Credit Card and Merchant Services Salespeople: Ongoing monthly residual opportunity

 Credit card and merchant services salespeople: how would you like monthly protected residuals by representing the top POS system for beer, wine and liquor stores in the United States? Contact Kevin at RITE Cloud Retailer liquor store POS at kevina@rite.us or 208-994-9404.

 

 

Critical Deadline for First Data, SHA-256, and Microsoft RMS

A quick reminder that if you are using First Data for merchant services along with the Microsoft Dynamics RMS software that the deadline for being SHA-256 compliant is December 28th, 2016 (next week!).

If you have not yet taken steps to replace outdated credit and debit card processing equipment, it needs to be taken care of now as First Data has indicated that they will not allow processing via Datawire starting December 29th, 2016.

If you are unsure, it would be smart to contact your First Data merchant salesperson and/or your Microsoft Dynamics RMS Partner to confirm that your system is SHA-256 compliant.

The most common situation involves still using "old school style" credit card swipes that connect to a USB port or use a keyboard wedge style interface.

The good news is that there are multiple solutions to upgrade to SHA-256 compliant equipment AND still use the Microsoft RMS software. These options may include using a separate payment terminal or installing Card Defender for Microsoft RMS.

As always, contact me at 208-340-5632 or kevinantosh@gmail.com - I do work for a Microsoft RMS Partner so I can offer advice and solutions.

New Merchant Services Options for QuickBooks Point of Sale

As you know, I used to sell and support QuickBooks point of sale - I even still have a demo copy of the software on one of my laptops. QuickBooks point of sale is a simple and easy to install and use point of sale software program for lower volume retail stores and museums. My main complaint about QuickBooks POS was that you had to use Intuit for merchant services (or a separate credit card terminal).

That is no longer the case as there are now third party gateways that work with QuickBooks POS for merchant services (credit and debit card processing). This only applies to the non-cloud version of QuickBooks POS and is being offered by a reputable merchant services company.

Call (208-340-5632) or email (kevinantosh@gmail.com) me for more information and I can connect you with the correct person who has more details on costs and equipment options.

TSYS SHA2 Deadline: What Microsoft RMS Users Need to Know

Wow - lots of calls and emails the last couple of days asking about the looming January 1st, 2017 SHA2 compliance deadline and what options are available for retailers using the Microsoft RMS point of sale software. It appears that TSYS and possibly First Data are pushing for compliance via the companies that use the TSYS and First Data platforms for merchant services.

First off - this is actually a good thing from a security standpoint as many retailers have held off on implementing EMV/Chip Card solutions and/or are still using Windows XP. Given the calls that I have been receiving about EMV fraud, the time has come to move forward with putting in the equipment to process EMV/Chip Cards.

I would strongly recommend that retailers using the Microsoft RMS point of sale software move to Windows 7. Windows 10 is possible with some help from myself or another Microsoft Dynamics RMS Partner. Skip Windows 8 or 8.1.

When it comes to retailers using the Microsoft RMS point of sale software, you have several options to meet the SHA2 deadline. My, advice (in order of preference) is the following:

1. Implement Card Defender for Microsoft RMS: Card Defender solves your security issues and allows for both EMV/Chip Card processing and NFC (Apple Pay and Google Wallet) processing as an integrated add-on for Microsoft RMS .  Card Defender does not add any gateway or per-transaction fees above what your merchant services company charges, is processor agnostic (TSYS, First Data, and Heartland), and requires no contracts. Visit this page on my blog for more information on Card Defender or contact me for more information - I've already had 5 retailers using RMS contact me in just the last 2 days about Card Defender so it is clear that the is upcoming deadline is being taken seriously. 
2. Vantiv/Mercury, Shift 4, Heartland and Cayan/Merchants Warehouse also offer some EMV/Chip Card add-ons/payment gateways/payment tunnels for Microsoft RMS. Generally I have found that these solutions are more expensive than Card Defender in the long run (1+ years) due to additional per-transaction fees and/or locking you into a contract using only one company for merchant services (which is another thing that I like about Card Defender - its keeps your merchant services provider honest when it comes to the rates and fees that they charge as they know that you can switch companies of you are unhappy while these other solutions basically lock you in). 
3. Use a separate credit card terminal that does not interface with the Microsoft RMS software. While this is the easiest and lowest cost option, keep in mind that you will be reconciling two reports at the end of each day and you open up the system to human error when entering the total on the credit card terminal (for example: a transaction totaling $15.20 could be entered as $1.52 or $152.00 - not fun to have have to track a customer down to correct the error).

