your billing process, while the Zeller Debit Card lets you spend directly from your business funds. Smart, integrated, cost-efficient and powerful – purpose-built for modern business.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, with streetscapes around the country adorned by oversized candy canes, inflatable Santas, and enough tinsel to tickle a reindeer’s nose. Naturally, all this fun, festive frivolity comes with increased consumer spending, and businesses can sometimes experience payment bottlenecks if they’re not prepared. 1. Take payments down the queue with Tap to Pay. Got a smartphone? Great, you’ve got a mobile POS terminal. Simply open up the Zeller App on your smartphone, hit the hamburger in the top left corner (the three stacked lines), enable ‘Tap to Pay’, follow the prompts, and you’re ready to accept contactless payments. Tap to Pay with Zeller App can be handy in so many scenarios. For example, if you’re running a one-off stall selling Christmas hampers at your local farmers market, you can accept payments directly on your phone. No EFTPOS terminal needed — it’s that easy.. Another example could be a fishmonger with a steadily growing queue of people lining up to buy fresh seafood for Christmas Day. While one staff member takes orders and accepts payments at the counter using  Zeller Terminal, another can walk down the line using Tap to Pay with Zeller App on a smartphone as a secondary POS. By reducing customer wait time, you’re helping to ensure fish-fans don’t get salty and move on to a quieter nearby competitor. 2. Lock in bookings or large orders with Zeller Invoices. Sending professional invoices has never been easier. Let’s say you run a restaurant and have just received a booking request for a large Christmas party. To accept a deposit payment to secure the booking, you’d open Zeller Dashboard, whip up an invoice in a few clicks (including detailing the payment terms), create a new contact, and send the invoice for the client to arrange pre-payment quickly and securely with their credit card. Or perhaps you’re a bakery taking Christmas pudding orders. You can fire off the invoice in a few clicks, and then be automatically notified when your customer completes their order payment. And if your customer was slow to pay, they’d automatically receive reminder emails to prompt them. We’re proud to say that 75% businesses using Zeller Invoices get paid in under 24 hours. 3. Take card payments over the phone and send payment links with Virtual Terminal. Zeller Virtual Terminal allows you to manually enter a customer’s card details they’ve given you over the phone, or send them a secure payment link via email or SMS, right from Zeller Dashboard. But what if you don’t have their email address or phone number? What if you’ve been communicating with your customer purely on social media? No worries, Virtual Terminal can handle that too. Let’s say you’re a handmade jewellery creator crafting cute Christmas-themed earrings for customers on Instagram and Facebook Marketplace. You would take an order via your DMs, add the payment details into Zeller Virtual Terminal in a few taps, click ‘Copy Link’ and shoot your customer the payment link back via DM. Quick, easy and efficient, the way it should be. So whether you’re a sole trader, a medium sized business or even running a bigger operation, hopefully this article has given you some fresh ideas on taking payments this Christmas and beyond. If you have any questions on any of these additional payment options available to you, log in to your Zeller Dashboard to try them out, or give our local team a call on 1800 935 537 and we’ll step you through the process.

An EFTPOS machine is an essential tool for modern businesses. EFTPOS (which stands for Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale) machines accept credit and debit card transactions. A modern EFTPOS machine from a reliable payment services provider will capably handle this task, by sending transaction approvals and transferring funds between different systems. Then, the customers' funds are settled into your nominated business transaction account — ready for you to spend, reinvest in your business, or pay suppliers and employees. This is the bedrock of a functional EFTPOS machine. No matter what other features and services are offered, your business needs an EFTPOS terminal that is ready to process every customer’s electronic payment quickly, securely, and affordably. Understanding the basic EFTPOS functionality An EFTPOS machine facilitates the movement of funds from a customer’s account into your own. When you’re selling in-person, you require an EFTPOS machine in order to accept digital payments. Contactless payments are now the norm in Australia; without an EFTPOS machine, you’re narrowing your potential customer pool to those few Australians who still carry cash. Zeller Terminal accepts payments through various methods, including inserted, swiped, and contactless payments from cards or NFC-enabled devices, as well as MOTO payments . How do you enter a card number on a payment terminal? To enter a card number on a card machine, simply key in the card number, expiration date and Card Verification Value (CVV). These transactions are known as MOTO (short for Mail Order Telephone Order) payments . On Zeller Terminal, accepting a manually-entered card payment is easy — simply toggle the mode switch from Card to MOTO. The ability to manually enter card details provides you with a quick, convenient and secure way to accept payment from customers when they’re not with you in-person. Using advanced EFTPOS features A next-generation EFTPOS machine offers you functionality beyond just accepting payments. The best EFTPOS machines combine fast, reliable payment processing with valuable features that can help you grow your business, such as: enabling you to showcase your brand through receipts and screensavers. providing you with enhanced security on every transaction accepted. integrating with POS systems, or offering a free, built-in point-of-sale. automatically splitting transactions by amount, or by number of guests. prompting customers to add a tip at the end of a transaction. Keep reading to discover how to use an EFTPOS machine to grow your business, by leveraging Zeller Terminal’s advanced features. Showcasing your brand A receipt, whether printed or digital, is the perfect place to promote your business and deliver a memorable customer experience. No longer just for proof of purchase, your receipts can help you promote your business by: boosting brand awareness by giving you a place to showcase your logo. motivating customers to follow you on social media with links. building customer relationships with a custom note or message. minimising the risk of chargebacks by including helpful return information. Additionally, the best EFTPOS machines, like Zeller Terminal, enable you to add a custom screensaver to the display. This screensaver could include your business logo, or a promotional offer to display to customers when they’re making payment. You can also learn how to Use Zeller Receipts as a Marketing Tool here . Providing enhanced security As your business grows, it’s likely that you hire new staff members to accept payments with your EFTPOS terminal. Unfortunately in some circumstances, this can create a security risk to your business, and your customers. Zeller Terminal enables you to take control of who can access secure information and features from your EFTPOS machine — such as transaction information, issuing refunds, or updating terminal settings. By setting a secure PIN code on Zeller Terminal, you can immediately restrict access to specific features on your EFTPOS machine, helping to protect your business and enhance your security. Point-of-sale functionality and integrations A point-of-sale (POS) system enables you to create an item library, track inventory, build a shopping cart, accept payments from customers, and send an itemised receipt, in one seamless, fully integrated flow. POS systems are a modern alternative to the traditional cash register and can be run on computers, tablets, smartphones, and even EFTPOS terminals. Zeller POS Lite comes built-in free to Zeller Terminal 2, enabling you to build a robust item library that displays directly from your EFTPOS terminal or smartphone (via Zeller App). You can use Zeller POS Lite to manage items, add modifiers and attributes to products, and create detailed item reports to track what’s selling, and what’s not. Alternatively, a modern EFTPOS machine should also integrate directly with your existing POS system — whether you use a hospitality-based POS like Redcat , or a retail-focused system like Zii POS . Zeller Terminal integrates seamlessly with over 600 third-party POS systems, which you can find on the Zeller Partner Hub . Split transactions In many circumstances, such as in a restaurant or cafe, your customers may ask to split a payment across a number of people. This requires you to operate a modern EFTPOS terminal that will enable you to automatically split transactions, without your staff having to calculate the individual payment values manually or with a calculator. With Zeller Terminal, you have the option to split transactions directly from the device. Transactions can be divided by the number of guests evenly, or alternatively, every guest can choose a custom value to make payment for, until the entire transaction is complete. Prompting customers for tips If you’ve delivered a great customer service experience, customers may want to leave you a tip at the end of an EFTPOS transaction. EFTPOS tipping is increasingly common in service industries such as cafes and restaurants, so having an EFTPOS machine that automatically prompts customers to leave a tip is essential. EFTPOS terminals that are automatically enabled with a built-in tipping feature may lead to an increase in gratuity, benefitting your employees. In fact, modern EFTPOS machines like Zeller Terminal, which automatically prompt customers for gratuity at the end of a payment, have delivered an increase in tips by up to 30% . Why you need an EFTPOS machine We know, with certainty, that Australians prefer using debit and credit cards over notes and coins. Research from the Reserve Bank of Australia demonstrates the sharp decline of physical cash use: respondents under the age of 40 used cash for less than 15% of their payments in 2019. In 2016, cash accounted for 30% of their payments. Over the last five years, the number of ATMs across Australia has fallen 53.6% — making it difficult for those few consumers who still want to carry cash to do so. The world has gone digital, and as a result so have businesses. All of this is unlikely to come as a surprise, considering the obvious benefits of credit and debit cards: they’re simple, fast, secure, and generally easy to use. A customer just needs to tap, dip or swipe their card or mobile wallet to your terminal — without the need to handle cash. For this reason, having an EFTPOS machine is just as critical for your business operations as it is for your customers’ experience. The cards EFTPOS machines accept EFTPOS terminals accept both credit and debit cards. However, with advancements in technology come new ways to pay — meaning older terminals from traditional providers may not support the payment methods your customers prefer. When selecting the right EFTPOS machine for your business, it’s important to look for a terminal that will enable you to offer customers a broad range of payment processing options. How do your customers expect to be able to pay for the goods or services you provide? If you run a busy coffee shop in the CBD, your customers might want to use their mobile phone or smartwatch to pay for their morning caffeine hit. Your customers may even use lesser-known payment types that are growing in popularity. When choosing which EFTPOS machine is right for your business, set your sights on an EFTPOS terminal that accepts all of the major card networks (such as eftpos, Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and JCB) as well as other convenient payment methods your customers prefer to use (such as Apple Pay and Google Pay). Do EFTPOS machines need internet? An EFTPOS machine will use a wired or wireless internet connection to process payments. Modern terminals use SIM cards, making it possible for you to process transactions outside of Wi-Fi range (a must when customers expect to be able to pay at the table). However, best-in-class terminals will provide multiple connectivity options: a SIM card slot, as well as Wi-Fi connectivity. Business owners must also ensure that their EFTPOS terminal will connect to the available mobile network — with the 3G network shutdown rolling out across Australia, Zeller Terminal will reliably connect to 4G networks, too. Communication between the terminal, the card issuer, the processing bank, and the payment network requires reliable connectivity — but that doesn’t have to come from a traditional internet connection. Technology has evolved so you no longer need to have your terminal hardwired, sitting stationary by your register. Your payment tools should work wherever you do. How long does an EFTPOS transaction take? Every business owner wants to know how long an EFTPOS transaction takes. The time it takes to settle funds to your business bank account directly impacts cash flow and, by extension, your ability to grow your business. Funds accepted via Zeller Terminal are swept to your chosen Zeller Transaction Account nightly, available for spending instantly using your free Zeller Debit Card . For more information about the limitations of traditional banks, read Transaction Processing and Settlement: Why Do Banks Take so Long? Finding the best EFTPOS machine for your business needs EFTPOS machines make payments easy for customers and business owners alike. Customers can quickly pay for their goods or services and get on with their day, while your business can cut down on wait times and efficiently provide great service to everyone making a purchase. Finding a trusted, secure and innovative EFTPOS provider should be a top priority for your business. Zeller enables merchants to accept every payment, accelerate cash flow, and quickly manage and access funds. Learn more about how Zeller Terminal can help your business. Interested in learning more? Find out how EFTPOS Transactions Work here.

