This document discusses the opportunities for ISOs and acquirers to expand their offerings to include mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) solutions using tablets. Mobile payments and mPOS providers are flooding the market, competing for small merchant business. ISOs and acquirers can strengthen merchant relationships and gain new customers by enhancing their portfolios with full-featured mPOS solutions that provide payment processing along with business management apps. Partnering with an established payment solutions provider allows ISOs and acquirers to quickly deploy secure mPOS solutions while leveraging the partner's expertise, support, and compliance efforts.
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Tablet POS Broadens Opportunities for Merchant Payments - A VeriFone White Paper
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TABLET POS BROADENS
OPPORTUNITIES FOR
MERCHANT PAYMENTS
ISOs and Acquirers Increase Revenue and
Protect Market Share by Enhancing Solution
Portfolios with Mobile POS Software and Services
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
MOBILE PAYMENTS DISRUPTION
Mobile technology has disrupted traditional behaviors and commercial solutions, replacing anything from
handy pocket cameras to anchored-in-place ATMs. The next target for such disruption is the traditional
merchant point of sale, where non-traditional service providers believe they can bypass traditional
distribution channels by going direct to merchant with tablet-based POS solutions, also known as mobile
POS or mPOS.
The sales pitch is alluring; merchants can obtain a more cost-effective, flexible and adaptable solution to
replace or avoid investing in traditional point-of-sale solutions. Non-traditional service providers from PayPal to
ShopKeep are targeting the small merchant segment, oftentimes seeking to lock in processing fees and lock
out independent sales organizations (ISOs) and acquirers. ISOs and acquirers who broaden their portfolios
with mPOS will be able to strengthen their ties to existing customers while expanding their reach to new
customers who either have traditionally resisted POS solutions, or are just getting started in business.
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MOBILE PAYMENTS MARKET ON FIRE
According to Forbes, “Money is going mobile, and the race is on to control the flow of bits and cash across
a billion smartphones and at millions of online and physical locations.” Small- and medium-sized businesses
(SMBs) are increasingly interested in using tablets as an alternative to
electronic cash registers for fixed and mobile POS. Mobile payment and
mPOS providers are flooding the market, with new competitors popping up
almost every week.
The low cost of tablet and smartphone hardware and the ease of integrating
apps and components provide a compelling alternative to traditional, small
merchant POS systems. They are easy to operate and easy to enhance with
add-ons that are simple to install and relatively painless to replace. Tablets
utilize mass-market, standards-based technology to keep prices low and can
be updated frequently and easily with new features. Additionally, standards-
based tablets are able to run a variety of non-payment applications to provide
merchants with business management solutions encompassing other day-to-
day requirements, ranging from appointment scheduling and inventory
management to sales tracking and marketing.
ISOs seeking to identify and deploy feature-rich software often find themselves in conflict with the goals of
these new challengers. Rather than offering complementary products and services, these new providers are
primarily focused on displacing existing processing relationships. Acquirers and ISOs who do not respond to
these changing circumstances risk losing established merchants and missing out on new revenue-generation
opportunities.
COMPETING FOR MERCHANT LOYALTY
Tablet-based POS systems build on the success and popularity of smartphone-based payment acceptance
solutions. With tablet-based systems, though, merchants can often take advantage of additional capabilities
such as inventory tracking, customer relationship management and accounting features. When the tablet
and POS software are paired with peripheral devices such as cash drawers, scanners and printers, a
merchant can enjoy a complete POS system that is less costly and simpler to operate than traditional
proprietary POS solutions. The more robust systems integrate with traditional POS card-acceptance
devices and back-office software.
Many of the new payments solutions providers are start-ups, new to the marketplace and funded by
venture capital investors hoping to grab a piece of the North American mobile transactions market, which is
estimated by Gartner, Inc. to be $37 billion for 2013, up from $24 billion in 2012. In 2013, Javelin Strategy
& Research projected that “mobile POS could expand current payment card acceptance by as much as
20 million firms if eligible firms started accepting payments. This impact could account for up to $1.1 trillion
in annual new‐card payments.”
Corporations and massive
enterprises have traditionally been
the leaders when it comes to being
on the very cutting edge of
technology, but when it comes to
m-commerce, a major push is being
supported by small and medium
sized businesses that are not held
back by the solid infrastructures and
red tape restricting their larger
counterparts.”
– Mcommerce Press, Jan. 21, 2014
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The gold rush mentality has produced a plethora of me-too product offerings, generally involving direct-to-
merchant offers with a simplified pricing scheme. Some offer a flat transaction fee or monthly equipment
rental subscription, or some other non-traditional pricing arrangement. Service providers are drawn to the
SMB merchant market like moths to a light – according to PYMNTS.com’s monthly mPOS Tracker, more
than 100 companies are offering solutions.