All in all - there are plenty of options that allow Microsoft RMS point of sale software users to keep using RMS and meet the SHA2 deadline. Do contact me with any questions or clarifications.

SHA-1 to SHA-2 Requirements and Point of Sale Systems

Update October 28th, 2016: the deadline for TSYS SHA2 compliance is now January 1st, 2017 and December 27th, 2016 for First Data. Microsoft RMS users will need to look at integrated solutions like Card Defender for Microsoft RMS or separate terminals that do not integrate with RMS to comply with this requirement.  I've had multiple stores using RMS and First Data also contact me over the last couple of days as well so I suspect that I'm going to be quite busy setting up Card Defender over the coming months!

September 15th 2016 Update on new SHA-1 issue specific to Windows 10 and Heartland: http://retailpospondering.blogspot.com/2016/09/windows-10-sha-1-and-sha-2-issues.html

Given how quickly people figure out how to compromise credit card information and similar data, I suspect that we will be seeing new credit card processing security requirements coming out several times each year.

If you have been informed that your merchant services company requires you to comply with SHA-2 then you need to contact your point of sale vendor/dealer/partner to ensure that your system is SHA-2 compliant.

You can learn more about SHA-2 by visiting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SHA-2

As always, contact me for no cost retail point of sale advice.

Watch for EMV Scams

Good warning from a media company related to watching out for scams related to new EMV terminals. Don't ever feel pressured in to signing a contract for any equipment for your business or organization.  As pointed out in the article, this merchant checked for reviews and found a lot of negative feedback which is a huge warning sign not to buy anything from that person or company.

Plus, new credit and debit card terminals still need to be injected/encrypted which normally takes several business days so no one should be attempting to sell you something needed instantly (The EMV liability shift date is not until October 1st, 2015 for card present transactions in the US so we all have time to plan accordingly).

Here is a link to the full article from KTVB: http://www.ktvb.com/story/news/local/2015/06/09/shop-owners-are-being-targeted-during-credit-switch/28724615/

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.

Gravity Payments is Making National News

Update: I do have a meeting scheduled with Gravity Payments in Mid May and will pass along more information after the meeting along with any personal recommendations and/or special offers.

As regular readers and watchers of my blog site and YouTube channel know, I focus mainly on cash register and point of sale advice.  However, with the upcoming EMV Liability Shift date as well as many businesses and organizations searching for new or updated point of sale systems,  some of you have mentioned to me that you are actively searching for a better merchant services company to work with.

As the above are all good reasons to shop around for better rates for debit and credit card processing, I wanted to pass along that Gravity Payments has been making the national news lately - in a good way!

The founder and CFO of Gravity Payments (who graduated from a Christian High School that I am very familiar with) has made a commitment to take a lower salary so all the companies employees will eventually make $70,000 or more annually. That is a pretty bold move and speaks well about the company itself. I checked around for reviews and feedback on Gravity Payments from customers and employees and there is actually very little feedback out there. What I found was mostly positive and Gravity Payments does have an "A+" rating with the BBB.

The limited number of reviews and "A+" BBB rating are positive indicators - especially of you search for reviews and complaints for other similar merchant services companies.

As always, perform some due diligence and take some time to watch for the following when working with any merchant services company:

• Will the equipment be compliant to meet the EMV Liability Shift deadline coming up on October 1st, 2015 in the United States
• Early termination fees
• Any sort of long term contract commitment
• Any long term lease requirements
• Ensure that the companies processing will work seamlessly with your point of sale system
• What the real rates/fees are for all types of credit and debit cards (especially check the rates for rewards and airline miles cards)
• Any statement, PCI, chargeback, or similar one-time, monthly or annual fees
• That the average sale/transaction amount in the contract matches what your records show

If you are in the position of wanting to compare rates, you may want to take a look at the Gravity Payments website at http://gravitypayments.com/

Please visit my contact page for information on how to reach me.

PS - as I have a couple of trips planned to Seattle, I may swing by the offices at Gravity Payments and have a cup of coffee to learn more about their company.

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.

EMV - What You Need to Know

I realize that EMV is still well over a year away. However, EMV is a major change to credit and debit processing that will effect everyone who takes credits (and I mean everyone!).  Here is what you need to know as of January 2014:

What is EMV?
EMV is an agreement between EuroCard, MasterCard, and Visa to enhance credit and debit card security. This applies to both the credit/debit card itself as well as the technology used to authorize debit and credit card transactions.