In Australia there’s often confusion between debit cards vs. eftpos cards. While the word EFTPOS can be used in multiple ways; in this instance we’re referring to the Australian debit card network, eftpos. While there are plenty of similarities between an eftpos card and a debit card, there are also a handful of important differences to be aware of when selecting a spending solution for your business. Read on to earn the difference between debit cards vs. eftpos cards. What is EFTPOS? The word EFTPOS stands for ‘Electronic Funds Transfer at Point Of Sale’, which is an in-person payment technology used to accept payments from customers for goods or services. You will frequently use an EFTPOS terminal when you’re shopping with your card or a mobile wallet. However when people talk about eftpos (with a lowercase ‘e’), they’re also referring to the privately run Australian debit card network. If you’re interested in learning more about how EFTPOS transactions work , you can discover the process behind every transaction, and how Zeller delivers seamless payments for your business at the article linked above. What are debit cards? Many business owners are familiar with the concept of debit cards. Debit cards are payment cards linked to your bank or business transaction account . Unlike a credit card, which withdraws funds with a pre-approved spending limit, a debit card withdraws money that is held in your account, reducing your balance instantly. Debit cards vs. eftpos cards Now you’ve got the background on debit cards vs. eftpos cards, let’s look at it in more detail. Australia’s eftpos system functions like a debit card system. Eftpos cards are linked to your business bank or transaction account, and when you spend funds using an eftpos card you are paying for those goods and services with funds held in your account. Therefore when it comes to debit cards vs eftpos cards — they’re more or less performing the same action. Some debit cards may have an approved overdraft limit, enabling the cardholder to spend beyond the balance of their business bank or transaction account limit. But in most instances when you’re spending on an eftpos card or debit card, your limit is defined by the balance held in your account. It’s important to keep in mind that eftpos cards can only be accepted within Australia, by merchants who have an EFTPOS machine set up to accept payments. You cannot use your eftpos card to spend outside of Australia. Differences between debit cards vs. eftpos cards The below table summarises some important differences between eftpos cards and debit cards. While the discussion on debit cards vs. eftpos cards can be confusing, for cardholders and merchants it’s important to understand the differences between each when deciding which card to use for your everyday business spending. Choosing the right debit card solution for your business If your business is searching for a convenient and affordable way to transact in-person and online, a Zeller Debit Card may be the perfect solution for you. Zeller Debit Cards are issued free, and give you the choice of transacting with virtual or physical cards. With no monthly fees or hidden charges, Zeller is the smartest and most affordable way to manage your business spending.

Meet your newest recruit: a sleek, reliable multitasker that takes payments, processes sales, cuts costs, grows tips, splits bills, and boosts your brand. Once upon a time,  EFTPOS terminals did one thing: accept card payments. In 2024, they have become the beating heart of a business’s finances, incorporating myriad tools and features to help merchants not only deal with the increasing volume of card payments, but also make informed business decisions, deliver premium and branded customer service, and get you paid faster. Zeller Terminal is one such device that’s leading the way in payment technology in Australia. Integrated into Zeller’s financial ecosystem, which offers a  point-of-sale system ,  transaction account  and  savings account ,  debit cards  and  corporate cards , a  contact directory  and  mobile app , Zeller EFTPOS Terminal is a key component of an all-in-one system that gives businesses real-time visibility of their cash position, important sales insights, and near-instant access to their funds. So much more than an EFTPOS machine, Zeller Terminal is a key growth driver for your business, and below, we explain twelve reasons why. Top 12 benefits of Zeller Terminal 1. It saves your business money. Zeller Terminal is yours to own outright for the low cost of $99, or $199 if you choose Zeller Terminal 2, which comes with a built-in point-of-sale system. There are no monthly rental fees, no lock-in contracts, and no hidden costs. Once you start taking payments, you will only ever incur a 1.4% transaction fee for all card types – including AMEX – or 1.7% for over-the-phone transactions. Plus, with Zeller Terminal’s flexible surcharging capability, you can choose to pass on all or part of your merchant fee to the customer. Unlike many merchant services providers which lock you into surcharging for an added fee, Zeller’s zero-cost EFTPOS  option can be turned on, off, or customised at the press of a button. 2. It accepts every payment method. Zeller Terminal gives your customers the option to pay however is most convenient for them. To make payment, a customer can: tap their smartphone, watch, or other  NFC-enabled device  to the terminal tap their contactless debit and credit cards to the terminal insert a chip card into Zeller Terminal and, if needed, securely enter their PIN swipe their card and enter their PIN, or sign directly on the screen (available on Zeller Terminal 1 only) call you and read their card details over the phone 3. It simplifies checkout with a free, built-in point-of-sale system. Traditional point-of-sale software can be costly to growing businesses, which is why Zeller Terminal 2 incorporates a simple POS solution right into the hardware, for free:  Zeller POS Lite . Designed for micro, small, and mobile businesses, this easy-to-use POS solution records sales and delivers a fast and secure customer checkout experience. With Zeller POS Lite, you can: Manage a library of items directly on the terminal or via Zeller Dashboard or App Customise your product offering with modifiers and variants Design your home screen grid to allow quick access to frequently used items Generate itemised receipts which customers can receive via email, SMS, or QR code View detailed sales reports to understand what you are selling and when Create and manage discounts Get set up instantly – Zeller POS Lite comes automatically installed on Zeller Terminal 2 4. It boosts your brand with customisable receipts and screensavers. Zeller ensures your brand is central to the payment process by allowing you to customise both your receipts and your machine’s screensaver. Whether they’re printed or sent digitally as an email or SMS, Zeller receipts can incorporate a custom image at the top of the receipt, as well as business details, social media handles, a brief message or returns policy. Similarly, Zeller Terminal’s large digital screen can be customised with an image of your choice, allowing you to engage your customers with your brand while you scan their items or pull up their order on your point-of-sale. Much more than a simple payment device, Zeller Terminal is an innovative marketing tool that can be leveraged to instil your brand messaging. Customise your Terminal screensaver and your receipt to align with your brand. 5. It splits payments. Gone are the days of making your customers get out their phone calculator to figure out who owes what after a group meal. Zeller Terminal’s  Split Payments  functionality gives customers the option of splitting by custom value or by number of people. Not only is this more convenient for your patrons, but it speeds up the payment process, freeing up the EFTPOS terminal for it to be used by other staff. Additionally, by giving each individual customer the option to pay their share, it gives them all the opportunity to provide a tip. Everyone tips differently, so by giving more power to each customer, it is not only a more democratic process, it's likely to result in cumulatively greater tips for your business. 6. It settles the bill, tableside. Zeller Terminal’s  Pay at Table  feature is revolutionising the dining experience. Where before waitstaff would have to jostle between the diner’s table and the point-of-sale machine to settle a bill, Zeller Terminal now allows you to see total outstanding bills, take payments and close tables — all on one device. Rather than the customer paying at the counter or finalising the bill in the traditional, time-consuming manner, waitstaff can deliver the bill and the mobile payment device, all at the same time. The status of a table is updated in real time and synced across all machines, reducing human error and optimising the whole operation. 7. It makes processing refunds easy. Zeller Terminal supports both complete and partial refunds – and you, as a business owner, have the ability to restrict who can provide a customer with a refund. It’s an added level of protection for your business. Refunding a payment doesn’t cost your business anything; Zeller doesn’t charge any additional fees for refunding a customer. 7. It gives you real-time insights. Track key metrics from your Zeller Terminal in your own Zeller Dashboard or on  Zeller App . By providing powerful real-time data and a searchable transaction history, Zeller equips you with the tools you need to better manage cash flow, identify cost-saving opportunities and sales patterns. With most payment services providers, daily transaction information is unavailable until totals are tallied up at close of business — and important business information can only be found in a monthly merchant services statement. Having the ability to see how your business is performing at a glance enables you to quickly understand your short-term cash flow, progress sales targets to meet (and outperform) business objectives, and ultimately make smarter business decisions. 9. It gets you paid faster with same-day settlements. When you settle your funds into a Zeller Transaction Account, your day’s takings from Zeller Terminal will be deposited into your account the very same night, 365 days a year. If you choose to settle your funds into a third-party bank account, you will receive them the next business day. Speeding up the settlement process means you have access to your funds faster, helping to keep your cash flow healthy, and helping to avoid delays to wage payments or supply orders. 10. It can be controlled remotely. If your business operates across multiple locations, you need an easy way to manage your EFTPOS payment terminals. Every one of your Zeller Terminals can be controlled from your Zeller account, ensuring consistency across your entire operation. Update your staff permissions, enable and disable surcharging, update the information on your receipts, and more from one easy, online location. 11. It increases your tips. Zeller Terminal makes it easy for customers to leave a tip. This is particularly useful for hospitality businesses — you don’t have to enable the feature, but the functionality is there. You can configure your Zeller Terminal to provide a range of tipping options, either prompting a customer to leave a tip calculated on a percentage of their purchase or allowing them to enter a custom amount. This is a proven tactic, designed to grow tips for your business. 12. It reduces paper with digital and QR code receipts. A recent study* revealed that Australia produces 10.6 billion paper receipts annually, but because of their chemical coating, none of them can be recycled. With consumers and businesses becoming increasingly aware of their environmental footprint, many are choosing digital receipts as a convenient and sustainable alternative. Zeller Terminal embraces this step forward by offering customers the choice to have their receipts sent via email or SMS (available on both terminal models), or they can quickly scan a QR code which appears on-screen after the payment has been processed and download their receipt directly to their smartphone (Zeller Terminal 2 only). *‘Life Journey of an Average Receipt’ report, commissioned by Slyp, undertaken by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Plus protection for your business. Zeller uses end-to-end encryption and industry best practices to protect transactions from the time they are taken at the terminal to the time your money is received. Whether you choose to use an open or secured Wi-Fi connection or a mobile broadband-based connection, all the information Zeller processes is encrypted to our servers. Our team adheres to industry best practices in cybersecurity and threat management, constantly monitoring transactions for suspicious activity and blocking fraudulent transactions. When payment disputes occur, our team of experts deals with the bank for you, helping you avoid costly chargebacks. We’re always looking ahead. Our team of developers are hard at work, continuously building new functionality to give your business an edge. That's why, when you sign up for Zeller, there are no lock-in contracts or commitments. We know you’ll love our solution enough to never want to leave. Learn more about how  Zeller Terminal  can help your business grow by accepting every card payment, quickly and securely, for one low rate. By sharing your details with us, we may contact you from time to time. We promise we won’t bug you — and you can unsubscribe from communications at any time.

Processing sales just got even easier with Zeller POS Lite — enabling you to deliver swift, hassle-free checkouts, and a smoother customer experience. Discover all of the features Zeller POS Lite offers below. Managing a small business involves a delicate balance of operations — overseeing inventory, processing payments, and tracking sales, all while keeping your customers happy. Without the right technology, operations and costs can quickly get out of control. Enter Zeller Terminal 2, our new all-in-one payments and  point-of-sale solution  designed and engineered in Australia to meet the unique needs of small businesses. At its core is Zeller POS Lite. Zeller POS Lite is a perfect ally for cafés, retail stores, food trucks, and market stalls –– businesses that need a reliable, easy-to-use POS system without unnecessary complexity or high costs. How will Zeller POS Lite benefit your business? Zeller POS Lite offers an all-in-one point-of-sale system to manage sales, items, and payments. It's easy to use and simple to set up — you can be up and running in minutes, with a complete item library and menu built right into Zeller Terminal 2. Designed for small, and mobile businesses, this free, easy-to-use POS solution records sales and delivers a fast and secure customer checkout experience. Interested in getting set up with Zeller POS Lite? Simply  purchase Zeller Terminal 2 online  and begin building your item library. If you need support or have additional questions, our local sales team is also available to discuss your POS requirements and help you get set up with the best solution. Is there a feature you’d like to see that’s not there? We’re always improving and adding to Zeller products, so if there’s a feature that is important to you that is not currently available, let us know at  feedback@myzeller.com .

