Have you been to a coffee shop, or other similar retailer, that had a crowded counter? They might have the till, where the cash is kept, a large screen, where the current transaction is displayed, and a volley of other tech and terminals—a pin pad with its curly cord for the customer to complete their transaction, a scanner box to take care of scanning QR codes, something that takes care of NFC transactions—cluttered is a euphemism.
Points of sale can become this way, paradoxically, for early adopters of new technology. As payment technologies have a tendency to change frequently, it can potentially cause certain companies to plug in disparate units that possibly weren’t designed to go together smoothly, or at least aesthetically.
If you’ve been dragging your feet in accepting credit cards, here is one way that your procrastination has paid off. Point of sale technology has continued to advance in such a way that, if you’re looking now to upgrade, you have access to amazingly simple (and beautiful) options.
At Moolah, we’ve partnered with one such beautiful, simple, and powerful POS provider: Poynt. Everyone that signs up for a Moolah merchant account has the opportunity to pick up a Poynt Smart terminal for free! We at Moolah are all about lowering the barriers to entry for growing businesses that want to access better technologies. Let’s take a look at what makes the Poynt terminal such a potent POS.
In contrast to the shop counter we described above, which was weighed down by terminals and technologies, the Poynt Smart Terminal can clean up your act, and let your customers breathe a little easier. It consists of one terminal with two screens to help complete the transaction. Regardless of whether you’re paying with card, or with any of the more novel payment methods, like Apple pay, or even payments through QR code—it’s all in the terminal for you. It’s why the people at Poynt claim that their setup is “future-proof”.
Looks aren’t everything —but they aren’t nothing, either. The Poynt terminal offers a range of peripherals that, when lined up on your counter, look clean, efficient, and some might argue, even cool.
Poynt comes loaded with a range of native apps that get you off and running. It’s ready to start accepting payments right out of the box, and you can likewise customize your catalog of products quickly and easily, and customize items with discounts, taxes, and fees as necessary. You can also settle transaction batches, and review batch history and generate reports. In addition, PoyntOS is the world’s first payment operating system, allowing merchants to benefit from developers crafting new solutions continually. See more here.
As you can see, sometimes good things come to those who wait. If you’ve waited until now to update your store’s POS, make sure to check out everything that a Poynt terminal can do for you.
Thank you for scheduling. If you have any questions, please contact us at 800-625-1670.
A credit card surcharge is an additional fee added to a transaction when a patient chooses to pay with a credit card. The surcharge is intended to help offset the cost of credit card processing and applies only to eligible credit card transactions.
No. Debit card transactions may not be surcharged under any circumstances, even if the debit card is processed as a credit transaction or entered manually.
Yes. Credit card surcharges may not exceed the merchant’s actual cost of accepting credit cards and are capped at a maximum of 3% of the total transaction amount, in accordance with card-network rules and applicable law.
Yes. Card networks require clear and transparent disclosure of any credit card surcharge. Practices must notify patients through appropriate signage at the practice entrance, point of sale, and anywhere payments are accepted. If payments are accepted online, the surcharge must also be clearly disclosed on the practice’s website.
Yes. Some U.S. states and territories prohibit or restrict credit card surcharging. Practices are responsible for understanding and complying with their state’s specific requirements before implementing a surcharge.
No. While Moolah provides tools and general guidance to support credit card surcharging, compliance with all applicable laws and card-network rules is the responsibility of the merchant. Moolah does not provide legal advice and assumes no liability for a merchant’s compliance.
Most major credit card networks permit surcharging when done in accordance with their rules, but additional requirements or restrictions may apply. Practices should ensure they have completed all required network notifications and disclosures prior to enabling surcharging.
Failure to comply with surcharging rules may result in card-network fines, required refunds, or other enforcement actions. Practices should ensure they fully understand all applicable requirements before applying a surcharge.
Flex does not currently offer built-in support for credit card surcharging. If a practice chooses to enroll in a surcharge plan, payments would need to be processed through Moolah’s payment platform, which is designed to support surcharging and integrates directly with Open Dental.
If you are considering introducing a credit card surcharge for your patients, it is important to understand that there are specific rules and regulations that must be followed when enrolling in and operating under a surcharge plan.
This article provides a general overview of common surcharging requirements. This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is the responsibility of each merchant to review, understand, and comply with all applicable laws, card-network rules, and regulatory requirements, including notification timeframes, signage requirements, surcharge percentage limits, and jurisdictions where surcharging is prohibited.
If you are unsure about the laws or regulations applicable to your practice, you should consult with qualified legal counsel. Moolah assumes no liability for a merchant’s compliance or non-compliance with credit card surcharging rules or regulations.
Transparent Communication
Card networks, including Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express, require merchants to clearly and transparently disclose when a credit card surcharge is applied.
Practices must clearly notify patients of a credit card surcharge through appropriate signage placed at the practice entrance, at the point of sale or terminal, and anywhere payments are accepted. If payments are accepted online, surcharge disclosures must also be clearly visible on the practice’s website. All disclosures must inform patients that the surcharge applies only to credit card transactions.
Surcharge Limits
Credit card surcharges must comply with both card-network rules and applicable law. The surcharge amount may not exceed the merchant’s actual cost of accepting credit cards and may not exceed 3% of the total transaction amount.
Card-network rules cap credit card surcharges at 3%, meaning that if a merchant’s processing costs exceed this amount, the excess portion cannot be passed on to the patient.
Network and State Restrictions
The major credit card networks, such as Visa and Mastercard, impose specific requirements related to surcharge limits, advance notification, and disclosure.
In addition, several U.S. states and territories regulate or prohibit credit card surcharging. At the time of writing, credit card surcharging is prohibited in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and Puerto Rico. Other states, including Colorado, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, and New York, impose restrictions on surcharge amounts or require specific disclosures.
If your practice operates in a state that restricts or prohibits credit card surcharging, you must fully understand and comply with those requirements before implementing a surcharge.
Debit card transactions may never be surcharged, even if the debit card is processed as a credit transaction.
Applicability
Credit card surcharges may be applied only to credit card transactions. Other payment types, including debit cards and alternative payment methods, are not eligible for surcharging.
Regulatory Compliance
Merchants are responsible for maintaining ongoing compliance with all applicable card-network and legal requirements. This includes meeting advance notification obligations, using compliant signage and disclosures, adhering to surcharge percentage limits, and respecting jurisdiction-specific restrictions.
By following these guidelines, dental practices can implement credit card surcharging in a way that aligns with card-network rules and promotes transparency with patients. Clear and upfront communication helps maintain patient trust and supports a positive payment experience.