EMV Compliant debit and credit cards have both a hologram and an embedded chip that can emit a unique code for authorizing debit and credit card transactions.  Note that debit and credit card transactions under EMV can be "contactless" and/or require a pin number - it depends on what hardware the merchant is using to authorize debit and credit card transactions.

The United States is one of the last countries to (tentatively) set a date to migrate to EMV standards.  Currently, most debit and credit card transactions in the United States use magnetic swipe technology that has been around since the 1960's.

What do I Need to Do?
Start talking now to the companies that service your debit and credit card processing equipment.  Some of the following questions will apply depending on what type of business/organization you have and how you process debit and credit card transactions:

• How will I obtain an EMV compliant terminal? When will the terminal be available and how much will it cost?
• Will I need to update any software? When will these updates be available (and how much will they cost)?
• Will I need to make any changes to my computer or my computer network? What about how I dial out or connect to the internet to authorize debit and credit card transactions?
• Will this effect the fee's and rates that I pay for debit and credit card processing?
• What about other equipment that I have like signature capture pads?
• What will happen if I currently authorize debit and credit cards on a tablet or smartphone?
• Who will perform and software upgrades and/or hardware installations? 
• How much is this going to cost my business or organization overall?

Are There Any Ways to Reduce Expenses Related to EMV Implimentation?
Possibly - if you are currently under any sort of maintenance agreement related to any software used to process debit and credit cards, you may get a free software upgrade. 

What is the Anticipated Compliance Date?
In the United States, the tentative compliance date is 1.October.2015.

What if I Choose not to Comply?
All liability for fraudulent transactions will be your responsibility. To be blunt, you will either be put out of business due to financial losses or you will no longer accept debit or credit cards as payment. That may sound harsh but it is reality which is why so much advance notice is being given before October 2015 rolls along.

Are you in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice? I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (mountain time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com.

Credit & Debit Card Processing News

There is still quite a few changes happening over the next 3 years related to credit card processing.  We have already seen the PCI Compliance changes and the MasterCard Gift Card partial authorization requirements put in place.

Next up are the unique terminal ID requirements and EMV (Eurocard, MasterCard, and Visa) requirements related to contactless credit cards (what the rest of the world is already using).  Both of these new requirements will mean some software and some likely hardware changes. Be sure to stay current on your point of sale software maintenance agreements so you receive software updates as they become available.

If for some reason you are still not PCI Compliant, here is some industry data you need to be aware of related to not being PCI Compliant:

"According to Sean Kramer, president and CEO of Element Payment Services, the penalties for noncompliance are severe. “The penalties can include the loss of the ability to accept credit card payments, noncompliance investigations, and fines. In fact, according to the 2012 Security- Metrics Payment Card Threat Report study, credit card breaches cost retailers $5.7 million per incident on costs, which include detection, notification, legal fees, loss of customers, and brand damage. On average this equates to $194 per compromised credit card, according to the 2011 Cost of Data Breach Study published by the Ponemon Institute,” Kramer says."

You can read the complete article (which also talks about why point of sale programs like our NCR CounterPoint solution are now offering point to point encryption) by clicking here. Note that this article is more for businesses who provide point of sale solutions.

Terminal ID Requirements

In 2014 there is a proposed change related to making sure that each point of sale or credit card terminal has a unique ID. This will help narrow down fraudulent transactions to see if they are isolated or more widespread. Again, software and hardware changes are likely in order to comply with this proposed requirement. 

EMV

I have talked a bit about the EMV standard hitting the US in late 2015.  It is something that we all need to plan (and budget) for.  This will involve both software updates and hardware changes.

You can find a more detailed explanation of EMV here and here.

Are you in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice? I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (mountain time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com.

Brief Update on EMV

First, a quick note of thanks to those who attended my retail and restaurant point of sale workshop last week. We'll take a break and look at what types of workshops to offer in 2013.

Now, on to EMV. As you have likely heard EMV (Eurocard, MasterCard & Visa) is a new set of specifications when it comes to payment processing using chip based credit cards and terminals.  Not all the details have been released but retail stores and restaurants will likely need to have compliant hardware, software and peripherals in place or will end up paying more in merchant service (credit and debit card processing) fees.

It appears that 2015 will be the deadline to start complying with EMV standards.  Since details are vague at this point, I'll keep an eye out for more details as they become available.

-Kevin