Innovated and engineered in Melbourne, Zeller Terminal 2 features a never-before-seen design, and a built-in point-of-sale. Discover what’s under the hood of this fully integrated, all-in-one payments and POS solution. Whether you’re starting a new business or scaling up, one of the best things you can invest in to support your growth is the right technology to manage payments and inventory. However, we know that POS software and managing multiple providers can be costly to growing businesses. It’s why we're introducing Zeller Terminal 2 : a next-generation payment terminal that comes with a free, built-in point-of-sale (POS) app, Zeller POS Lite . Building on the reliability, ease-of-use, and affordability of its predecessor, Zeller Terminal 2 offers businesses even more powerful functionality when it comes to tracking and recording sales, and elevating the customer experience, all at an extremely affordable price. Here’s what you can expect from this latest release: Sleek hardware design. The first noticeable feature about Zeller Terminal 2 is its new sleek profile. Its sleek, ergonomic design is the first of its kind, and lends itself both to being hand-held or placed on the countertop. It comes in three stylish colours: white, black, and graphite grey, allowing you to customise the payment experience to your business’s aesthetic. Paperless receipts. A recent study* revealed that Australia produces 10.6 billion paper receipts annually, but because of their chemical coating, none of them can be recycled. With consumers and businesses becoming increasingly aware of their environmental footprint, many are choosing digital receipts as a convenient and sustainable alternative. Zeller Terminal 2 embraces this step forward, doing away with a receipt printer all together. Instead, customers can choose to have their receipts sent via email or SMS, or they can quickly scan a QR code which appears on-screen after the payment has been processed, and allows them to download their receipt directly to their smartphone. Built-in point-of-sale system. The most notable feature of Zeller Terminal 2, is its built-in cloud point-of-sale software: Zeller POS Lite. Designed for micro, small, and mobile businesses, this free, easy-to-use POS solution records sales and delivers a fast and secure customer checkout experience – without the need for cumbersome or complex POS hardware and software. With Zeller POS Lite, you can: Add an item library:  Add and edit new items via Zeller Dashboard or directly on Zeller Terminal 2, or upload an existing library from your previous POS with a bulk item import. You can also use the same library for  Zeller Invoices . Manage your items:  Update item details including images, descriptions, prices, categories, and generate automatic SKUs. Any product changes are made in real-time and synced across all platforms. Create variants and modifiers: Customise your product offering with modifiers (options that can be added or changed – such as alternative milk, toppings, or special requests) and variants (size, style, colour, etc.). Customise your grid:  Quickly access top sellers or frequently used items, discounts, or categories on your home screen to keep the queue moving and customers happy. Set up multiple sites:  If you expand your business, simply purchase another Zeller Terminal 2 for your new location and log in. All your items will be available and any site-specific attributes, modifiers, or discounts can be added as needed. Generate itemised receipts:  Offer customers an itemised receipt via email, SMS, or QR code. View detailed sales reports:  Understand what you are selling and when with detailed reports highlighting sales patterns, popular items, and revenue streams. Note, this feature will be available in the coming weeks. Manage discounts:  Create and manage discounts via Zeller Dashboard, Terminal 2 and add descriptions to different discounts for greater clarity. Get set up instantly, for free: Zeller POS Lite comes automatically installed on Zeller Terminal 2, with no monthly software fees or additional charges. All you need to do is follow the steps to set up your item library, and start selling. Light or dark mode and customisable screensavers. Zeller Terminal 2 is designed to suit the aesthetic of your business. Not only does the hardware come in three colours, but the interface can also be customised to match your style. Choose from light or dark mode, and set a custom screensaver to give your device a branded look. Plus, all the features you know and love. While boasting all-new functionality and a fresh design, Zeller Terminal 2 does not compromise on any of the features that our customers have grown to love. Zeller Terminal 2 continues to accept payments from all cards and devices, integrates seamlessly with over 600 third-party POS providers, and offers reliable Wi-Fi, 4G SIM card, and Ethernet connectivity. Plus, automated surcharging, tipping, and split payments can all be switched on or off depending on the needs of your business. Who is Zeller Terminal 2 designed for? Zeller Terminal 2 is an EFTPOS solution that is designed to adapt to any Australian business – no matter the size or industry. For smaller or mobile businesses – cafés, ice cream shops, bakeries, food trucks, market vendors, florists, or retail stores and event venues with a limited inventory – Zeller Terminal 2 with Zeller POS Lite can serve as an end-to-end point-of-sale and payments solution. Combining payments, sales processing, and financial management into one ecosystem, these businesses can get paid faster, reduce operational costs, and keep a closer eye on their inventory and cash flow. While for larger multi-location businesses and enterprises, the ability to integrate Zeller Terminal 2 with over 600 third-party POS providers means you can get the best of Zeller’s EFTPOS technology with your preferred checkout experience. Franchises or businesses that require a fleet of devices, will benefit from Zeller’s unbeatable affordability, advanced multi-venue reporting, and the ability to manage their entire EFTPOS fleet in one place. Premium payments at an affordable price. Whether you run a small mobile coffee cart or a multi-venue enterprise, Zeller Terminal 2 is designed to adapt to your needs – both in functionality and style. Integrated into Zeller’s existing ecosystem, it provides businesses with a comprehensive overview of their finances, eliminating the need for multiple providers, streamlining the sales process, and ultimately getting them paid faster. Retailing at just $199, with a low, flat transaction fee of 1.4% and no monthly rental fees, Zeller Terminal 2 is Australia’s most affordable all-in-one POS and payments solution. Taking less and giving you more, Zeller Terminal 2 is the ultimate ally for accelerating your business growth. *‘Life Journey of an Average Receipt’ report, commissioned by Slyp, undertaken by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

If you’re shopping around for a payments provider or a point-of-sale system, you may have come across the term ‘integrated EFTPOS’. In this article, we explain what this technology is and how your business can benefit from integrating with Zeller Terminal. Integrated EFTPOS is a direct connection between your point-of-sale (POS) system and your EFTPOS machine. When these two systems are integrated, sales totals that are rung up on the POS are pushed automatically to the  EFTPOS terminal , eliminating the need for staff members to key in the sales value manually on the machine before payment. With the tap of a button on your register, payment details are automatically transferred to your EFTPOS terminal, ready for your customer to tap, dip, or swipe. To explore the best POS systems available in Australia and find one that suits your needs, check out our comprehensive blog article on the topic. Six ways Zeller Integrated EFTPOS will benefit your business. 1. It reduces human error. An unintegrated EFTPOS machine requires a staff member to manually enter the sales total into the terminal before the payment can be processed. Unavoidably, this process will lead to human error. If a customer is accidentally overcharged, not only do you risk losing their business in future, but it takes time away from your staff to process refunds for incorrect payments. Similarly, if a customer is accidentally undercharged, it is unlikely that you will be able to recoup the lost revenue, and it can lead to frustration and confusion when it comes to end-of-day reconciliation. Integrated EFTPOS eliminates these risks, by removing the need for manual entry into the EFTPOS machine. 2. It makes transactions faster. Integrated payments allow you to serve more customers, faster than ever, by removing unnecessary steps in the payment process. Whether you use a touch screen or a barcode scanner, integrated EFTPOS allows data to be pulled directly from your system, reducing waiting times at the checkout. You’ll also save time at the end of the day. Thanks to two-way communication between your devices, end-of-day reconciliation becomes a breeze, with payment transactions relayed back to your POS automatically. 3. It’s free and fast to set up. Although some merchant services providers may charge upwards of $10 per terminal to integrate with your POS system , Zeller’s integrated EFTPOS solution is free. Similarly, the process of getting set up is simple and self-service. Traditionally, integrating EFTPOS and POS systems has required a third party engineer or integration specialist to arrange a time to visit your business premises in person, with Zeller, you can connect your systems remotely, and in most cases, in less than 15 minutes. 4. You won’t lose sales if your POS system fails. In the event of a POS system outage (or other disruption to your POS system), every other integrated EFTPOS solution will lock you out of your EFTPOS terminal – forcing you to contact their customer service centres in order to get back up and running. We understand it’s critically important that, no matter what, you are still able to process sales at your business. If your POS system suffers a disruption for any reason, you can continue to use Zeller Terminal. Simply toggle on ‘Card mode’, and you will be able to continue processing transactions via Zeller Terminal without any downtime. 5. You have over 600 POS platforms to choose from. Whether you’re using a  cloud-based or on-premise POS  solution, with Zeller, you can be confident that – no matter which POS you choose, or industry you operate within – you’ll get the benefit of integrated payments. Zeller is proud to partner with over 600 POS providers, including leading solutions such as  Abacus , Impos ,  Zii ,  H&L ,  Oracle ,  Whoods ,  Redat ,  Task ,  Hike , plus a long list of others to service a wide range of industries and business sizes. To view the full list of POS providers that Zeller integrates with, visit the  Zeller Partner Hub . Not sure what POS system to choose? Use our Best POS Systems Guide for 2024 to help you find the right provider for your business. 6. You can turn tables faster with Pay at Table. Hospitality businesses using  H&L POS  enjoy the added benefit of Zeller’s innovative  Pay at Table  solution. This integrated technology allows Zeller Terminal to function as an extension of your H&L POS, allowing staff members to view open tables, see total outstanding bills, take payments and close tables — all on one device. Rather than the customer paying at the counter or finalising the bill in the traditional, time-consuming manner, waitstaff can deliver the bill and the mobile payment device, all at the same time. Read our blog article to learn how  Pay at Table  works.

You might have heard about ‘zero-cost’, ‘fee-free’, and ‘no-pay’ EFTPOS: as their names suggest, they offer business owners a way to accept payments without the regular transaction fees. Before you sign up, it’s important to understand how these schemes work and whether or not they’re right for your business. Fee-free EFTPOS explained. When someone makes a cashless transaction – by tapping their card or mobile device to your EFTPOS terminal – there is a cost for using the technology that moves the money from their account to your business bank account. This cost is known as a ‘transaction fee’ or ‘merchant fee’. A way for businesses to avoid having to pay this fee is to pass it on to the customer as a small surcharge that is added to the sales total. So, instead of your business incurring the cost of the transaction, your customer covers it at the time of payment. This is referred to as ‘surcharging’. Fee-free EFTPOS  means the processing fee is passed on to your customer as a surcharge. Zero-cost EFTPOS  means the cost to your business is zero, because it is passed on to your customer as a surcharge. This process is sometimes also referred to as an “automatic surcharge”, which means the cost of accepting a transaction is automatically passed on to your customer. Is surcharging legal? Yes. In Australia, it is legal to pass on the transaction fee, however, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) mandates that the surcharge rate can’t be higher than the amount you incur to process card transactions (your ‘cost of acceptance’). Read our blog article to learn more about  how surcharging works in Australia  and in what states and industries it is most popular. It is important to note that if you do choose to pass on the fee to your customers, you are legally obliged to display appropriate  surcharge signage  at the point of sale. When ‘fee-free’ isn’t actually free. While the promise of ‘free’ EFTPOS processing is enticing, it’s important to make sure you fully understand the terms of your contract with your payment provider before proceeding. Many fee-free or zero-cost EFTPOS plans do indeed have additional costs and obligations, which we’ve listed below: Machine rental  – Most payment providers will charge a monthly fee for the EFTPOS hardware required to take payments. If your business requires multiple machines, this cost can quickly add up. Upfront establishment fee  – When you get started with EFTPOS, you may be charged a one-off establishment fee that covers the setting up of your payment terminal. It is usually charged per facility, so if you have more than one EFTPOS machine , you will be charged for each. Lock-in contracts  – This means you cannot remove the surcharge without help from your financial services provider, which will likely involve lodging a formal request and then waiting for it to be actioned. Minimum monthly transaction volume  – Many payment providers will only honour their ‘fee-free’ promise when you meet a minimum transaction volume, which can be upwards of $10,000 processed through your EFTPOS terminal per month. Variable fees per card type  – As a merchant, you have a responsibility to ensure your surcharge remains less than – or equal to – your cost of acceptance. However, some payment providers will charge a variable transaction fee, (one that changes depending on the card type) which makes it very difficult to predict what an appropriate surcharge will be. In order to stay within the law, you will have to surcharge an amount that, in some instances, won’t entirely cover the cost of the fee. When signing up for a zero-cost EFTPOS provider, make sure you’re asking questions to uncover the hidden charges and obligations — to ensure you’re getting the best deal for your business, and for your customers, too. To learn more about the true cost of EFTPOS, read our article on deciphering transaction fees . Zero-cost EFTPOS made simple with Zeller. At Zeller, we pride ourselves on keeping our fees simple and transparent. When you use Zero-Cost EFTPOS with Zeller Terminal, you know exactly how much (and how little) you’re paying. Purchase your EFTPOS machine outright  – Zeller Terminal is yours to own for just $99. With no monthly rental fees, this makes it the most affordable EFTPOS machine on the market. Order one online from the  Zeller Shop  and enjoy free express shipping. Turn surcharging on and off at any time  – We understand that surcharging doesn’t always sit well with the customers who have to foot the bill, which is why we have built flexible surcharging into our technology. With Zeller Terminal, you can toggle surcharging on or off with ease. What’s more, you can also customise the surcharge if you would prefer to only pass on a portion of the transaction fee. One low, flat fee  – No matter what card your customer chooses to pay with, Zeller will only ever charge one low, flat transaction fee of 1.4% to every in-person transaction — taking the guesswork out of calculating surcharges. No monthly minimum requirements  – At Zeller, we do not discriminate: our offer remains the same for all businesses. Whether you process $5 or $50,000 in a month, you will always have access to zero-cost EFTPOS. No hidden fees and no lock-in contracts  – With Zeller, what you see is what you get. Purchase Zeller Terminal outright and pay (or surcharge) 1.4% per in-person transaction. There are no additional fees, and we’ll never lock you into a contract.

