mobile credit/debit card machines….

[eastlmark]

…Yes I know, we have been there many times……

I have taken cards on a mobile device for over 10 years or so…. yes have had connection issues etc but basically, got on alright with them with the odd moment of frustration where I have been tempted to throw the thing down the garden I was standing in trying to get a signal…..
However…. 2 weeks ago my provider (Thyron now Spire payments) told me the terminal I was using (Postmate) was life expired and a new one was on its way. Great I thought as I had the old one (with a few swap outs for new ones due to faults) for around 3 years and hey, the new one will obviously be lighter, smaller and more efficient, right?
What has arrived is a SPW70. marginally bigger than the old one, way heavier than the old one but I can put up with that as long as it works better….. you guessed it, it don’t. The emphasis has now changed to security rather than usability and great, it accepts contactless but only up to £30 when my average amount is £70-80 so pretty useless upgrade.
My old one was “multi network” and automatically changed networks to find the best one. This one although multi network requires a manual network change that involves about 50 key presses to achieve. What’s more, the old one allowed “off line” transactions when the amount was less than a certain amount, £120 I believe, and the card chip showed a decent credit rating I could take the transaction and it would connect later when a decent signal was available- at my risk and for a slightly higher fee, but at least I got paid. The new one will not let me anywhere near a transaction without GPRS.
Other bad points: the paper constantly jams, the paper roll cover unlocks itself in my tool bag so when I reach for the machine its like an 70’s football match toilet roll being hurled over someone’s kitchen floor and, to top it all the on off switch is so sensitive it will turn itself on and run its battery down so is dead when I do need it.
All in all not progress.

What I want to know is it just me and my provider? I live and work in the affluent south East with an international airport on my door step so its hardly out in the sticks. My mobile phone generally works and shows 3G or 4G when the card reader is showing no signal (yes I know GPRS is slightly different).
What are others experiences and please name companies involved as I will be looking elsewhere.

[johnnyj]

Re: mobile credit/debit card machines….

I dont do a lot of card transactions, i use pay leven works okay most times if i cannot get a signal most customers will let me access their wifi to process the transaction the charge is higher but i’m not tied to a monthly contract, it works for me.

[Martin]

Re: mobile credit/debit card machines….

Mark’s device sounds pretty archaic compared to what’s around these days. Although I hadn’t heard of Payleven until now. £60 from Screwfix for a reader, 2.75{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} per transaction. Paperless receipts via email and only works with iOS phones….. Hmm?

[Andy jones]

Re: mobile credit/debit card machines….

Just started using izettle and works great

[grooster]

Re: mobile credit/debit card machines….

Worldly Zinc works like a dream. I use it nearly every day linked to my iPhone.

[eastlmark]

Re: mobile credit/debit card machines….

Martin wrote:Mark’s device sounds pretty archaic compared to what’s around these days. Although I hadn’t heard of Payleven until now. £60 from Screwfix for a reader, 2.75{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} per transaction. Paperless receipts via email and only works with iOS phones….. Hmm?

Martin, this device is a state of the art latest contactless item….. Hence my disappointment at it just not working as well as the old one. As mentioned, emphasis is on security now and if it detects any sort of security threat it will not connect.

Assume the others folks have mentioned are not merchant account terminals, correct? fees are just too high to warrant their use but I might get one as a back up. However, Spire are now very interested in sorting me out a better system so will see what happens.

Thanks for your responses, still would like to hear from anyone using a mobile device linked to a merchant account rather than pay pal or whatever.

[stratfordgirl]

Re: mobile credit/debit card machines….

I bought an Ingenico terminal from 123 Send several years ago at the end of the initial rental period and pay them £9.95 per month for a roaming SIM card (linked to T-mobile, Orange, Vodaphone and O2 networks). I process payments through Worldpay (formerly Streamline), but 123 Send also deal with many other merchant account providers.

Unless you have a high volume of transactions, the newer Smartphone based terminals probably work out cheaper, but they are no good for me as they don’t work with my Windows phone. Reliance on a single mobile network and the lack of a receipt printer are other limitations.

[Author]

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