Retail POS Solutions

Retail merchants will conduct a majority of their sales with cardholders who have their card present at the time merchandise is delivered. For the majority of sales, retail merchants will obtain a card swipe through a terminal or register system with a card swipe device connected.  However, Vantage understands that retailers today may also sell outside of their retail store at trade venues requiring wireless POS systems or over the web requiring an eCommerce payment gateway.  We support both the payment technology and Interchange management to meet your business needs.

Existing Systems

Reprogram your existing compatible terminal or POS system at No Charge.  Call us with your terminal make and model or your Point of Sale payment application name and version number to confirm compatibility.    With multiple transaction networks including Global Payments and Vital available, Vantage merchant accounts will work with today's top POS systems.  (Note: avoid the Micros Merchant Link Fee by processing with Vantage.)

Terminal Recommendation

Verifone’s VX terminal line is stylish with a lightning fast processor and built-in thermal printer to handle credit and debit payments.   VeriFone’s familiar ATM-style interface makes the terminal exceptionally easy to use, virtually eliminating clerk training and errors.

Considerations:

PIN Debit

PIN Debit can play an important role in lowering your processing expenses.  However, careful analysis should first be completed.  While you may be able to move a portion of your current signature debit transactions to PIN, there are many factors that should be considered.  Credit and signature debit transactions are likely to have very different average tickets, with lower sale amounts on PIN when the cardholder is paying from available funds in their checking account verses a line of credit.  Not everyone will provide a PIN.  They may not know their PIN number or their issuing bank is either charging them extra fees or providing rewards to use the card as a signature debit.

Another important consideration is to buy only new 3SES encrypted PIN pads. Triple Data Encryption Standards (Triple DES or 3DES) is the sanctioned algorithm standard used by all debit-capable transaction terminals for PIN encryption in the U.S. and is the latest advancement in security against fraud.  Visa has mandated that all devices be replaced and updated to comply with 3DES by July 1, 2010.  Avoid buying refurbished or used PIN pads to ensure that you will be in compliance with mandated security requirements. And remember, PIN pad hardware must be encrypted with a special key.

For Speed

Other Payment Services for Retailers

• Check processing services including guarantee and conversion at the POS plus back  office check21 and ACH services.
• Brand, issue and process your own secure electronic Gift & Loyalty card program. 
• Payment Card Industry Data Security (PCI DSS) consulting.
• Comprehensive reporting options to manage your Vantage merchant account using a secure web access portal at no charge.

Restaurants POS Solutions

Specific payment systems are available to meet the variety of ways you interact with your customers. From fine dining to QSR, from contactless to pay-at-the-table service, from catering to wireless delivery to online orders; we cater to you with innovative payment technology and services for restaurants.

We support restaurant applications on all major brands of terminal equipment and point of sale (POS) register systems with connectivity methods including dial-up, DSL/cable, frame relay, Internet, WiFi and GPRS wireless including stand-alone and networked terminal configurations, Vantage supports the platforms you require.

Payment Solution Suggestions:

Verifone’s VX570 is an unrivaled choice for an ever-changing merchant environment — designed to deliver unequaled performance and an unprecedented level of flexibility.

Smart and stylish, the VX 570 relies on a lightning fast processor and built-in thermal printer to handle credit and debit payments, in addition to profitable value-added applications such as prepaid, gift and loyalty cards. The VX 570 provides built-in support for dial-only or an option combining dial and Ethernet connectivity for high-speed broadband.

Another bright idea is the VX 570’s highly readable backlit display with black lettering on a white background. Bold menu prompts and VeriFone’s familiar ATM-style interface make the terminal exceptionally easy to use, virtually eliminating clerk training and errors.

Verifone’s Vx terminal line starts as low as $299

ViVOtech Contactless Reader

Start accepting the latest contactless chip-based credit and debit cards from MasterCard PayPass, American Express ExpressPay and Visa Contactless with a Vantage Card Services merchant account and ViVOtech Contactless card reader. The newest trend in payment technology is the contactless payment device which allows consumers to quickly and easily pay for transactions “with a wave.” The ViVOtech reader is easy to install and can be integrated with your existing POS system.

Pay at the Table

ON THE SPOT brings payment to your customers with a small handheld unit using WiFi or GPRS wireless:

A great alternative to upgrading your entire POS system for PCI compliance.