Whether you’re running a small market stall or a multi-venue operation, your point of sale will be the hub of your business. To help you choose the right setup, this article outlines how POS systems work and what you can expect from their hardware and software. What is a POS system? POS stands for point of sale, it refers to the place (in-person or online) where customers complete a purchase. A POS system is the combined hardware and software that is used to facilitate these purchases and assist the business in tracking and managing the sales. Today, POS systems encompass a variety of functions, including (but not limited to): Processing orders Taking payments Tracking inventory Providing sales analytics Generating receipts and order dockets Gathering marketing data Implementing customer loyalty programs POS systems vary greatly depending on the size of a business and the industry it's in, and come in the form of physical devices – such as countertop machines and mobile POS or 'mPOS' terminals – or virtual checkout points via online apps and kiosks for self-service orders. For small businesses, a smartphone or mobile device may suffice, while larger more complex operations may require computer systems, barcode scanners, receipt printers, and more. Read on to learn more about how POS systems work and the hardware and software included. How does a POS system work? There are four main steps involved in the point-of-sale process. Your POS system will use the data generated by the sale to offer you helpful business insights, and identify marketing opportunities. You will be able to understand which products are most popular, when your busiest time of day is, who your most valuable customers are, and more. What hardware is typically included in a POS system? If you operate a food truck or a market stall, you may opt for a mobile POS solution (also known as MPOS) which can be operated from a smartphone, tablet, or mobile EFTPOS terminal. However, for larger businesses, there is a range of POS hardware that can help support your operations. The following are the most typical pieces of hardware that are included in a POS system. Display and computer Many POS systems comprise a countertop computer where merchants can manage transactions, as well as a display that faces the customer. Traditionally, these machines have been bulky monitors with in-built cash drawers, but today, more and more businesses are opting for sleeker tablet-style setups. EFTPOS machine Businesses that process payments in-person, will at the very minimum, require an EFTPOS machine to accept card and contactless payments. These machines are most often supplied by a financial services provider like  Zeller  or a traditional banking institution. For smaller, more agile businesses that don’t want to be anchored down to the checkout counter, smartphone-based card readers such as  Tap to Pay with Zeller App  allow customers to make their purchase anywhere in the store. Cash drawer In Australia today, less than 20% of transactions use cash, which is why many businesses are choosing to go cashless. However, for those still accepting cash, you will need a cash drawer within your POS set up to securely store money securely and provide change to customers. Receipt printer While many modern POS providers are able to send digital receipts to customers via SMS or email, you may choose to offer your customers the option of a paper receipt. Additionally, if you run a hospitality business, you may need to print order dockets for the kitchen. In both cases, you will need a receipt and/or docket printer as part of your POS setup. Barcode scanner For businesses with a large product inventory, barcode scanners are a helpful way to quickly pull product information and add the cost to the checkout total. They help automate the checkout process, creating a faster and smoother customer experience. Plus, barcode scanners integrate with inventory management systems to automatically adjust stock levels. What features can I expect from POS software? Payment processing The most basic and important feature of a POS system is to accept payments. Depending on the needs of your business, this may include any or all of the following: Cash processing Accepting secure online payments through your eCommerce site Accepting credit and debit cards with an embedded chip Accepting contactless payments with mobile wallets (e.g., Google Pay, Apple Pay, Android Pay) Processing card-not-present transactions (ie. when your customer and their card aren’t in front of you so you have to manually enter their card details via  MOTO  or a  virtual terminal ) Inventory management Most POS systems include software that will automatically update your inventory whenever a customer orders a meal, or buys or returns an item. This allows you to easily track stock levels, anticipate when popular items will run out, and stay on budget by purchasing supplies only when necessary. Depending on the needs of your business you can find POS software that: Digitally scans products and counts them Manages stock variations (eg. size, colour, style, etc.) Uses unique serial numbers to track inventory Monitors inventory across multiple locations Automatically reorders popular items Table management For dine-in hospitality businesses, a POS system can also aid in managing floors and tables. Some software allows restaurants to make a visual floor plan, allowing staff to see what tables are occupied, reserved, and available at a glance. POS software can also help staff to make bookings and manage reservations, waitlists, and track table turnover rates to help managers identify peak times and optimise seating arrangements. Sales reporting For businesses to effectively manage their cash flow, sales need to be recorded, categorised, and updated in real-time.POS software can provide daily, weekly, and monthly sales reports, ranging from high-level summaries to comprehensive detailed analytics. These sales and revenue reports can help to identify top-selling products and seasonal trends, revenue trends, purchasing behaviours, return rates, how profitable products or services are, and more. Employee management In retail or restaurant environments, where many employees work hourly, POS systems can simplify time tracking and scheduling. Instead of manually logging hours, employees can clock in and out with a card swipe or code entry, enabling precise tracking of hourly wages. This system also facilitates quick identification of top-performing employees, particularly those working on commission. Customer relationship management (CRM) Some POS software doubles as a customer relationship management (CRM) tool, consolidating customer data and trends and enabling you to track purchase histories effectively. These POS systems will collect customer information (such as name, age, birthday, phone number and email address), associate sales with specific customers, help you implement customer loyalty programs, and integrate with email or SMS marketing tools. What is the difference between cloud and on-premise POS? Traditionally, POS systems have been installed and run on a computer or server on the business premises — referred to as “on-premise”. However, today, more and more cloud-based systems have become available, offering a POS that is entirely decentralised and accessed online. So, the principal difference between on-premise POS systems and their cloud-based counterparts is that the former is installed and run on a computer physically located on the business premises, while the latter is hosted on remote servers and accessed through the internet. To learn about the pros and cons of each system, read our blog article on the differences between  cloud and on-premise POS  here. Let Zeller take care of your payments. While choosing a POS might take some further consideration (read our article on the best POS systems for small businesses here), choosing an EFTPOS provider is easy. Zeller is Australia’s favourite payments platform, trusted by thousands of businesses ranging from sole traders to national franchises. Whether you need a simple, zero-cost mobile solution or a fully integrated EFTPOS machine with the most advanced features (think tipping, bill-splitting, screensavers and more), Zeller’s platform is designed to adapt to the requirements of your business. Get in touch with us today to find out how we can help.

Zeller’s Head of Product, James Vatiliotis shares his insights on the innovation we can expect to see in payment technology over the next 12 months. In the past year, Australia’s payment sector has been transformed by the launch of  Tap to Pay technology . Untethering payments from the traditional EFTPOS terminal and putting them in the hands of any individual with a smartphone has revolutionised what we’ve come to expect of the payment experience. Now with the rapid expansion of AI and machine learning, the pressure of security breaches, and the growing obsolescence of cash and printed receipts: there’s more innovation coming in the payments space. More customers choosing a bank alternative. The shift away from cash has accelerated significantly, with cash representing less than 14% of total transactions today according to the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). For businesses, this means the choice of financial services and payments provider has never been more important. With the incumbent banks no longer dominating the market with one generic offering, businesses have the choice of a growing number of digital banking alternatives, enabling them to shop around for a solution that offers greater flexibility, affordability, and functionality. From the pricing of payments technology to how it integrates with other systems, how it mitigates security risks, and what features it offers (think surcharging, bill-splitting, tipping, customisable screensavers, digital receipts, and more), there is no longer a one-size-fits all solution when it comes to business banking. Additionally, with very few customers nowadays carrying cash as a back-up payment option, the reliability of the payments hardware and the quality of your provider’s customer support have become paramount. Over the next year, we anticipate more businesses will shift from traditional banks to newer digital solutions, which will continue to drive innovation and differentiation in an increasingly competitive market. Payment security enhanced with AI capabilities. Across the world, we are seeing rapid adoption of AI in SaaS and financial services companies, to increase speed and accuracy when analysing documents and information; this trend will also accelerate in Australia in the coming years. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) recently reported that an estimated 8.7 per cent of Australians – 1.8 million people – were victims of card fraud in the 2022-2023 financial year. To combat this, payment providers are harnessing the power of AI to improve fraud detection. AI already plays a crucial role in a number of our security processes at Zeller. It is enhancing the accuracy and speed with which we can run biometrics, by matching a merchant’s likeness against their identification documents. It is being used to help verify the authenticity of documents supplied, and is continually improving transaction monitoring systems by enabling fraudulent transactions to be identified even faster. AI-enabled insights give decision makers more data. On top of its applications in security, there’s also huge potential for AI to help business owners make more informed, data-driven decisions. Companies like Shopify have already announced AI sidekicks to help questions around business operations such as, “Why have I had a drop in sales between March and now?” We’re especially excited to see the application of a similar framework being introduced into a platform like Zeller which benefits from a 360-degree view of your entire business and finances (via EFTPOS terminals, invoicing, debit cards, expenses, transfers and more). It will allow AI to go beyond answering questions, to instead provide proactive business insights, such as, “In three months, you will have a cash flow shortfall; here are ways you can mitigate this” or, “We noticed a group of customers who shopped with you last month haven’t this month; here’s how to bring them back”. In certain cases, AI will even be able to help implement these suggestions, with prompts such as, “You could earn a better return on your money by transferring funds into a savings account each evening; Would you like us to do this for you?” These types of real-time insights and tips will prove critical in helping businesses make informed, strategic decisions when it comes to managing their finances. The disappearance of printed receipts. Recent research by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) revealed that Australia produces an astonishing 10.6 billion paper receipts annually, and because most are coated with toxic chemicals, they can't be recycled. With consumers and businesses becoming more and more conscious of their environmental footprint, many are choosing digital receipts as a convenient and sustainable alternative. By offering SMS and email receipts, Zeller Terminal users have saved enough paper to wrap the MCG 142 times. In addition to the environmental benefits, digital receipts also provide business owners the convenience of accessing receipts when they need them again in the future. We foresee a future where EFTPOS terminals may no longer need printers at all, embracing an entirely digital receipt system. Tap to Pay integration to third-party hardware. Since it was launched last year,  Tap to Pay with Zeller App  has enabled businesses to accept contactless payments using their own iOS and Android smartphones. This technology has proven greatly successful, with tens of thousands of businesses adopting it within the first months. It’s now set to expand to enable other devices to accept contactless payments using Tap to Pay technology; including apps, point-of-sale, and more. By providing other technology companies access to Zeller’s Tap to Pay technology, we expect to see this become the new norm for various applications. Kiosks, point-of-sale (POS) systems, vending machines, and more will be able to integrate Tap to Pay into their hardware, doing away with the need for traditional card readers. If you’re interested in incorporating Zeller’s Tap to Pay solution into your own technology, email us at  partnerships@myzeller.com . Want to stay up to date? At Zeller we are constantly enhancing our features in line with the very latest technology. Stay abreast of all the newest developments by signing up to our newsletter and checking in on the Zeller Business Blog, where you will find helpful resources, inspiring stories, and handy business tips updated on a weekly basis.

