How to Set Up And Use A Virtual Terminal For Credit Card Processing?

19 minutes read

Setting up and using a virtual terminal for credit card processing involves several steps. First, you will need to choose a payment processor that offers virtual terminal services. Once you have selected a provider, you will need to create an account and set up your virtual terminal. This may involve entering your business information, bank account details, and setting up security features such as user permissions and fraud prevention measures.


Once your virtual terminal is set up, you can start processing credit card payments. To do this, you will need to key in the customer's credit card information into the virtual terminal interface. The terminal will then securely transmit the data to the payment processor for authorization. Once the transaction is approved, the funds will be deposited into your account within a few days.


It is important to follow best practices for using a virtual terminal, such as encrypting customer data, securing your login credentials, and complying with payment card industry (PCI) data security standards. Regularly monitoring transactions and reconciling your accounts can help you detect and prevent fraud.


Overall, setting up and using a virtual terminal for credit card processing is a convenient and secure way to accept payments from customers, especially for businesses that do not have a physical point-of-sale terminal.

Best Credit Card Machine For Small Business in 2024

1
Shopify POS Go - Mobile Point of Sale Machine & System for Retail, Small Business - All-in-One Credit Card Reader, Terminal, Barcode Scanner, POS Software Device

Rating is 5 out of 5

Shopify POS Go - Mobile Point of Sale Machine & System for Retail, Small Business - All-in-One Credit Card Reader, Terminal, Barcode Scanner, POS Software Device

  • ALL-IN-ONE DEVICE – Designed for efficient, quick, user-friendly in-store transactions, this compact device acts as a complete POS terminal, barcode scanner, and card reader. Accept all payment types including cash, credit or debit cards, and digital wallets.
  • MOBILE CHECKOUTS - Close sales anywhere with this mobile wireless machine. Get everything you need to check out customers in the palm of your hand from the built-in barcode scanner to card reader, WiFi connectivity, and long battery life.
  • USER-FRIENDLY FEATURES - The touchscreen is easy to use and read, with a 5.5" HD display using strong Gorilla Glass 5. The barcode scanner and tap, chip, and swipe card reader functions are intuitive and powerful for quick, smooth operation.
  • SMART BUSINESS MANAGEMENT - Access your entire business from a single device. With this hand-held POS machine you can monitor sales, check inventory levels, update customer profiles, and view analytics.
  • REQUIRES SHOPIFY ACCOUNT - To use the Shopify POS Go, you need to have a Shopify account. New users can sign up for Shopify at shopify.com. Existing Shopify users can start using the Shopify POS Go right away by simply connecting it to your account.
2
Square Register - Powered by Square POS

Rating is 4.9 out of 5

Square Register - Powered by Square POS

  • Start selling right out of the box with payments processing, POS software and powerful hardware designed by Square. No extra tablet, apps or payment terminal required.
  • Accept all major cards at 2.6% + $0.10 per tap, dip, or swipe and get funds in your bank account as fast as the next business day. Plus, with Offline Mode, you can still take payments, even when your Wi-Fi is down.
  • Get expert phone support, protection from eligible chargebacks, and a 2-year limited warranty.
  • Customize your setup with two touchscreen displays: one for you and one for your customers
  • Grow your business with constantly improving point-of-sale software, including the Square Point of Sale app, Square Appointments, Square for Retail, and Square for Restaurants.
  • Plug in optional cash drawers, receipt printers, order ticket printers, or bar code scanners and get up and running instantly.
3
Square Terminal - Credit Card Machine to Accept All Payments | Mobile POS

Rating is 4.8 out of 5

Square Terminal - Credit Card Machine to Accept All Payments | Mobile POS

  • With Square Terminal, you can ring up sales, accept payments, and print receipts, all with one device. Use it at the counter or ring up customers anywhere in your store.
  • Accept all major credit and debit cards and pay one low rate with no hidden fees and no long-term contracts.
  • Process chip cards in just two seconds.
  • Get your money as soon as the next business day.
  • Use it cordlessly with the built-in battery, designed to last all day.
4
SumUp Solo + Printer Bundle - Credit Card Payment Card Reader. Full Touch-Screen Interface with Free SIM Card and Mobile Data (SumUp Solo + Printer)

Rating is 4.7 out of 5

SumUp Solo + Printer Bundle - Credit Card Payment Card Reader. Full Touch-Screen Interface with Free SIM Card and Mobile Data (SumUp Solo + Printer)

  • Issue receipts on-the-go with the lightweight pocket-sized device, and benefit from fast and fully thermal inkless printing with 800 receipts on a single charge.
  • Use the printer as a battery pack to kick in when your Solo’s running out of power. Both the reader and the printer stay ready to go with double fast charging and optimal power distribution.
  • Accept all major payment types from chip and contactless to Google Pay and Apple Pay.
  • View your transaction history, issue refunds and enable smart tipping directly on the device
  • Connect to Wi-Fi or use the free, unlimited data service and enjoy automatic software updates to make sure you’re always ready to take payments
5
Swivel Stand for Pax A35 Credit Card Machine Terminal Pin pad - Complete Kit - Sturdy and Durable - 4.7" Tall, Swivels and Tilts

