POSTerminal

A POS terminal, also written as POSTerminal, is a hardware device used at the point of sale to accept payment cards and other payment methods. It connects to a payment processor to authorize transactions, record sales, and produce receipts. POS terminals are used by retailers, restaurants, and service providers.

Most POS terminals support multiple payment methods, including EMV chip cards, magnetic stripe cards, and contactless payments through NFC, as well as mobile wallets (such as Apple Pay and Google Pay) and, in some cases, QR code payments. They can also print receipts and update inventory and sales data in real time.

Typical hardware consists of a card reader, keypad or touchscreen, a display, a receipt printer, and connections to a payment network and a back-end host. Some terminals are standalone countertop devices, while others are mobile or tablet-based and used with a wireless connection.

Operation involves the merchant's payment processor and a merchant account. The terminal collects cardholder data, authenticates, and requests authorization from the card networks. When approved, funds are settled to the merchant's account, and the sale is recorded. Refunds and voids are supported by the terminal or back office.

Security and compliance are central, with standards such as EMV, PCI DSS, and point-to-point encryption (P2PE). Terminals must be certified by card networks and often support tokenization and secure key management. Reliability, offline capability, and integration with inventory, accounting, and point-to-sale software are common considerations.