Australia’s favourite payments provider, Zeller, and the global leader in restaurant POS systems, Oracle, have come together to provide restaurateurs with a complete solution for managing orders and securely taking payments at speed. For food and beverage venues across the country, this new integration that connects  Zeller Terminal  with  Oracle’s Simphony POS , will come as welcome news. Until now, Australian businesses using Oracle’s Simphony POS have been hamstrung by the outdated technology provided by a limited number of payment providers that integrated with it. Now, businesses from local cafés to global quick-service chains can benefit from Zeller’s advanced EFTPOS solution. Read on to discover how this integration will revolutionise your hospitality operations. Integrate quickly and simply. Pairing Zeller Terminal with Oracle Simphony POS is straightforward and can be done remotely via Zeller Dashboard. Being able to configure the pairing remotely is especially helpful for chains with multiple venues as there is no need to be on site to complete the set up. Terminals can be swapped in and out of different locations by retail or operations staff as required, and paired to the POS directly from the device itself (or from the dashboard) without escalation. Move queues faster with integrated payments. When Zeller Terminal and Oracle Simphony POS are integrated, there’s no need to manually key in the transaction total, your staff will instead be able to automatically push the balance to the EFTPOS machine, improving speed of service by reducing wait times. Offer a branded experience with custom screensavers. For multi-venue restaurants in particular, maintaining a consistent brand experience across locations is essential. Zeller Terminal lets you extend this experience to the payment process with a screensaver feature that allows you to upload a custom image to the large screen display. From promoting a new meal deal on-screen to inviting customers to sign up to a competition with a QR code – there are endless creative ways to use this feature. Simplify the refund process for your staff. If a customer requests a refund, your staff simply need to find the relevant transaction from the transaction record on your Oracle Simphony POS workstation and initiate the refund. The funds will be returned back to the card that originally processed the transaction, without the customer having to present it again. The refund will also be reflected in Oracle Simphony’s reporting as well as a Zeller’s refund transaction record, with the unique transaction ID visible on both reports for streamlined reconciliation. Never miss a sale with Wi-Fi, SIM and Ethernet connectivity. Zeller Terminal can be connected via Wi-Fi,  SIM Card  or a local area network with an Ethernet dock to ensure your machines always maintain fast, reliable connectivity. What’s more, the terminal and the POS don’t need to be on the same network to function, which saves time and hassle if networks are whitelisted: the POS can be hardwired with Ethernet and the terminal can be on Ethernet with Wi-Fi or SIM backup for example. Grow your tips. If enabled, your customers will be prompted to leave a tip before paying for their meal on Zeller Terminal. Whether they choose to add a custom value or a percentage, the updated value will be pushed back to the Oracle Simphony POS, ensuring your reporting is always accurate. Zeller’s tipping functionality can be toggled on or off at any time, from the dashboard or the Terminal. Combine EFTPOS receipts and tax invoices into one docket. Give your customers a faster, more seamless experience with a combined tax invoice and EFTPOS receipt. When the card payment is processed on Zeller Terminal, the transaction details are automatically pushed to your Oracle Simphony POS workstation which prints one combined docket, streamlining the checkout process. The unique transaction ID will also be recorded in both Zeller Dashboard, and your Oracle Simphony POS reports, to ensure easy reconciliation for finance and operations teams. Give your customers more flexibility with split payments. We know convenience is important to your customers, which is why the Zeller x Oracle Simphony integration lets you split bills, without compromising the efficiency of the checkout process. Split payments simply need to be triggered from the POS system after which they are automatically pushed to Zeller Terminal where customers can pay their share. Pay zero transaction fees with surcharging. With Zeller Terminal, transaction fees can be passed onto the customer either fully or partially, through  surcharging . The sales total will be recalculated and pushed back to the Oracle Simphony POS, to ensure your reports are consistent. Surcharging can also be toggled on or off at any time, from Zeller Dashboard or the Terminal. Additionally, with no monthly rental fees, Zeller Terminal is a more affordable and scalable EFTPOS solution for large chain restaurants. Enjoy local support. Zeller is an Australian-based company, and our merchants benefit from  support  from our customer success team every weekday, from 9am to 1am AET. Whether you prefer to call, email or SMS, our team is always on hand to help. Optimise your restaurant payments with Zeller and Oracle Simphony If you’re looking to deliver an exceptional experience to your diners, efficiency is key. Whether you’re running a quick-service chain or a full-service restaurant, Oracle Simphony POS and Zeller ’s combined solution is built with features to ensure you can optimise the ordering and payment experience for both staff and customers.

No matter how soon, big, or complex your event is, Zeller takes the pain out of processing payments . Whether you're planning a music festival, farmers market, or charity event: the Zeller Event Rental Program provides event organisers with access to payments technology — without the lengthy paperwork. With no monthly rental fees, and no lock-in contracts, you won’t need to pay for a service you’re not using – Zeller will customise a quote for you and offer you local support for the duration of your event. Keep reading to discover why event payment processing  is easier with Zeller. Get set up fast. We understand that, often, with events, decisions need to be made fast – and sometimes at the last minute. How many EFTPOS machines you need might depend on how many attendees you are expecting, and it’s likely that you won’t know this until you’ve started selling tickets or receiving RSVPs. Having a merchant facility that can be flexible and agile is essential but increasingly difficult to find, with many banks and payment providers offering only 12-month rentals with lock-in contracts. Signing up with Zeller takes a matter of minutes, and a local team member will help you get set up with the EFTPOS terminal rental package you need. Reduce queues with faster payment acceptance. Whether you’re selling tickets at the door, running a merchandise stall, or operating a food and beverage site, customers expect to be able to pay for their purchase quickly. With Zeller, transactions are processed in seconds — meaning you can keep queues moving. After all, long lines can prevent customers from coming back for merchandise, or another drink (or even from joining the queue in the first place). Plus, with Zeller Terminal you can accept Visa, Mastercard, eftpos, American Express and JCB cards, as well as mobile wallets. Having the ability to accept every payment from every customer means no one needs to wait in line, only to be sent to the nearest ATM. Enjoy peace of mind with local support. When events are planned year-round, but their window for generating revenue is limited to the few days or weeks that the event runs, organisers simply cannot run the risk of losing sales to unexpected issues. When you sign up to Zeller’s Event Rental Program, you will be assigned a dedicated account manager who will assist you in setting up your account, and tailoring a payment solution to your event. Additionally, our support team is available from 9AM to 1AM, Australian Eastern Time, and you can find the answers to standard queries in the  Zeller Support Centre . Never lose a sale with WiFi, SIM, and Ethernet connectivity. Zeller offers a streamlined attendee experience with fast, secure, and reliable payment solutions integrated across your entire site. Zeller Terminal connects to the internet via Wi-Fi, mobile hotspot, SIM card, and Ethernet — safeguarding your business against unforeseeable service interruptions, or internet speed issues that often plague large-scale events. And, because it’s wireless, you can accept payment from wherever is convenient across your site. Keep costs down with low transaction fees and simple surcharging. Events are expensive, and increasingly so. It’s essential to find cost-saving solutions wherever possible. When you accept payments with Zeller, you will only ever pay one low 1.4% transaction fee – there are no minimum requirements or hidden charges. What’s more,  surcharging  is made simple: you can toggle the feature on or off, or you can choose only a partial amount to surcharge your customers. By passing on the transaction fee, the only cost you will pay is the price of renting the hardware. Get fast access to your takings. Unlike traditional businesses, events-based businesses experience significant fluctuations in revenue. Organising events typically requires substantial upfront investments in venues, equipment, marketing, and staffing, and these costs must be incurred well before any revenue from ticket sales or sponsorships is realised. This potential cash flow gap means it's especially important to be able to access your funds, as quickly as possible. Depending on which payment services provider you choose, you could access your takings the same day — or you could be waiting upwards of three business days. When payment is accepted via Zeller Terminal, funds are settled to your Zeller Transaction Account that same day. Or, funds can be swept to any other bank account and settled the next business day. Tap to Pay with Zeller App: a fast, scalable solution. If your event requires an even more flexible and mobile payment solution – perhaps you have a large group of volunteers needing to take donations, or maybe you need a card reader that you can slip in your back pocket –  Tap to Pay with Zeller App  is a great option. With nothing but a smartphone required, this payment solution can be set up in minutes. Simply create a Zeller Account, download the Zeller App onto an Android or iPhone mobile device, and start taking contactless card payments directly from your smartphone. If you are an exhibitor at a market or if you only need to take payments sporadically throughout the year, Tap to Pay is an excellent solution as it gives you flexibility without the added cost of renting hardware. What’s more, you will only pay one low transaction fee of 1.4%, or you can pass on the cost of acceptance by toggling the surcharging function on. Track what you’re selling and when and where you’re selling it. If you choose to rent Zeller Terminal 2, this model comes with a built-in point-of-sale system – Zeller POS Lite – enabling you to manage your inventory and track your sales at your event. With this POS, you can easily upload a library of items and deploy it to all your terminals at once. You can add item details and a photo to make products easier to identify and add variants such as size, colour, or style as well as modifiers like add-ons, toppings, or special requests. To help keep the queues moving fast, you can also design the terminal home screen to give you quick and easy access to the top-selling products. Detailed transaction reports will tell you what you're selling and when you're selling it, so you can make informed decisions about ordering more products or adding on more staff. Rent an EFTPOS machine with Zeller for your next event. Interested in renting a Zeller Terminal for your next event? Contact the Zeller Events team to discuss your rental requirements. No matter how big or small your event, we can find a solution that meets your needs and budget. Plus, it’s the perfect way to trial Zeller as your long-term solution. Every Zeller Terminal rental kit comes with your choice of Zeller Terminal 1 or Terminal 2,   Zeller SIM Card , a Zeller Charging Dock, and a roll of receipt paper — everything you need to accept payments at your event. The Zeller Event Rental Program supports: Farmers markets Community events Food and beverage tastings Cultural events Seasonal pop-ups Fundraisers and galas Sporting events Conventions and trade shows Music festivals Arena shows Event venues Sports stadiums And more!

