You’ve loved your credit card terminal—ok, so you wouldn’t use the word LOVE, per se…but through thick and thin, day in, day out, it’s been there for you, more or less. I mean,
No matter how positive or negative your experience with your “good ol’ fashioned” credit card terminal, there comes a time when the needs of your business, the needs of your customers, or both, grow beyond what that noble machine can do for you.
In our day and age, inclusivity is everything, and that is always the case for different types of payments. Cash, credit, debit, Am Ex, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay–you name it. There’s no real reason to put a barrier between your customer and your product. Do what you can to accept it all. With the Poynt Smart Terminal, you are all set to accept whatever type of payment walks through your doors.
Your transactions are the center of your business, but for more reasons than your getting paid. It’s how you know everything about your business! In this sense, you need to know everything you possibly can about your transactions. With older types of points of sale, this wasn’t really possible. You had to turn to the receipts, learn by taking inventory, or other such time-consuming daily operations. With an upgrade to the Poynt Smart Terminal, you’ll be able to know things more precisely, and with more depth through the hardware’s ability to interact with any and all software solutions that you choose to implement. That means that your CRM can talk to your accounting and inventory tools to measure everything.
Ever wonder why the big box retailers reward you with discounts by joining their club and giving them your info? It’s because when you swipe your card, they are able to enter your purchase into their system, and LEARN. They are essentially paying you with that 5% discount or whatever for your valuable data, which they can leverage in various ways. For smaller businesses, Poynt makes it easy to set up a rewards program of your own, through other cloud-based providers. Even if your intentions are more modest, it’s great to connect more closely with the people who support your business.
The best reason to consider Poynt Smart Terminals for your next upgrade is the connectivity. This is the main reason the developers call the smart terminal future-proof. You can connect cash drawers, scales, scanners, and other peripherals with ease. You can even connect and monitor other Poynt POS systems if and when your store expands to another location. It’s all easy tracking, and easy reporting with Poynt.
This supreme connectivity is also why the Poynt Smart Terminal is the POS of choice for Moolah, and why we partnered with them to offer your business a free one, just for signing up for a Moolah merchant account. If the time has come for you to say goodbye to your old card machine, be gentle, and be prepared for your business to grow.
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.