Many of the new payment offerings rely on Internet-based marketing and sales. In some cases, the inability
of merchants to directly obtain support for technical or billing issues has resulted in numerous complaints.
Acquirers and ISOs risk erosion of merchant loyalty as new players enter the mPOS space and steal
market share. With so many tablet POS options available to merchants, independent sales organizations
that choose not to expand their portfolio with a mobile or tablet-based solution risk losing established and
valuable customers.
GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
Despite the growing ranks of new competitors, independent sales organizations have an advantage. They
traditionally provide premium support or tailored solutions that meet the specialized needs of merchants.
Those capabilities cannot be matched by solution providers who offer a one-size-fits-all approach to the
SMB market.
With all the new solution providers entering the market, casualties are bound to mount quickly as business
models prove elusive, technology fails to deliver as promised, or service providers are unable to provide
specific expertise and ready support valued by merchants. Acquirers and ISOs can capitalize on the
opportunity to help merchants wade through an increasingly confusing landscape and provide existing
merchants with new tablet- and smartphone-based options.
The opportunities are:
1. The ability to upsell small merchants to a POS system with recurring incremental revenue rather than
one-time sales of individual hardware devices
2. Increased sales potential based on how the system is configured or bundled with other hardware
(cash drawers, scanners, PIN pads, etc.) and sales of additional apps for general business management
3. Strengthened merchant relationships as a result of helping customers keep pace with advancing
technology and future consumer demand
4. Gaining new merchants who either were resistant in the past to purpose-built payment devices, or are
new businesses more attracted to trendy mobile technology
BROADENING PRODUCT PORTFOLIOS WITH mPOS
Leading-edge ISOs and acquirers have begun to enhance their portfolios with mobile POS offerings that
can do more than just accept payments. With the right solution, ISOs and acquirers can quickly answer
demand for tablet- and smartphone-based software solutions.
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Small- to medium-sized merchants, though, are understandably hesitant to invest in new technology in the
face of many competing options. As a result, merchants are confused as to which technology is needed for
their business. Yet if they are unable to keep up with changes in consumer behavior and emerging payment
technology such as EMV, NFC and Bluetooth low energy (BLE), these merchants risk losing customers who
expect to be offered the latest options.
In the wake of recent large retailer data breaches, adoption of EMV is expected to accelerate. Many larger
retailers and boutique chains are now deploying tablet-based solutions through their stores in order to
deepen engagement with consumers already accustomed to using tablet- and smartphone-based apps
themselves. In light of these trends, the movement to mobile retail and mobile POS appears unstoppable.
Tablets and smartphones represent an opportunity to provide merchants with comprehensive business
management solutions. In addition to providing the option for use at the countertop or throughout the store,
tablet mPOS solutions can provide a platform for a full range of business-oriented “apps” including capabilities
such as email integration with certain providers, inventory management, appointment scheduling and
integration with ecommerce Web operations. Some mobile POS solutions may offer more sophisticated
capabilities such as multi-store operations and the ability to be used across different types of mobile devices.
Few ISOs have the resources or inclination to build their own full-featured tablet mPOS solution because doing
so is costly and a diversion from core competencies. Developing and integrating core payments functionality
requires assuming significant costs, as well as the challenge of keeping up with the rapid evolution of mobile
payments and standards requirements around EMV, NFC and mobile wallets. For example, device vendors
and solution providers are just beginning to introduce products based on Bluetooth low energy, and both Visa
and MasterCard early in 2014 announced they would support host card emulation (HCE), which supports NFC
payments by storing secure credentials in the cloud rather than on a smartphone.
Given the rapid advances in mobile payment as well as uncertainty on how particular technologies or
standards will play out over the long term, the most flexible and cost-effective path to implementing a
mPOS solution is selection of a platform that will support deployment of mobile wallets, alternative
payments, apps, loyalty programs and future technology.
By opting for a turnkey platform, ISOs and acquirers are able to quickly respond to demand and pursue
new opportunities. Rather than investing in and recruiting specialists, the acquirer or ISO is able to leverage
the dedicated payments specialists and scale of an established partner, including support, distribution and
training resources. The acquirer or ISO is further able to solidify the merchant relationship by creating or
packaging a suite of back-office and value-added apps and services. In doing so, the acquirer or ISO
may be able to create more referral opportunities with other companies that are providing applications or
services for the standardized tablets. With the right solution, acquirers and ISOs can provide merchants
with a complete, business-management mPOS solution at a relatively low, monthly, subscription price that
generates recurring revenue and reduces attrition.
ASSURED SECURITY
By forging partnerships with established payment solutions providers, acquirers and ISOs can leverage the
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partner’s dedicated payments security team as well as the partner’s ongoing PCI DSS validation, processor
certifications and other compliance efforts.