At best, chargebacks are frustrating. At worst, they are costly disruptions that can harm your bottom line. Understanding why chargebacks occur – whether legitimate or fraudulent – is key in helping you prevent them. Read on to discover everything you need to know about chargebacks, and the necessary steps you can take to avoid them. What is a chargeback? A chargeback is a form of customer protection that allows them to file a dispute against a merchant, with the aim of having a charge returned to their card. In the simplest terms, it is a type of payment dispute that results in a refund. However, instead of your business providing a refund directly to the customer, the customer’s bank reverses the charge, removing money from your bank account and placing it back with the customer. Effectively, a customer can get money back without your agreement, or even involvement. Chargebacks are a way to ensure customers are protected against dishonest or fraudulent businesses, however, they can also be exploited by dishonest customers or criminals using stolen credit card information to pay for goods or services. How do chargebacks work? When a customer requests a chargeback from their bank, the bank investigates the issue by contacting the vendor business. If the business is unable to provide adequate evidence that the product or service was in fact provided as promised, the bank will reverse the charge on the customer’s credit card. Usually, the chargeback process goes as follows: The cardholder notices a transaction that they believe is unauthorised, fraudulent, or erroneous and contacts their bank or credit card company to dispute the charge and request a chargeback. The card issuer investigates the dispute by requesting additional information such as receipts, order confirmations, shipping details, or any communication between the cardholder and the merchant. If the card issuer determines that the cardholder's claim is valid, they proceed with the chargeback process. The disputed charge is then debited from the merchant’s account and is credited back to the cardholder’s account. The merchant is notified of the chargeback and may be given the opportunity to respond and provide additional evidence to dispute it if they believe the chargeback is unwarranted. If the chargeback is upheld, the merchant loses the disputed funds, and they may also incur a chargeback fee. The impact of chargebacks on businesses. Not only are chargebacks a source of anxiety for merchants, but their cost to your business is actually much greater than just the revenue of the sale. Chargeback fees Chargeback fees are fees imposed on merchants by banks or payment processors to cover the costs associated with processing chargebacks. When a chargeback occurs, the merchant may be charged a fee, regardless of whether the chargeback is ultimately resolved in their favour or not. In Australia, chargeback fees range from around $25 to $40 per chargeback. Lost merchandise In the situation where a cardholder receives a product, and initiates a chargeback process, the cardholder is usually obligated to return the merchandise, however this is not guaranteed. If the merchant loses a chargeback in addition to forfeiting the product, the cost to their business is doubled as they cannot resell it or recoup its value. Operational and marketing costs Whether you’re selling a product or a service, a lot of work happens before it reaches the customer. From packing and shipping to managing inventory and staff, countless hours are spent preparing the customer’s final product, and time is money. What’s more, a sale doesn’t always come for free. Money spent on marketing also disappears every time a charge is reversed. 6 common reasons for chargebacks and how to avoid them. 1. Unmet expectations If the item or service that a customer pays for is defective or not as described, they can request a chargeback. How to avoid this kind of chargeback: Ensure all product descriptions – whether on a website or in store – are accurate; Use photography that clearly and accurately shows the product; Publish accurate size guides, if selling online; Carefully check products for defects before sending them out for delivery. 2. Onerous or unclear returns policy If a customer cannot find your returns policy, or if the policy is unclear, they can request a chargeback. How to avoid this kind of chargeback: Make your returns policy clear and straightforward; Ensure your returns policy is visible on your receipt, website, and in-store; Make it easy to contact your business by publishing a customer service phone number or email address on your website and receipt. Learn how to customise your receipts with Zeller here . 3. Unrecognisable business name If a customer sees an unfamiliar name on their credit card statement, they may request a chargeback. How to avoid this kind of chargeback: Ensure your business name is clearly and consistently written across your website, receipts, marketing material, and in-store; Check that how your business name appears on bank statements is clear and up to date. Learn how to change how your business name appears on their bank statements here. 4. Inefficient service or delivery If a customer’s product takes much longer to arrive than anticipated, or if a service takes longer than expected, they may request a chargeback . How to avoid this kind of chargeback: Where possible, provide tracking information for shipments and send updates if there are any delays or issues with the order; For high-value items, request a signature upon delivery; Ensure that all terms of service and delivery timelines are clearly communicated to customers, both on your website and in any confirmation material you send them; Offer prompt and responsive customer support Keep detailed records of any communication with your customers or shipping documentation, which could be used as evidence in the case a charge is disputed 5. Chargeback fraud If a dishonest customer wants to avoid paying, while still keeping the purchased goods or services, they might falsely claim that the transaction was unauthorised and request a chargeback. This is what is known as chargeback fraud. To avoid this kind of chargeback, it’s important to have a process for documenting evidence that your agreed upon product or service was provided. How to avoid this kind of chargeback: Take a photo of your goods in their packaging before they are sent. If providing a service, ensure to take photos or screenshots of the finished work. Ensure your customer signs a contract upon completion of any work. Provide your customer with clear, itemised receipts. If the product is being shipped, provide tracking details and request the customer’s signature 6. Stolen card information If a criminal uses stolen payment information to make an unauthorised purchase, the legitimate cardholder may discover the transaction on their statement, and initiate a chargeback. How to avoid this kind of chargeback: Wherever possible, encourage customers to pay in person rather than over the phone. Fraud rates are considerably lower with card-present transactions compared to card-not-present transactions. When you do have to process over-the-phone payments (otherwise known as  MOTO payments ), we recommend requesting extra details to help ensure the person making the payment is in fact the legal cardholder, such as their full name, billing address, and some form of ID. If the product is being shipped, provide tracking details and request the customer’s signature (especially if payment has been made by MOTO). Consider taking payment via  Zeller Virtual Termina l or  Zeller Invoices , which incorporate an additional layer of security (3DS), which asks customers to verify the payment via their banking app. How and when to file a chargeback dispute. If someone requests a chargeback from your business, the cardholder’s bank or credit card company (acquirer) will notify you. From there, you’ll have the option to challenge the chargeback. This is called a chargeback dispute. After being notified of a chargeback, you will be given a deadline before which you can dispute the claim. Timeframes will vary from one acquirer to the next, but on average the deadline is between 10 and 30 days from the time you are notified. If you miss the deadline, you will automatically lose the chargeback dispute. When you are notified about a chargeback, you will be given a reason for the dispute, such as, the customer did not receive their goods or that the item was defective. If you choose to challenge the chargeback, it’s essential that you compile evidence that directly addresses the chargeback reason. For example, if the reason indicates that the customer didn’t receive the item, you should submit any delivery information you have that supports the claim that they did indeed receive the item. Without sufficient evidence, banks are almost always going to side with the customer. How are chargebacks managed at Zeller? No chargeback fees. Unlike other financial service providers, Zeller will not charge your business additional chargeback fees, and our dedicated Account Services team will work with you to compile information to help you defend the chargeback, too. 3D secure authentication.  When you accept payments with  Zeller Invoices  or  Pay by Link , merchants are provided with an additional layer of protection to deter unauthorised card use. 3D Secure (also known as 3DS) authentication may prompt the cardholder to enter a one-time passcode or a similar authentication step on their banking app in order to proceed with the payment. 24/7 transaction monitoring. When you accept payments with Zeller, you’re not alone. Behind every transaction is a team of anti-fraud experts and 24/7 monitoring that – in addition to the best practices outlined above – will reduce your risk of chargebacks. You can transact with confidence knowing that our dedicated team works hand-in-hand with advanced tools to successfully identify and act on suspicious activity. Chargeback dispute support. In the event that a chargeback does occur, our payment disputes team is here to support you. We will deal with the bank to help save you hours on the phone, and we will not charge you a fee. Plus, if you’re ever unsure, you can contact our support team from 9AM to 1AM, Australian Eastern Time, and you can read more about how Zeller keeps your business safe here.

In the service industry, taking payment hasn’t always been as straightforward as tapping a card. Now it is, thanks to Pay by Link, a handy new feature available with Zeller Virtual Terminal. As service providers, you deal with instalments, deposits, prepayments, higher transaction values, and ultimately, customers who aren’t present when it comes time to pay. Traditionally, this has meant chasing up invoices or making repeated phone calls to accept a payment. Nowadays, technology is affording a much smoother payment experience for these types of transactions. With  Zeller Virtual Terminal , businesses can accept card payments by sending their customers a secure payment link, which lets them enter their card details in their own time. It’s simple, secure, and fast, and businesses from all industries are adopting it. Below, we explain three of the most common uses for Pay by Link and why it’s a handy solution to have in your back pocket to help keep your cash flow healthy, and your customers happy. What is Pay by Link? Pay by Link is a payment solution available on Zeller Virtual Terminal – a web-based tool that allows you to process payments without the need for a physical EFTPOS machine. It enables businesses to generate a secure payment link from their browser and to send it to their customer, who can then enter their card details in their own time. Pay by Link is accessed via Zeller Dashboard, simply by navigating to Virtual Terminal and selecting one of three options: ‘Send Payment Link via Email’, ‘Send Payment Link via SMS’ or ‘Copy Link’. Choosing the latter means you can share the link on whatever platform is most convenient for your customer, be it WhatsApp, iMessage or Facebook Messenger. The link is secure and will direct customers to a page where they can enter their card details and proceed with the payment. Once the payment has been processed, customers will have the option to download a copy of the receipt. What are the most common uses of Pay by Link? For high-value transactions. Whether you’re selling kitchens, cars or wedding dresses: you’ll know how important customer experience is in the transaction process. When a customer is about to hand over a large sum of money, they need to be given the white-glove treatment. Additionally, when your business relies on fewer but higher value transactions, these payments need to be made promptly and securely in order to ensure your cash flow is healthy. For these two reasons, Zeller’s Pay by Link is a great solution. On the customer side, it offers them convenience and peace of mind knowing that their card details are securely and privately shared, as well as the added benefit of being able to pay with American Express, which, for high-value transactions, is particularly advantageous. While for you as a business owner, it keeps fees low and your business protected. With Zeller Virtual Terminal, the transaction fee (1.75% +25c) can be passed on to the customer through surcharging and your business will also benefit from a dedicated anti-fraud team and 24/7 transaction monitoring. When dealing with high-value transactions where you can’t always verify that the customer is who they say they are, this is especially important to avoid falling victim to credit card fraud. For deposits, pre-orders, and pre-bookings. No matter what kind of business you run, there’s likely to come a time where you’ll need to take a deposit or secure a service or item for your customer with a pre-order or pre-payment. Restaurants do it for large group bookings, hotels do it to reserve event spaces or to accommodate special catering requests, and retailers do it to guarantee the sale of high-value or custom-made items. In these situations, not only does Pay by Link help get the payment made fast, but it greatly facilitates the reconciliation process. When you create your unique payment link with Zeller Virtual Terminal, you can enter all the relevant details about the transaction in the notes section, such as the date of pick up, the job number, whether it’s one instalment of many, or the name of the person in charge of the sale. Additionally, if your business has a number of different departments – a hotel might have the office, the pool bar, the corporate space, the rooftop, and the massage room, for example – you can create a different ‘site’ for each, and quickly assign each Pay by Link transaction to the relevant site. When it comes time to reconcile your sales at the end of the month, payments can easily be filtered in Zeller Dashboard by site, date, status (approved, declined or refunded), transaction value, and reference number. For gift vouchers. Many businesses won’t have a formalised process for selling gift vouchers, and yet it’s important not to deny customers this opportunity if they specifically ask for one. Having the option of generating a payment link is an ultra-simple, quick, and professional way to accept gift voucher payments. Simply generate a payment link with Zeller Virtual Terminal, send it to your customer, and ask them to download a receipt once their payment has been processed. This receipt will contain a unique reference number (RNN). Write the RNN down on a gift certificate or ask your customer to send it to the gift receiver. When the recipient comes to redeem their voucher, your staff will simply have to search the RNN in Zeller to bring up the associated transaction and add a transaction note to indicate that the voucher has been redeemed.