Online Ordering

Your Next Generation Web Site to Grow your Business will feature eMarketing Tools & Online Ordering. Vantage can help by providing a turnkey online ordering and payment system to help you increase your sales and reduce your operating expenses. Our MenuPromote+ service is affordable and produces outstanding results.

"Current customers report average tickets up 17% last month, same store sales up 20%."

Affordable
Easily affordable for any restaurant, from the small independent to the largest chain. MenuPromote is cost effective and produces outstanding results.

Easy
No software, no special hardware and absolutely no programming knowledge or skills are required. Change anything from menu items to promotions in just minutes, with our easy-to-use tools.

Empowering
Expand your customer base with our Marketing tools. Streamline operations and increase revenues with online ordering.

Vantage is your source for business-to-business (B2B) payment processing with a suite of business payment solutions including Level 3 merchant services, business trade credit, A/R best practices including credit scoring, credit monitoring, lockbox processing and more. Please let us know if you would like more information or a demo of these B2B payment solutions.

Level 3 Merchant Services

MasterCard and Visa business, corporate and purchasing cards are increasingly becoming the payment method of choice of corporations and government agencies.  For merchants primarily selling to business and government customers, use a Vantage Level 3 merchant account to qualify for the lowest available Interchange. 

2 Keys to Level 3
Setting up your business to accept purchasing cards for payment is different than establishing a standard retail merchant account or MOTO merchant account. Two elements are critical for properly setting up a Level 3 merchant account:

• Insist on an Interchange pricing structure, without it you will not be able to obtain all the incentives rates available.
• Use a secure PCI certified Level 3 payment processing technology .

We offer secure and scalable Level 3 payment solutions ranging from a virtual terminal, ecommerce gateway and batch processing system.  Standard credit card terminals are not capable of supporting Level 3. Payment solutions on the market that support Level 3 include payment software that can be licensed and installed on a PC or a virtual software service that can be accessed through a secure web site application. We recommend the virtual software to avoid having card data stored on local PCs that must be secured. With evolving Level 3 requirements, the virtual software is always the most updated version and multiple users can access the service on any computer with Internet access without traditional software licensing, installation and upgrade issues.

Vantage supports multiple Level 3 compliant payment technologies to meet our client's needs including:

• Virtual Terminal (no integration needed and no software to install, simply use your web browser to securely log in to process transactions)
• Real-time Payment Gateway (use our API technical specs to integrate your in-house application or web site to submit Level 3 data)
• Batch processing when real time approvals are not required
• Off-site, PCI secure, customer storage for repeat and recurring transactions

Schedule a Demo or request integration specification documents.

A/R Best Practices

Using accounts receivable best practices to enhance your trade credit administration is a smart strategic decision

If your company is like most, much of your cash is tied up because you've been lending it to your customers through trade credit, providing free, short-term loans to your buyers. Additionally, most small and mid sized businesses don't have the scale to operate trade credit operations cost effectively.

What do you expect from your AR team?

• Optimize cash flow
• Provide up-to-the-minute AR reporting
• Proper management of credit risk
• Efficiency in collections, reducing DSO and bad debt write-offs
• High performance with minimal operational expenses

Give your staff the tools they need to succeed.   

Today's most successful companies use technology and best practices to effectively manage their AR to increase cash flow and working capital while reducing paper-driven manual labor and credit risk.

Download the PDF

Internet Merchant Solutions

eCommerce payment gateways integrate with shopping cart applications used on a merchant’s web site to authorize and settle card payment transactions online.

The key when accepting credit card payment online is constructing an eCommerce web site that matches the shopping cart, payment gateway and card processing network.  These three elements work together.

Payment gateways are typically priced with an activation fee, monthly fee and a transaction fee.  Different service packages exist to meet your transaction volume needs.  Also, some gateways have additional value-added services like automated recurring billing available. 

Our processing networks are compatible with most payment gateways including Authorize.net, Plug & Pay, Verisign PayPal, eProcessing Network and many more.  We may be able to reprogram your existing payment gateway at no charge.  

It is very important to select an open platform that can be reprogrammed and can operate on the greatest number of processing networks.  Avoid getting your data locked into a proprietary system that makes it difficult to change if you are not satisfied or need to add features as your business grows. It is also important to understand the PCI card data storage and security issues to protect your customers and your business from hackers. For both these reasons, Vantage recommends the Authorize.net payment gateway. Contact us for pricing plans.

To qualify for the best Interchange rates, pass key data elements like an invoice number and AVS. Make sure the authorization amount matches the settlement amount and avoid forcing transaction.

