How EFTPOS Transactions Work

The original EFTPOS machines themselves were clunky; unlike modern alternatives, they weren’t designed to fit a store’s aesthetic. EFTPOS machines were purely functional pieces of business equipment. Now, business owners have an array of options when it comes to choosing an EFTPOS terminal.

And what is Eftpos?

Eftpos is an Australian payment processing system for debit cards made up of a number of separate but connected networks. Many of these individual networks are operated by major Australian banks, as Mobile Transaction explains. 

Although Eftpos remains an important player in payment processing for debit cards, its inherent limitations – such as the lack of a method for processing online payments made with debit cards – and the growing number of alternative payment methods both play a part in Eftpos’s dwindling market share. 

Australians have been steadily moving away from Eftpos to well-established alternatives such as Visa and Mastercard for a number of years. However, as newer alternative payment methods – such as WeChat Pay and Alipay – emerge and grow in popularity, your customers will expect to be able to pay in any number of ways. If your payment terminal provider doesn’t keep with the times and accept these new payment methods, you may lose out on a sale.

As a business owner in Australia, your best bet is to ensure your terminal can accept payments that use Eftpos debit cards as well as common international standards, like Visa and Mastercard. To give your business further advantage, look for a progressive payment terminal provider that is committed to developing new solutions to ensure every one of your customers can pay for your products or services, quickly and securely.

How long does an EFTPOS transaction take?

Timing is perhaps the single most important consideration for business owners when it comes to understanding how debit cards and EFTPOS transactions work.

EFTPOS transactions are blazingly fast in person, taking just a few seconds to complete as far as your customers are concerned. That means a faster — and therefore smoother — customer experience and an increased capacity for your store to process even more transactions. While there’s more to do on the back end, customers can tap or dip their cards and, as long as they have the funds available, they are good to go. 

The multi-step process of authentication, verification, and funds transfer means transactions can require some time to fully process, although most EFTPOS transactions are completed in just one day. This is important to understand for tracking cash flow and knowing whether you can expect specific payments to show up in your own account by a given date. 

EFTPOS machines that meet your needs

Understanding how EFTPOS machines and transactions work is an important step towards finding the best terminal and service provider for your unique business needs.

At Zeller, we’re crafting a smarter alternative to business banking that includes not only a dependable, secure terminal with transparent pricing and low fees, but also a business account and Mastercard.

With Zeller Terminal, it’s easy to accept payments, access the money you’ve earned, oversee and manage your cash flow, and much more.  As more payment methods emerge, we are committed to supporting your business to keep pace with change.

Learn more about what we have to offer by signing up for our Zeller Community. You’ll enjoy early access, ongoing rewards, and exclusive launch offers.