Rating is 4.6 out of 5

Swivel Stand for Pax A35 Credit Card Machine Terminal Pin pad - Complete Kit - Sturdy and Durable - 4.7" Tall, Swivels and Tilts

  • SWIVEL & TILT FLEXIBILITY: The Stand swivels (Left and Right Turns) 330 degree and Tilts (up and down) 50 degree. Swivel gives the cashier flexibility to turn the device towards him/her to help the customers when needed without going to customer side. The tilt feature will adjust the correct angle to hold the Device based on counter height.
  • PACKAGE INCLUDES: This is a complete kit. The package includes the Base Stand with Back Plate to attach the credit card machine (pre assembled), Mounting Screws, Allen Key and Wrench (tools), Adhesive Glue Pad. You can either screw down on counter surface or use Adhesive Glue Pad where Screw is NOT possible, exable - glass counter.
  • PERFECT HEIGHT: The stand if perfect height of 4.7" for all counter level. It has enough clearance for Card Insert from button which can also be adjusted by tilt feature. Once you have the correct tilt position set, you can use the allen Key and Wrench to tight the screw so it won't tilt down anymore.
  • ADHESIVE GLUE PAD: A adhesive Glue Pad is included in each stand as an option to glue down the stand if the surface cannot use the screw (examble glass or marble). The glue pad is very strong to hold the stand as this is made for this purpose. If you ever need to remove the glue pad in the futire, simple slowly heat up the area (with hair dryer) and use a string/thread to workout to remove.
  • DURABILITY: The Stand is made out of robust mild steel with durable powder coated finish. It is very sturdy and durable.
6
Verifone VX520 Dual Comm Credit Card Machine- with Smart Card Reader

Rating is 4.5 out of 5

Verifone VX520 Dual Comm Credit Card Machine- with Smart Card Reader

  • Combines an ergonomic design, small footprint and unique cable management system
  • VX520 DC w/SC 128/32 MB (Dial/ ETH 128 / 32 MB STK) (non contactless) EMV
  • Part Number: M252-753-03-NAA-3
7
First Data FD150 EMV CTLS Credit Card Terminal with Wells 350 Encryption

Rating is 4.4 out of 5

First Data FD150 EMV CTLS Credit Card Terminal with Wells 350 Encryption

  • Chip Card / EMV / NFC Compatible
8
VeriFone Vx520 EMV CLTS 32MB Credit Card Terminal

Rating is 4.3 out of 5

VeriFone Vx520 EMV CLTS 32MB Credit Card Terminal

  • NO ENCRYPTION FOR DEBIT. NEED PIN PAD TO ATTACH WITH THE DEVICE TO WORK FOR DEBI
  • Verifone VX520 terminal with EMV reader, contactless reader, and dual com modem.
  • PCI COMPLIANT
9
Clover Mini POS System for Small Business, Credit Card Reader Anywhere Machine, Built in Printer - Requires Processing Account Through Advantage POS Store

Rating is 4.2 out of 5

Clover Mini POS System for Small Business, Credit Card Reader Anywhere Machine, Built in Printer - Requires Processing Account Through Advantage POS Store

  • A SMALL, POWERFUL POS FOR TIGHT SPACES: Run your business with the sleek and powerful Mini, a POS that fits in any space. Everything you need is right on the device.
  • LARGER TOUCH SCREEN: The upsized 8" touch screen has plenty of room to confirm orders, complete payments, and manage everything to run your business.
  • ACCEPT POPULAR PAYMENT TYPES: The Clover Mini makes it easy for customers to pay with swipe, dip, or tap. Credit or debit. And contactless payments like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal/Venmo.
  • START SMALL AND EXPAND AS YOU NEED TO: The Clover Mini works with all other Clover devices and can expand with accessories to build a complete system so your system can grow as your business grows.
  • Payments: Accepts chip, swipe, and contactless payments Screen: 8" LCD color touch screen Receipt printer: Built-in thermal dot receipt printer Security: Clover Security end-to-end encryption Connectivity: Wi-Fi, ethernet, and LTE connectivity Cash drawer: Optional add-on
  • READY OUT OF THE BOX: Comes with a receipt printer — all you need to get to work..-(note) Requires new processing account through Advantage POS Store for this package. Rate match guarantee with current credit card payment processor or flat rate of 2.6% and .10 cents a transaction.
10
symcode New POS PDA Thermal Receipt Printer 5.99" High Resolution and Clear Touch Screen Handheld PDA Printer Mobile POS Machine Terminal Printer Android 8.1 OS Built-in Google Play and NFC

