8 questions to consider when shopping for an EFTPOS terminal

Looking for an EFTPOS terminal? Make sure you do your research to get the best one for your business. This is a device you’ll use every day, so it pays to do your homework and choose wisely. Here are eight questions to consider when you’re shopping for an EFTPOS terminal.

1. What are the fees?

Are the fees per month or per transaction? If per transaction, have an idea of how many transactions you will do per month, so you can choose the right payment tier for your business. Our EFTPOS pricing plan tool makes it easy to figure this out. Read more on EFTPOS machine costs or download our merchant fees and charges (PDF 1MB).

2. How easy is it to use?

How long does it take to process and accept a customer payment? Are the screens easy to use and intuitive? If so, you’ll save time with every transaction and won’t waste time training staff how to use it.

3. How long does the battery last?

If you run a mobile business, a market or a café that takes payment from customers at the table, you will need an EFTPOS terminal with a good battery life. Our EFTPOS 1 merchant terminal can last up to approximately 8 hours with the power save mode turned on.

4. Can you integrate it with your point of sale system?

The ideal solution for your EFTPOS terminal will integrate with your point of sale system, so you and your staff only enter the transaction once for the customer to pay. Along with your EFTPOS terminal, you might like to consider our Presto Smart integrated payments solution.

5. When can it be delivered?

Ideally you want your EFTPOS terminal to be delivered straight away, so you only need to wait a few days to get this all set up. Make sure you ask your provider whether they have EFTPOS terminals in stock and how long delivery will take.

6. Is there set-up support?

Depending on which provider you choose, your EFTPOS terminal may come with instructions for you to do yourself or details to book in a technician to set this up for you. If you choose our EFTPOS 1, we will arrange for a technician to be on site with you and set this up.

7. What if you need to replace it?

Depending on whether you buy or rent the EFTPOS terminal, you may need to consider if there is a warranty. All EFTPOS terminals from Westpac are rented, so if there is an issue, we will replace the device for you.

8. Is there GST on merchant fees?

In Australia, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) applies to many items. Merchant fees for our EFTPOS terminals include GST, so be sure you claim this correctly at tax time. More details about GST can be found at www.ato.gov.au.