Each year millions of dollars are lost on fraudulent card use. Preventing fraud and losses start with the understanding that the responsibility for risk of fraud lies is solely with the merchant.   In the card not present sales environment of ecommerce, card rules are written in favor of the cardholder.  Meaning, credit and debit cards are a convenience form of payment, not a guaranteed form of payment. It is important to protect yourself.

Proper set up includes making decisions about use of card security features like Address Verification Services (AVS), card verification value (CVV2) and Verified by Visa (VbV) and other fraud screening services. The key is to follow best practices to protect your business from fraud.

Manage your risk and don’t take on more than you are comfortable with.

• Know your customer!
• Match billing address and shipping address.
• Be cautious when selling internationally, as these transactions have a higher fraud rate. 
• Be cautious of first-time orders with large quantity and overnight delivery request.
• Watch for repeat orders in a short period of time.
• Watch free email accounts, they are commonly used by those who wish to hide their identity.
• More Best Practices for eCommerce merchants

If you are new to eCommerce, you have a lot to consider; developing your web site, implementing a shopping cart, payment gateway and merchant account to qualifying for the best Interchange rates, all while managing risk through best practices.

When deciding on a payment processing partner, you will want to work with a professional who can help you safely implement a payment solution for your eCommerce business that best meets your needs.

MOTO (Mail Order / Terminal Order) Solutions

Also known as "Card Not Present " merchant accounts, MOTO merchants key enter card numbers into a variety of payment solutions including physical terminals, payment software and virtual terminals.  When you customers are not present, the right payment technology for your business depends on how and how much you sell.   Vantage supports the technology your business needs to accept payments when you don't have the card present.  The key is to use payment applications that submit the cardholder data required to qualify for the best Interchange rates as well as follow best practices to protect your business from fraud.

We can reprogram your existing solution, upgrade your existing system or establish a  new services for your business.  The most common options...

Stand Alone Credit Card Terminal

If you already have a terminal system, we can simply reprogram the unit with a new application that is specifically designed to help you qualify for the best rates by prompting for the key data elements like an invoice number, address verification services (AVS), card verification value (CVV2) and others depending on your specific industry and needs. Vantage will reprogram your existing terminals at no charge.

Touch Tone Caputer (TTC) Service

For low volume merchants, use any touch tone phone including your cell phone to dial an 800 number that connects to an interactive voice response system.  Using your telephone keypad to enter your merchant ID, cardholder number and experation date, AVS, etc. to capture an authorization and auto settle all the transactions for the day. This service is accessible 24x7x365. There is no set up fee or equipment to purchase.  You can always upgrade as your business grows.

Virtual Terminal 

• With a virtual terminal (you key enter the sales information) you use your computer to securely log in and process sales providing greater flexibility, recurring billing features and superior transaction reporting. 
• Our processing networks are compatible with most all virtual terminal gateways including Authorize.net, Plug & Pay, Verisign PayPal, Quickbooks, eProcessing Network and many more.  The key is to select an open platform that can be reprogrammed and can operate on the greatest number of processing networks.  Avoid getting your data locked into a proprietary system that makes it difficult to change if you are not satisfied or need to add features as your business grows.

Check Processing

• Use achXpress, a credit and debit ACH platform for single and recurring payments directly to and from your customers checking accounts. 
• Use expresscheck21, a web-based Check21 and account recievable check platform that processes and deposits both consumer and business checks as electronic transactions or substitute checks through a scanner in your back-office.

Touch Tone Caputer (TTC) Service

Touch Tone Capture Instruction Guide

Grocery / Supermarkets Merchant Accounts

Qualified grocery and supermarket merchants receive special Interchange pricing from the card associations.

Grocery Multi-Lane Terminal Solution

Vantage supports many front-desk point of sale (POS) register systems and lodging applications on stand alone credit card terminal systems offering a variety of connectivity methods including dial-up, DSL/cable, frame relay, Internet, and wireless. 

These systems provide for check-in and check-out functions as well as the ability to handle multiple authorizations against a cardholder's credit limit during their stay.  In many cases our lodging clients also operate restaurants and retail shops on the property and will require specific applications, technology and qualified Interchange pricing for these business units.

To check on the compatibility of a specific POS or terminal system or for system recommendations based on your requirements, please contact us.

