Consumers don’t always carry cash, and if they do, it’s typically only enough to buy a coffee or make small purchases; however, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t have a form of plastic on them. And the plastic of choice for a majority of American consumers is a debit card because it provides a way to control their finances and avoid debt.
Debit cards can be used to pay for almost anything – from pay-at-the-pump to in-store purchases to online sales. Whether you run a business or operate a financial institution, let Fiserv help you increase customer retention, grow profitability, and improve operational efficiencies with our convenient debit card processing solutions. Our team of experts can help you with the latest point of sale (POS) systems for your brick-and-mortar stores, set you up with debit card processing for your e-commerce website, or even equip your financial institution with feature-rich ATMs.
The Basics of Debit Card Processing
Debit cards look like credit cards. The key differentiator between the two is where the funds to pay originate. With a debit card, payment is linked to the cardholder’s bank account and the amount is immediately deducted from their account balance, whereas credit cards extend a line of credit from the cardholder’s card-issuer.
Here are four different types of debit card processing
- PIN Debit - Cards are programmed with a personal identification number (PIN) needed to make purchases. This form of debit adds a layer of fraud protection to cardholders, merchants, and banks.
- PINless Debit –Transactions below a certain dollar amount (or other criteria) don’t require a PIN or signature.
- Signature Debit - Cardholders sign a receipt or the signature screen of the point-of-sale terminal to complete their purchase.
- Contactless Debit - Customers wave or tap their card, wearable (smart watch), or mobile device over a near field communication (NFC) terminal that communicates with the radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology in the card or device. With a wearable or a mobile device, the debit card is linked to a mobile wallet, such as Apple Pay®, Google Pay™ or Samsung Pay®. The transaction moves through the debit network just as it would with a PIN debit purchase.
How Debit Card Processing Solutions Work
Our debit card processing solutions provide the convenient payment options your customers need with the security they expect. When making purchases, customers can enter their PIN into a terminal or PIN pad if they choose to process as a debit transaction, or they can also run their debit card as a credit transaction which only requires a signature. Depending on the POS system, the merchant or cardholder is given a choice regarding how to process the transaction.
If a PIN is used, the card account information is routed to a debit network, such as the Fiserv-owned STAR or Accel Networks. The issuing bank confirms the cardholder has available funds in their bank account to complete the purchase, and the debit network handles authorizing, clearing, and settling the transaction to the merchant.
Services That Tie to Debit Card Processing
Time is a valuable commodity, and your customers are constantly searching for ways to get more of it, including how they can efficiently pay for purchases and access their money. By offering innovative features at the point-of-sale (POS) or ATM, you help your customers conveniently and securely manage their funds and reduce time spent waiting in lines.
ATM Solutions
As the leader in ATM solutions, Fiserv drives all ATM makes and models, providing cost-effective gateway access to all leading ATM/POS networks and card associations. With end-to-end transaction processing, terminal driving, monitoring and routing capabilities, we help you provide continuous and safe ATM access to your cardholders. Whether you prefer to manage your ATM program or outsource it to Fiserv, we can provide you with the performance tools and managed services you need to drive profitability.
STAR® and Accel® Networks
Providing convenient access at millions of retail POS and ATM locations coast-to-coast, the STAR® and Accel Networks combined comprise the nation’s second largest PIN debit network by transaction volume. Fiserv helps increase your revenue and transaction volume, while giving your cardholders more capabilities and features like surcharge-free ATM access, expedited fund transfers, and industry-leading fraud protection. Our debit networks offer real-time account management, deposit sharing, universal integration for back-end efficiency, and biller-direct payment options.
MoneyPass® and CardFree Cash
MoneyPass and CardFree Cash can help drive additional foot traffic to your retail stores. MoneyPass is one of the largest surcharge-free ATM networks in the nation, and CardFree Cash provides consumers with the ability to obtain cash from participating ATMs without a card. Both solutions can make your locations a destination for cash access.
Why Do You Need Debit Card Processing?
Consumers want flexible payment options and convenient access to their money anytime, anywhere. Their preference for using debit cards means you’ve got to offer the newest technology and services, coupled with advanced security, to increase customer retention and generate more profit.
From payment transactions to ATM programs, connect with our team of experts today to learn more about the debit card processing solutions that complement your business or financial institution’s debit card issuing services.