Rating is 4.1 out of 5

symcode New POS PDA Thermal Receipt Printer 5.99" High Resolution and Clear Touch Screen Handheld PDA Printer Mobile POS Machine Terminal Printer Android 8.1 OS Built-in Google Play and NFC

  • Symcode New POS PDA Thermal Receipt Printer,5.99" High Resolution and Clear Touch Screen, 5MP camera and Wifi 5G/4G/3G/2G/GPS connectivity.40MM Diameter Paper Roll Capacity, Support Nano SIM+TF , With NFC card recognition.
  • 58mm POS Thermal Receipt Printer Android 8.1 OS,Usb: Support USB OTG.support developers to debug and use .Deca-core/10 cores MTK.
  • [ Control of Inventory ] This thermal receipt printer helps you keep better control of inventory, sales and profits, deliver tickets to your customers, create users, discounts, products by name, code or barcode and much more!
  • POS PDA Compatible with 99% of Android Apps, e.g. Loyverse(For Retail/Clothing), iREAP(For Retail/Inventory), CasierStock(For Shopping/Inventory Management), Kyte(For Mobile Sales), Pozool(Restaurant/Coffee Shop), allow accept order and print receipt in one POS.
  • Handheld PDA printer comes with Google Play and supports the following software, Shopify, Google Chrome, PDF, Loyverse, iREAP, and Kyte, Support Google Play software download.No need for secondary development.which allows accepting the order and print receipt in one POS , 90mm/s boosts 20% working efficiency.
  • POS Receipt Printer inside 3200mAh 7.6V battery lasts the whole day even in the most demanding situations.Work with android app, make bill printing, mobile payment, ordering, takeaway, queue control, marketing management, make all-in-one POS.
  • Terminal printer POS is portable, 0.7in body, 0.9lb weight , also with a 5.5-inch touch screen, also can scan 1D/2D.QR barcodes by the camera.(The camera mainly decodes 2D codes.and the ability to decode 1D codes is relatively weak) It is a combination of Bluetooth thermal printer and mobile phone, so that you can save your money and space, Widely used in food trucks, cafes, drink & food, pizza, bakery, restaurant, grocery store, fashion & boutique, convenience store, jewelry, carwash.


What is the process for refunding transactions through a virtual terminal?

Refunding transactions through a virtual terminal typically involves the following steps:

  1. Log in to your virtual terminal account using your username and password.
  2. Navigate to the transaction history or recent transactions section where you can find the transaction you want to refund.
  3. Locate the specific transaction you wish to refund and select the option to issue a refund.
  4. Enter the refund amount and any additional information required, such as a reason for the refund.
  5. Submit the refund request. The refund will then be processed by the merchant account provider and the funds will be returned to the customer's payment method.
  6. Be sure to communicate with the customer to inform them that the refund has been processed and provide them with any additional details they may need.


It's important to note that the process for refunding transactions through a virtual terminal may vary depending on the specific virtual terminal service provider you are using. Be sure to follow the instructions provided by your virtual terminal provider for the most accurate and up-to-date information on how to process refunds.


How to create user accounts and permissions in a virtual terminal?

To create user accounts and set permissions in a virtual terminal, you can follow these steps:

  1. Log in to the terminal as the root user or a user with sudo privileges.
  2. To create a new user account, use the following command:
1
sudo adduser username


Replace "username" with the desired username for the new account. You will be prompted to set a password and provide additional information for the new user.

  1. To set permissions for the user, you can add the user to specific groups or modify the user's permissions directly. For example, to add the user to the sudo group to grant them sudo privileges, use the following command:
1
sudo usermod -aG sudo username


Replace "username" with the username of the user you want to add to the sudo group.

  1. You can also modify the permissions of specific files or directories for the user using the chmod or chown commands. For example, to give the user read and write permissions for a specific file:
1
chmod u+rw filename


Replace "filename" with the name of the file you want to modify the permissions for.

  1. Once you have created the user account and set the permissions, the new user can log in to the virtual terminal using their username and password.


By following these steps, you can effectively create user accounts and set permissions in a virtual terminal to control access and restrict privileges as needed.


What is the role of address verification in secure credit card processing through a virtual terminal?

Address verification is an important step in secure credit card processing through a virtual terminal as it helps to minimize the risk of fraud. This process involves matching the billing address provided by the customer during the transaction with the address on file with the credit card issuer. If the addresses do not match, it may indicate that the transaction is fraudulent.


By verifying the address, merchants can ensure that the person making the purchase is the legitimate cardholder, and it adds an extra layer of security to the transaction. This helps to protect both the merchant and the customer from potential losses due to fraudulent activity.


Address verification is typically included as part of the security features offered by payment gateway providers for virtual terminals. It is an important tool in preventing unauthorized transactions and protecting sensitive customer information.

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