The lodging industry has specific Interchange pricing and regulations from the card associations. In order to qualify for these reduced rates, registration with the card associations is required. Vantage will consult with you to complete and submit the appropriate forms.  Vantage works with our lodging clients to help them qualify for the best rates available as well as to understand important regulations including "no show" chargebacks.

We provide processing services to lodging merchants for credit, debit and check cards, and check services at the point of sale.  Innovative products include a customized gift and loyalty card service for lodging frequent stay programs.

Our expert staff can assist you in protecting your business from the risk of fraud and chargebacks and act on your behalf to prevent losses before they occur. With comprehensive reporting options in a variety of formats from paper statements to secure web access.

Developing, Emerging Markets & Public Sector Industries include government services, schools, utilities, insurance, tolls / transportation, and cable / pay TV merchant categories.   In order to qualify for these reduced rates, registration with the card associations may be required. Vantage will consult with you to determine if you qualify and then complete and submit the appropriate forms.

In many of these industries, card payments are accepted in both face to face and card not present environments.  Vantage merchant accounts are compatible with a wide array of terminals, point of sale systems, and software designed to handle one time and recurring payments. 

Reprogram

Continue to your exisitng compatible system.  We will supply Merchant and Terminal IDs to reprogram your terminal, POS or eCommerce gateway. 

Retail & Wireless

If your business will be face to face with customers, then consider a stand alone terminal like those from Verifone that can operate by dial up, IP or GPRS wireless. 

eCommerce

Whether you are accepting card payments over your web site or keying transactions into a virtual terminal,  Vantage can recommend and establish both consumer and B2B payment gateways to best meet your needs.  Our services are compatible with Authorize.net, Verisign, Click to Gov, EC-Linx and more.  

Recurring Billing Payments
Recurring payments are those for which a cardholder gives permission to automatically charge his or her account on a regular basis.

We recommend IPCharge virtual terminal for processing and managing recurring credit and debit card payments for business to consumer (b2c) merchants. 

We recommend EC-Batch for uploading recurring billing files for business-to-business (b2b) merchants to qualify for the lowest business, corporate and purchasing card rates. 

For one time and recurring check payments, we recommend achXpress for processing and managing recurring payments that are drafted directly from your customers checking account.

Remember, it is very important that all merchants comply requirements regarding cardholder data security.  

Contact us to arrange a demo of the features of these services.  For more information about how to set up automatic card billing including sample authorization forms, contact a Vantage professional.

Wireless POS Solutions for Mobile Merchants

Vantage offers solutions for mobile commerce merchants depending on your card transaction volume, how well you know your customer (how risk averse you are), cost factors, and coverage areas.

Existing Systems

We can reprogram your existing compatible wireless terminal under certain conditions.   Wireless terminal reprogramming may require activation, encryption, SIM chips or other pass through charges. Please call us with the make and model number of your unit.

Wireless Options

Mobile merchants have lots of options...besides a variety of wireless terminals, including Touch Tone Capture and Store & Forward to Wireless-Routers and Smart Phones (several iPhone apps are avialable).   To help you select the right option for your business visit http://www.vantagecard.com/solutions/wireless.html.

Wireless Coverage

Selecting the right wireless device comes down to network coverage, so always start by finding the coverage area that best meets your needs.  GPRS, CDMA, WiFi, selecting the right coverage is an important part of your decision and should be consider and selected prior to selecting your device. 

Vantage offers month-to-month and prepaid wireless coverage plans. 

Just as you encounter coverage problems with your cell phone, you can encounter receptions problems with a wireless terminal. Actual service area will vary due to location, weather, network traffic, terrain, signal strength, obstructions, building density, construction, environmental conditions, and other factors. Remember, there is no guarantee that coverage will be available from all spots (even if the maps say so). 

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Wireless Terminals

Use Verifone’s Nurit 8020, Vx670 and Vx510GPRS wireless terminals to qualify for retail swiped card rates.  Separate wireless network activation and access fees apply per solution.  Depending on your sales environment, different units will work best.  Talk with a Vantage specialist to select the system that is right for you.

eCommerce Payment Gateways

Have a laptop with wireless Internet connection then you have the option of using a virtual terminal like Globla Transport, Authorize.net and others.  You may add a card reader to your laptop to qualify for swiped card rates. 

Wireless payment technology help merchants qualify for swiped "card present" transactions at the lowest possible Interchange rates. With instant approval and decline codes, completing secure transactions is quick and easy.  Get an instant Merchant Rates quote now.