If you’re surcharging in Australia, you need to notify your customers about it. In this article, you'll learn what the legal requirements are around surcharge signs, as well as accepting card-only payments and weekend and holiday surcharges. Plus, download our printable EFTPOS surcharge sign template for free. So, you’ve decided to start surcharging. To ensure you are being fully transparent with your customers as well as meeting regulatory requirements, there are certain rules around surcharge signage that you must comply with. Being aware of these as soon as you start surcharging will not only help you avoid potential disputes but, importantly, maintain good faith among your clientele. Not sure about passing the transaction fee onto your customer? This handy guide will help you decide whether surcharging is right for your business. What are the legal requirements around EFTPOS surcharge signs? Surcharging in Australia is governed by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), which mandates very strict requirements around how much a business can legally surcharge ( read their guide on calculating surcharges here ). According to the ACCC , the rules around surcharge signs are as follows: If your business accepts alternative, non-surcharged payment methods (such as cash or bank transfer), then you are only legally required to have an EFTPOS surcharge sign visible at the counter. There are no specifications around how this sign must be formatted, however it must sufficiently communicate to your customers what they will be paying before they tap, dip, or swipe their card or mobile wallet. If your bank or payment provider charges a different fee per card type, then you need to specify exactly how much will be surcharged for each card. But don’t worry, we’ve done the work for you: download our****credit card surcharge sign template below, add your transaction fees, print it out and display it at your counter. If your business does not accept any payment methods that don’t incur a surcharge, then you must include the surcharge within the price of the product. For example, a $5 coffee with a 2% surcharge added to it will need to be displayed at all times as $5.10. In this instance, it is not sufficient to display the coffee as $5 on the menu and to only have a credit card surcharge sign at the point of payment. Is it legal for businesses to not accept cash? Yes, according to the Reserve Bank of Australia , there is no legal requirement for merchants to accept cash for retail payments. It is the decision of the merchant as to whether they accept or encourage payments in cash. However, the ACCC states that consumers must be made aware of these terms and conditions before they make a purchase and the total minimum price payable for the goods or services must be clearly stated (as per the example above). If you choose to stop accepting cash, make sure to update all your pricing displays to incorporate the surcharge amount into the individual prices, and ensure you have a clear and conspicuous sign detailing the payment methods you do accept. Are weekend and public holiday surcharges legal in Australia? Yes. The ACCC allows cafes and restaurants to add a surcharge on weekends and public holidays to help cover the increased costs of penalty rates during these periods. However, it’s imperative that you effectively communicate this to your customers. The ACCC mandates that the venue include the following words on the menu and/or price display: “ A surcharge of [percentage] applies on [day or days].” Additionally, the words must be at least as prominent as the most prominent price on the menu, or made visible elsewhere in your venue. How much should you surcharge on public holidays? Unlike credit card surcharges, there is no limit to the amount a business can set as a public holiday surcharge. However, the standard rate in Australia is between 10% – 15%. It is up to you as a business to assess whether you risk potential customer dissatisfaction to ensure your operational costs are covered, or whether you absorb the public holiday penalty rates with the knowledge that it might bring in more customers. The rule of thumb when it comes to surcharge signage While the ACCC doesn’t specifically detail exactly how large or visible your surcharge signs should be, they can investigate cases of non-compliance. If a customer considers that your business is breaking the rules around pricing displays, at best they won’t return to your business, but at worst, they will report you to the ACCC. It is therefore extremely important that you do not mislead your customers about what they’ll be charged or why. Ensure you have a clear, visible surcharge sign at your counter, so that consumers can easily see whether there are any additional costs that may apply before making their decision. Additionally, opt for an EFTPOS machine , such as Zeller Terminal, which calculates the surcharge and displays it clearly for the customer on-screen before they tap their card.

When you accept payments with Zeller, your business benefits from a dedicated anti-fraud team and 24/7 transaction monitoring. However, there’s even more you can be doing to safeguard your business against scammers. Read on to learn our top 5 tips . 1. Never give away your Zeller Account information. No one needs to know your Zeller password except you. We will never ask you for it, and neither should your employees. It’s imperative that you not only keep this to yourself, but that your password can’t easily be guessed. Scammers who manage to acquire account information can login, change passwords and account information, add themselves as authorised users, and start transferring money or requesting new cards to be issued. To help counteract this, Zeller has enabled two-factor authentication and also sends real-time security notifications that will immediately alert you to any changes to your account, such as logins from new devices or password or detail changes. It is important, however, not to rely on these layers of security, which are designed as a last resort. Instead, you must ensure that your account information doesn’t get into the wrong hands in the first place. Need to give your team members access to your Zeller Account? Learn how to manage user permissions here . 2. Never transfer money on behalf of a customer. One common type of scam that targets small businesses involves a fraudster deliberately overpaying for a service, and requesting that the additional funds are transferred to a third party. This type of scam is becoming more and more common in the hospitality and service industry so it’s important to be aware so that you know what to look out for. The scam involves a fraudster using a stolen credit card and pretending to work on behalf of a client. They seek out services that can be associated with other services, for example: A bridal shop and a limousine driver An event space and a partyware hire business A restaurant and a florist How does it work? Let’s take the example of the restaurant and the florist. A fraudster contacts your restaurant saying they are organising a dinner for a client. They request to pay up front for a set menu for 10 people, which comes to a total of $1000. However, they pay you $2000, and request that you transfer the extra $1000 to the florist who will be providing the floral arrangements on the night. This ‘florist’, however, is an associate of the scammer. When the rightful owner of the credit card becomes aware of the illegitimate $2000 transaction, they will request a chargeback and your business will lose the transaction amount. Unlike other financial service providers, Zeller will not charge your business additional chargeback fees, and our dedicated Account Services team will work with you to compile information to help you defend the chargeback, too. What are chargebacks? A chargeback is a transaction reversal initiated by a cardholder's bank or credit card issuer. It allows the cardholder to dispute a charge on their statement and request a refund. Chargebacks are typically associated with unauthorised or fraudulent transactions, billing errors, or situations where the cardholder is dissatisfied with a purchase. Read our article on how to protect your business from chargebacks here . 3. Never click on a link from an unknown source. One of the ways fraudsters acquire account information is through cyber attacks, otherwise known as phishing. This involves the fraudster tricking individuals into revealing banking information such as account passwords or credit card details. Most commonly, the attackers will contact you via email, phone or SMS and either ask you to confirm your account information, or will invite you to click on a link. When clicked, the link might install a virus on your computer, from where the fraudsters can start gaining access to your accounts. If you’re not sure, always proceed with caution. If you receive a request from a known service provider requesting information, contact them through their official customer service channels, not through the message you received. Legitimate Zeller email addresses will all end with ‘@myzeller.com’ and if we contact you via text message, the contact name will automatically appear as ‘Zeller’. 4. Stop using magstripe card readers. A magnetic stripe or ‘magstripe’ is a thin strip of magnetic material that you’ll see on the back of credit and debit cards. The strip contains encoded data, which, when swiped in a magstripe reader, is transmitted to a business’s payment provider, enabling the authorization and processing of the transaction. The problem with this technology (which was invented more than 60 years ago) is that the encoded data is very easy to duplicate. Fraudsters can place small electronic devices called ‘skimmers’ into EFTPOS machines or ATMs for example, and capture credit card information from the magstripe. As a result, chip-based EMV technology has instead become the global standard. EMV cards have an embedded microprocessor chip that is tamper proof and nearly impossible to clone, making it a much more secure alternative. When a customer taps or dips their card, the payment is processed using EMV technology. Zeller Terminal supports both EMV and magstripe transactions, however it will only ever prompt a customer to swipe their card in the cases where a card presented doesn’t have a chip, or if the chip is broken. If you are using an older EFTPOS machine or a mobile card reader, be cautious around customers who insist on swiping their card rather than tapping or dipping it. 5. Be extra-vigilant when taking payments over the phone. Over-the-phone payments, otherwise known as MOTO payments (standing for ‘mail order telephone order)’, give you the ability to manually enter a customer's card details on your Zeller Terminal, or Zeller Virtual Terminal. However, given that the customer is not in front of you, it’s harder to physically verify that the person making the payment is in fact the legal cardholder. Whenever you are processing a payment over the phone, look out for the following: Large orders with unusual quantities being placed by new customers Orders where the card initially declines and the customer continues to provide different card details to complete the transaction Orders where the customer requests payment to be made to a third party (see tip #2 above). Any of the above situations should immediately spark alarm bells. If you are suspicious a transaction may be be fraudulent, or if you are simply taking a MOTO payment from a customer you don’t know, we recommend the following: Take down the card details including the full name Take down the billing address Request ID as a screenshot or photo (if possible) If the products are being shipped, provide tracking details and request the customer’s signature Make sure that the billing address and shipping address are the same, if not, ask why. Also make sure that the name associated with the payment card matches that of the ID. And if your customer is not willing to provide any of the details above, we recommend that you do not proceed with the transaction or accept any type of payment. Keep your business finances safe with Zeller. When you accept payments with Zeller, you’re not alone. Behind every transaction is a team of anti-fraud experts and 24/7 monitoring that – in addition to the best practices outlined above – keeps your account secure. You can transact with confidence knowing that our dedicated team works hand-in-hand with advanced tools to successfully identify and act on suspicious activity. In the event that a chargeback does occur, our payment disputes team is here to support you. We will deal with the bank to help save you hours on the phone, and we will not charge you a fee. Plus, if you’re ever unsure, you can contact our support team from 9AM to 1AM, Australian Eastern Time, and you can read more about how Zeller keeps your business safe here .

Can you take contactless card payments with just your mobile phone? Yes! Until last year, accepting contactless card payments on your phone required you to have a mobile credit card reader either plugged into your phone or connected via Bluetooth. Now, thanks to the latest smartphone technology, you don’t need any extra hardware, all you need is a mobile app that's enabled with Tap to Pay technology, that allows you to accept card payments directly from your phone. What is it called when you take contactless card payments on your mobile phone? The process of accepting a contactless payment on your phone (using its inbuilt technology, not a mobile card reader) is known as ‘ Tap to Pay ’. This term applies to both iPhone and Android devices that are using a financial services app – such as  Zeller App  – to accept contactless credit and debit cards and digital wallets. Can you use any smartphone as an EFTPOS terminal? Only selected iPhone and Android smartphones, with built-in  NFC technology  will support Tap to Pay. What app lets you take EFTPOS payments on your phone? There are a number of different payment apps that can be downloaded from the  App Store  or  Google Play Store  that support Tap to Pay. Zeller App is a great option for Australian businesses looking for a simple, affordable, and scalable platform to accept EFTPOS payments and manage their finances as they grow. Merchants wishing to take payments on their phone will simply need to download their selected app, and follow the steps to configure their device. Once configured, they can then start accepting EFTPOS payments immediately. Is it safe to take EFTPOS payments on your mobile phone? Taking contactless payments on your mobile phone relies on ‘ Near Field Communication ’, or NFC – the same technology that is used for making payments with a mobile wallet. Account information is transmitted from a customer’s card or mobile wallet to the payment processor via radio waves within a very close range, and once received, the processor uses the information to complete the transaction. By virtue of the fact that NFC only works within a couple of centimetres, it makes it incredibly difficult for a potential fraudster to intercept the transaction and steal sensitive information. Tap to Pay on both Android and iPhone via the Zeller App offers highly secure contactless payments that adhere to global security standards. Both platforms support various card types, regularly verify device security, include secure PIN processes and use advanced technology to ensure every transaction is not only convenient but also protected, maintaining the privacy and safety of user information. Additionally, Tap to Pay on iPhone ensures secure transactions through Apple's unique features, such as issuing decryption keys after thorough validation and leveraging the iPhone's built-in security element. How much does it cost to take contactless card payment on your mobile phone? Tap to Pay technology is facilitated by payment apps, each of which have their own pricing structures. The cost of taking card payments on your phone will therefore depend on which app you choose to process these payments. Zeller, for example, offers one low flat transaction fee of 1.4% for all cards, including American Express. The advantage of Zeller is that it is one of the few payment apps that also lets you pass the transaction fee onto your customer through surcharging . If you choose to surcharge, you will incur no fee whatsoever for accepting contactless payments on your phone. I need to take contactless card payments immediately, what should I do? If you want to be able to use your phone like an EFTPOS terminal within a few hours, it’s important that you choose a payment app that has a simple, online sign-up process. All the payment apps will require you to have an account with them first, and in the case of the banks, this will mean  opening a business bank account  which may take several days and an in-person branch visit. With Zeller, you can open an account online, within a matter of minutes – no paperwork required. Once your Zeller Account is up and running, you simply need to download Zeller App, enable Tap to Pay on your device, and you’re ready to start taking card payments on your smartphone. What are the advantages of accepting contactless card payments on your mobile phone? It’s affordable Not all businesses can justify the upfront cost of an EFTPOS terminal, especially if they are not processing a large volume of in-person payments. Being able to use hardware that you already own is therefore a much more cost-effective solution. It allows new businesses or very small businesses to get up and running without the outlay of having to purchase an EFTPOS terminal. It’s mobile For mobile businesses that take in-person payments, having to carry a bulky EFTPOS machine around with you is inconvenient. Using your mobile phone as a payment terminal means you can keep it in your pocket and enjoy being hands-free. It’s great for emergencies For businesses that use a traditional EFTPOS machine, having an app installed and configured to take payments on your phone means that if there’s ever a day when your terminal lets you down or when you have a surge in customers, you won’t miss a beat. In the case of an outage or damaged EFTPOS machine, rather than having to revert to cash-only payments – which will almost certainly lead to lost sales in this day and age – you can keep trading as per usual by simply using your phone. Are there any other hardware-free payment options? In addition to Tap to Pay, there’s another simple solution for taking card payments instantly with no hardware required: Virtual Terminal. If you need a way to charge customers, but in-person payments aren’t possible, this is a great alternative.  Zeller Virtual Terminal  is a web-based tool that lets you take payments over the phone (as well as mail order, fax, or email) by manually entering a customer’s card details into your browser. Alternatively, merchants have the option of sending customers a secure payment link via email or SMS, where they can enter their card details themselves from their own device. Meet Zeller: an all-in-one financial services provider. When you  sign up for a free Zeller Account  today, not only will you be able to start taking card payments on your phone, you will also gain access to a suite of financial services, from a Zeller Transaction Account to debit cards, invoicing, virtual terminal and more. It only takes a few minutes to sign up, and it’s all done online – no paperwork or branch-visits required.

