BluePay Blog

Most brick-and-mortar businesses that accept plastic rely on heavy, static readers to process credit cards at the checkout counter. In fact, these stationary terminals have been a staple of retail for decades.  With the birth of mobile payment processing, businesses could suddenly begin accepting credit cards on the go. 

Topics: Payment Trends, PCI Compliance and Fraud Prevention, Payment Technology, Mobile Payments, EMV

Three years ago this month, the credit card industry introduced new liability rules designed to reduce payment card fraud. In 2015, traditional plastic was still widely used throughout retail, but these older cards relied on magnetic stripes that could easily be cloned, manipulated or erased.  In effect, “magstripe” plastic was seen as too vulnerable. Thus, the payment industry wanted merchants and consumers to adopt EMV credit card processing.

Topics: PCI Compliance and Fraud Prevention, Payment Technology, EMV

With nearly 20 percent market share, Fitbit is arguably the most popular wearable technology in the world. These personal fitness trackers can monitor everything from your heart rate to steps taken to sleep patterns. With more than 25 million active users, Fitbit continues to rake in billions of dollars every year — all through sales of its wearable devices.  But the company believes its Fitbit can become more than just a fitness tracker. In 2018, it added mobile payments to its growing line of wearable tech.

Topics: Payment Trends, Small Business Tips, Payment Technology, EMV

Over the last few years, chip-and-PIN has been heralded as the gold standard in payment security. These EMV credit cards come with embedded chips that are next to impossible to clone. To initiate an in-store payment, customers must input a personal identification number (PIN) that only they know.  Additionally, mobile payments and wearable technologies continue to grow in popularity every year. In fact, experts predict that annual in-store sales generated through smart devices could exceed $500 billion by 2020 — in the United States alone. 

Topics: Payment Trends, PCI Compliance and Fraud Prevention, Mobile Payments, EMV, Payment Technology

Losing your credit card usually isn’t a big deal. If one of your cards is lost, stolen or somehow compromised, your bank will send you a replacement ASAP.  Many card issuers also provide fraud protection so you’re not personally liable for any unauthorized purchases.  In fact, the algorithms used to monitor fraud are so good that your bank might contact you to verify purchases that “seem” out of character. If you use your card primarily for grocery shopping and gas stations, for example, a sudden weekend shopping spree at the neighborhood electronics store might raise red flags. 

Topics: Fun Posts, PCI Compliance and Fraud Prevention, EMV

In the retail world, chargebacks are very similar to refunds in that:  Successful sales are ultimately reversed.  “Unhappy” customers get their money back.  Though unlike refunds, chargebacks aren’t something you implement on your end as a merchant.  Instead, they’re initiated by the customer — with or without your consent.  Thanks to consumer protection laws, starting the chargeback process is very easy for customers.

Topics: Small Business Tips, EMV, PCI Compliance and Fraud Prevention, Enterprise Business Tips

There’s a reason why the EMV credit card standard has been adopted globally. These chip-enabled cards are far more secure than their mag-stripe counterparts.  Whereas magnetic stripes are relatively easy to clone and forge, EMV cards are not. This makes in-store retail fraud more difficult. For a transaction to process successfully, the security chip must be physically present at the point of sale. 

Topics: Payment Trends, Payment Technology, PCI Compliance and Fraud Prevention, EMV

As a brick-and-mortar retailer, it doesn’t take much to begin accepting credit cards. All you need is a merchant account and terminal — and you’re good to go.  Despite how easy it is to get started, an estimated 55 percent of small businesses throughout the U.S. don’t take plastic. They simply can’t justify the upfront cost of installing expensive credit card readers at every checkout counter.  For them, accepting cash is both easier and cheaper. 

Topics: Payment Trends, Payment Technology, Mobile Payments, EMV, PCI Compliance and Fraud Prevention

Swipe-and-sign is one of the most time-honored rituals in retail. When customers are ready to make purchases, they:  Swipe the credit card in a POS reader Receive a printed time-stamped receipt Put their John Hancock on the signature line  On April 13, most major credit card brands will remove the signature requirement at the point of sale. Mastercard and Visa are phasing out this step across North America, while American Express is eliminating the signature requirement worldwide.

Topics: Payment Trends, EMV

Whenever customers are unhappy with products or services, they can request a refund directly from you — the merchant.  This is usually an unpleasant experience, and retailers often go out of their way to avoid issuing refunds. The alternative, however, is much worse.  These dissatisfied customers also have the option of disputing purchases and initiating chargebacks through their banks. The banks then credit those users’ accounts before chasing you down for the outstanding balance. 

Topics: Getting Started with Payments, Small Business Tips, PCI Compliance and Fraud Prevention, Enterprise Business Tips, E-Commerce and Online Payments, EMV