The payments industry is evolving rapidly. Visa, MasterCard and other card brands have established
incentives and penalties aimed at moving merchants to acceptance of chip cards based on EMV (Europay-
MasterCard-Visa) technology beginning in 2015. Merchants that do not migrate may be forced to absorb
the costs of counterfeit card fraud that, in the eyes of the card brands, would have been prevented by the
use of EMV. Those new card requirements also are aimed at mitigating card fraud and enhancing card
payment security.
Some payment systems may inadvertently expose merchants to financial risk or put additional burdens
on them for which they are not prepared or equipped. With security breaches becoming more prevalent
among larger companies and garnering more public interest and concern, small merchants are wondering
how they can protect themselves from fraud. “The price small businesses have to pay for mobile payment
fraud isn’t small…the lesson is that small businesses are big targets for fraudsters – attackers go for the
weakest link, not the strongest,” wrote Inc. Magazine.
With much confusion in the market, they need a secure, credible solution that will protect them from fraud.
Acquirers and ISOs with established reputations allied with payment solution providers with strong brands
are a winning combination for cutting though confusion in the marketplace. Small businesses in particular
need education on the financial risk they may encounter from poorly conceived mPOS solutions, as their
very livelihood may depend on avoiding such risk.
SERVING MERCHANT NEEDS
Tablet-based mPOS solutions can be a compelling solution to a merchant’s payments and business needs.
The devices can be fixed in place like traditional POS/ECR solutions, or used as a true mobile device.
With the right solution, acquirers and ISOs can provide flexibility and adaptability
that allow merchants to:
• Create memorable consumer experiences and elevate their brand by
leveraging technology that is familiar
• Sell from anywhere inside and outside the store floor, even at pop-up
locations and outside events
• Get up and running quickly
• Access business intelligence on the spot to make smart business decisions
• Utilize a secure PIN pad so they can accept any form of electronic payment
• Enhance operational efficiencies with a feature-rich, full-function
business management tool
• Re-configure the store layout to sell even more merchandise
• Easily add sidewalk sales or pop-up stores
“The tablet POS is a new
technology that incorporates the
features of traditional merchant
POS devices into a tablet
solution that is both compact and
flexible. A merchant’s tablet
becomes a multichannel POS
system that supports all standard
payment services and includes
additional value-added services
such as employee tracking,
inventory management, sales
analytics, loyalty, and rewards.”
– Smart Card Alliance,
November 2013
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Tablet mPOS solutions that utilize cloud services can provide faster response times to consumer needs.
The mPOS tablet may offer added functionality to accept experience-enhancing applications like digital
discounts, offers and coupons.
Utilizing a tablet solution that accommodates VeriFone’s VX 805, an EMV- and NFC-ready PIN pad,
provides both ISO/acquirer and merchant with a future-proof, all-in-one retail POS solution that meets
current and future standards, such as PCI PTS 3.0, EMV, NFC, Interac and more.
Many of the new, emerging solutions providers are essentially offering dongle-like devices that only offer
one payment-acceptance capability – a swipe of a credit or debit card – and apps that may lack some
of the more robust security protections available today. Many of the newer mPOS solutions are limited
in functionality or can only be used in a single location, which greatly limits flexibility and scalability.
PUTTING THE mPOS SOLUTION TOGETHER
Acquirers and ISOs are in an ideal situation to take advantage of new mobile POS opportunities. The SMB
market traditionally defies “one size fits all” solutions that do not accommodate the diversity of merchants.
The ISO channel has been able to bridge the gap between technology suppliers and end-customers by
developing specialized services and/or solutions that meet specific needs.
With the right tablet-based POS solution, acquirers and ISOs can leverage new, cloud-based services and
apps to expand their offerings and make themselves more invaluable to merchants.
Standards-based hardware ensures that ISOs and acquirers can equip solutions with a broad variety of
peripherals, whether cash drawers, scanners, printers or other devices. Utilizing a tablet-based mPOS
solution that can accommodate purpose-built payment PIN pads and terminals ensures that new payment
standards can always be integrated with little disruption to business.
Merchants already trust their existing acquirer or ISO contact. The acquirer or ISO that takes a proactive
approach to the new mPOS challenge can ensure merchant loyalty while increasing revenue opportunities
and attracting new customers. Traditionally, the ISO/acquirer merchant base suffers a 20% or more
turnover on a yearly basis, but the new mPOS solutions provide a “stickier” relationship between ISO/
acquirer and merchant to stem such abandonment.
Acquirers and ISOs who select a payments solution provider with an established record and clear
distribution strategy can avoid channel conflicts and leverage that partner’s brand and expertise to provide
a trusted solution to merchants.