No EFTPOS machine? No problem. All you need is your iPhone and Zeller App. Welcome to the future, where transactions can be made instantly, contactlessly, securely, and now without any additional hardware. Whether you’re a sole trader or a fast-paced business looking for a flexible back-up solution, Tap to Pay on iPhone , which is now enabled in your Zeller App, lets customers pay you easily on your iPhone. To learn more about how to enable Tap to Pay on iPhone click here. Powered by Zeller’s industry-leading smartphone app , this new solution to accept contactless payments includes all the Zeller functionality you know and love, including tipping, surcharging, transaction notes, digital receipts, sales tracking and more. With a straightforward set-up process and one low, flat transaction fee for all cards, Tap to Pay on iPhone and Zeller App does away with complex paperwork, branch visits and fee schedules, instead affording you the ability to take payments quickly and simply. Read on to discover everything you need to know about this cutting-edge tool and how you can get up and running in a matter of minutes. Not an iPhone user? Learn about Tap to Pay on Android here. What is it? Tap to Pay on iPhone is a payments feature, now available on the Zeller App , that lets you accept contactless payments on your iPhone, without the need to invest in an EFTPOS terminal. Customers can simply tap their credit or debit card, Apple Pay, or digital wallet to your iPhone, and/or enter their card PIN number, just like they would do on a regular EFTPOS machine . In this case, the transaction is accepted using EMV Contactless technology. How does it work? Once you’ve signed up online for your free Zeller Account, downloaded the Zeller App to your iPhone, and set up Tap to Pay on your device (see below) accepting contactless payments is a breeze. Simply tap on ‘Tap to Pay’ in the sidebar, key in an amount, present your iPhone to your customer who can pay using a physical card or digital wallet, and wait for the transaction to be approved. It’s as simple as that. Do all iPhones have Tap to Pay? Currently, the feature is available to all users with an iPhone XS or later, using iOS 16.4 or later. It’s important to note that in order to use Tap to Pay on iPhone, users must be signed in to their iPhone with an Apple ID. How much does it cost? Zeller charges one low, flat fee of 1.4% per transaction, for all card types — including American Express. However, businesses have the option of passing on this fee to their customers through surcharging . Businesses can choose to toggle surcharging on or off via the Zeller App or Dashboard. Who is it designed for? Tap to Pay on iPhone and Zeller App is a flexible solution that can be used by all types of businesses, but is especially suited to those whose payment processing requirements don’t justify a full-scale fleet of EFTPOS terminals or advanced features such as Integrated EFTPOS , Pay at Table or printed receipts. What solution you choose will largely depend on your volume of customers and your specific business needs. If you run a busy bar, having a hard-wearing EFTPOS machine on the counter is naturally a better choice. However, for sole traders on the move or smaller businesses such as market stalls, boutiques or clinics with a need for only one or two payment terminals, Tap to Pay on iPhone and Zeller App is an ideal solution. Regardless of your business size, having the Tap to Pay on iPhone feature set up can give you peace of mind, knowing that you’ve got a quick and easy backup option if you ever need one. What about receipts, refunds, and tipping? Tap to Pay on iPhone with Zeller App does not compromise on functionality. Digital receipts can be sent to your customers via text or email; the tipping option can be toggled on, which automatically presents your customers with the option to leave a tip; and users will be able to process refunds directly from Zeller App. What’s more, transactions can be assigned to a contact and notes can be left, making reconciliation a breeze later on. What cards are accepted? Tap to Pay on iPhone and Zeller App accepts contactless payments for all major cards including Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Apple Pay, and a range of other digital wallets including Samsung Pay and Google Pay. Is Tap to Pay safe? Tap to Pay on iPhone uses the built-in features of iPhone to help keep your business and customer data private and secure. When a payment is processed, Apple doesn’t store card numbers on the device or on Apple servers so combined with Zeller’s industry-leading security, you can rest assured knowing your business and customer data is protected. Is Tap to Pay available on Android? Yes it is! Click here to learn how Tap to Pay works on Android . Get started. If you’re not yet using Zeller, you will need to create your free account first . This can be done on a desktop or mobile device in a few minutes. Then, simply download the Zeller App. If you already have a Zeller Account , log in to the Zeller App. Once on the app, follow the prompts to begin your set up and start taking payments in minutes.

A simple solution for taking card payments instantly with no hardware required. So you need a way to charge your customers, but you don’t have time for invoicing, in-person payments aren’t possible, and setting up a payment gateway is too costly. What’s the solution? Meet Zeller Virtual Terminal . A secure, convenient and cost-effective way to process payments either by accepting your customer’s card details over the phone, or by sending them a payment link. This new feature is the latest addition to Zeller’s robust suite of payment solutions and gives businesses even more flexibility to tailor payments to their needs. Read on to discover what a virtual terminal is, who it’s designed for and how to use it with Zeller. What is a virtual terminal? A virtual terminal does the job of an EFTPOS machine , virtually. It is a web-based tool that allows you to process payments made over the phone (as well as mail order, fax, or email) by manually entering a customer’s card details into the browser of a computer or mobile device. In the case of Zeller Virtual Terminal, merchants can also send customers a secure payment link where they can enter their card details themselves. It therefore enables businesses to transform their desktop, laptop, smartphone or tablet into a payment system, without the need to purchase a physical EFTPOS machine. Why use a virtual terminal? A virtual terminal is a highly useful solution for situations where card-not-present payments need to be made instantly, or for businesses looking for a cost-effective way to accept payments electronically. The beauty of this solution is that all you need is your own device and a browser – no other hardware is required. What’s more, unlike an EFTPOS machine or payment gateway that will incur an upfront cost or monthly fees, a virtual terminal is a very cost-effective way to take payments, where only a small per-transaction fee will be charged. Plus, if you’d like to reduce your costs to zero, Zeller gives you the option of passing on the transaction fee to your customer through surcharging . Whether your business is still in its infancy and you aren’t ready to invest in a long-term solution, whether you need need a backup option to be able to take payments when your EFTPOS machine is in use, or whether you just want to save on costs: there are a number of reasons why a virtual terminal is a great solution. Which types of businesses use virtual terminals? New businesses Businesses just getting off the ground may not yet have the capital or the volume of customers to justify buying an EFTPOS terminal or investing in a payment gateway. A virtual terminal is a great interim solution that helps you build your revenue without the costly outlay. Food venues offering phone orders or taking event bookings At busy restaurants or cafes where customers can place orders or paid reservations over the phone, typing customer details into an EFTPOS machine isn’t always practical. Having a virtual terminal means that the EFTPOS machine can be freed up for in-person purchases, while another staff member can manage the phone payments via their preferred device. Freelancers, consultants or professional service providers While invoicing is a common payment method used by the likes of accountants, bookkeepers, graphic designers, or architects, it doesn’t have to be the only option. Giving customers another, immediate way to pay with virtual terminals means clients can settle up instantly, doing away with administrative and cash flow hassles caused by late payments. Mobile businesses For businesses that move from one location to another, a virtual terminal is a great alternative to having to carry around a physical EFTPOS machine. Gardeners, mobile pet groomers, event caterers or repair technicians can simply send their customers an SMS or payment link that can be settled up on the spot. Retailers or wholesalers Companies offering wholesale or custom orders may require immediate payment for their goods, but are unlikely to have a shopfront where they can take an in-person payment. A virtual terminal lets them accept payment remotely so they can ship the items quickly. Social media influencers With a virtual terminal, influencers communicating with their clients through social media channels don’t need to take their work onto a different platform. Instead they can simply copy a payment link and share it via direct message on Instagram or TikTok. How does Zeller Virtual Terminal work? Accessed from Zeller Dashboard, anyone who has a free Zeller Account will have access to the feature. Before getting started, you’ll need to enable Virtual Terminal from Site Settings on your Dashboard. Each transaction will incur a 1.75% + 25 c fee, which can be passed onto the customer through surcharging. Manually accepting a payment Once logged in, simply click on ‘Virtual Terminal’ on the left hand side panel, and start entering in the relevant details. If you have multiple business locations, these will be listed under ‘Site’. Select the Site you wish to take the payment for, enter the value, select the contact you wish to charge or create a new contact, add any notes about the transaction then click, ‘Continue to Payment’. Fill in your customer’s card details then click ‘Pay’. Once the payment has been processed, you will have the option of sending your customer a digital receipt via email or SMS. Sending a payment link If you would prefer to send your customer a link to enter their card details themselves, from Zeller Virtual Terminal, click ‘Send Payment Link via Email’ or ‘Send Payment Link via SMS’. Enter the mobile number or email address of the customer and click ‘Send Link’. Alternatively you can click ‘Copy Link’ and share the link with your customers in a direct message on social media or via Whatsapp or iMessage for example. The link is secure and will direct customers to a page where they can enter their card details and proceed with the payment. Once the payment has been processed, customers will have the option to download a copy of the receipt. Surcharging Zeller Virtual Terminal gives merchants the option to fully or partially pass on the transaction fee (1.75% + 25c) to customers through surcharging . To enable or manage this function, go to Sites and toggle surcharging off or on. When toggled on, you will be given the option of nominating a percentage of the fee to surcharge. Connecting payments to contacts When you use Zeller Virtual Terminal , Zeller Invoices , or Zeller EFTPOS Terminal , each transaction processed can be assigned to a singular contact to help you track unpaid balances, view payment history and manage relationships with your customers. If you take payments through a combination of Zeller’s payment methods, the Zeller Contact Directory allows you to select a contact and see any previous transactions or outstanding payments across all payment methods. So, whether you choose to use Virtual Terminal alone, or in combination with EFTPOS and Invoices, contact linking ensures your records are always simple to manage and up to date. At Zeller, we understand that all businesses are different. That’s why we’re dedicated to bringing you tailored solutions to help manage your finances. 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