In-person payment experiences can be offered through hardware-based or software-based solutions.
Hardware solutions: Physical terminals are generally more challenging to get started with for Platforms that are new to in-person payments. Hardware requires an upfront investment and logistics capabilities, such as warehouse management and return processes, to get terminals to your users.
Software solutions: Software solutions provide an easier starting point for Platforms that are new to in-person payments. These solutions require a mobile Android or iOS device. Since your users often already own such a device, there is less need for complex logistical operations and upfront investments are lower.
Recommendation
Consider getting started with a software solution and move into hardware as your users mature and only if it meets specific customer needs.
- Tap-to-Pay leverages our POS Mobile SDK that turns a phone or tablet into a payment terminal for a real in-person payments experience. Tap-to-Pay can be used together with the physical card reader NYC1. User's that don't want to integrate with the SDK can user the Payments App for Android.
- Platforms often start experimenting with in-person payments through Pay-by-Link. This enables users to share a payments link with shoppers that replicates an in-person payments experience with minimum effort.
User journeys
The right terminal solution largely depends on how the terminal fits into the overall journey of your users and their shoppers.
Use-cases are divided in three main categories:
- Tabletop
- Mobile
- Unattended
A tabletop with basic features may suffice for a static user scenario, for example a gift shop. Situations in which the user is constantly moving, for example at a restaurant, require a mobile solution. Unattended terminals are suitable for autonomous stores without staff or checkout. Other factors to consider are durability, price-point, and battery life.
Recommendation
Pick a device that fits naturally in your user’s environment to maximize adoption. Make sure the device is top of mind for a user to ensure it’s well maintained, especially in terms of battery life.
See here for a full overview of terminal solutions.
Integration Architecture
The type of integration determines how your terminals communicate with Adyen. Architectures can either be based on a cloud integration or a local integration. You should consider aspects like usability, compatibility, ease of integration, and security. For example, a cloud integration is easier to implement but may not support all use cases. A local integration on the other hand can be more robust but requires an additional effort to ensure the local network communication between the POS system and the terminal is safe.
Recommendation
A cloud integration works for most platforms and is the quickest to market. Common reasons for Platforms to opt for a local integration include hard requirements for offline transactions.
Run a quick test on what architecture meets your needs here.
Logistics
If you opt for a hardware solution, logistics will be a critical element of your offering. Adyen offers two ways to get a payment terminal into your users’ hands. We can drop ship the terminals to the user or ship them in bulk to your warehouse. Each has its own costs and benefits to take into consideration.
Recommendation
Use drop shipping if you do not have existing warehouse operations and want to quickly launch in-Person payments.
Leverage your own warehouses if you ship multiple hardware components. Having these items arrive at the same time and in the same package makes for a better user experience.
Drop shipping directly to users
Adyen can ship terminals and accessories directly to your user. Drop shipping prevents you from investing in building your own warehouse operations. It is particularly suited for businesses that are new to shipping hardware and want to get started quickly as well as to those that have no other hardware to ship.
Recommendation
- Enquire about the lead times for each specific region. Adyen ships terminals using regular carrier services. Lead times depend on the location of your user.
- Provide your Adyen Account Manager with a forecast of device quantities to ensure availability. Ensure this forecast is updated periodically.
Shipping in bulk to your warehouse
Adyen can ship terminals and accessories to your warehouse. This allows you to ship out Adyen hardware together with other hardware. In some cases, Adyen is able to customize the packaging for you. We can add leaflets or QR codes to the box that direct the user to your environment. Please contact your Account Manager for more details.
Recommendation
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Ensure you maintain a healthy safety stock. With low inventory levels you may risk out-of-stock situations in case of supply chain disruptions.
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Ensure terminals do not stay in your warehouse for longer than six months. Terminals that are kept in a warehouse for longer than six months may run low on battery and have an outdated firmware version installed. This can create difficulties for your user during the setup process.
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Provide your Adyen Account Manager with a forecast of device quantities to ensure availability. Ensure this forecast is updated periodically.
Terminal onboarding
Onboarding the terminal can be a source of friction and therefore impact the extent to which users fully adopt the solution. If the setup process is too difficult, users may drop off before they have fully adopted terminal payments.
There are various technical considerations that affect the effort required from the user as well as the level of user support. In general, the more you automate the lower the friction to the user.
Recommendation
- Start with supporting the setup process operationally but focus on automating this process early on. Early adopters of your solution may call in for setup support. However, automating this process through a ‘Terminal Manager’ in your customer environment is a more scalable solution with a better user experience. This allows you to launch quickly and iteratively optimize the user experience and your operational costs.
- Determine benchmarks for terminal adoption to measure performance. If you define when you consider a terminal as ‘adopted’ will help you monitor performance and identify areas for improvement.
Managing your terminal fleet
Adyen’s Customer Area allows you to control and monitor your terminal fleet. Its allows you to:
- Order or return terminals
- Assign terminals to a store.
- Do a security inspection.
- Board the terminal to accept payments in a user’s store.
- Customize your terminals and receipts.
- Learn how to manage battery power.
- Monitor performance.
- Use the menus on the terminal.
Recommendation
Ensure that your support team is well versed in using the full extent of the Terminal Fleet Management. This will enable your teams to help users much faster than when they rely on Adyen support to respond to any technical or logistical issues.
Terminal Replacement Service
Adyen’s Terminal Replacement Service ensures that your fleet is covered against terminals breaking down. Instead of having to buy a replacement terminal, for a monthly fee Terminal Replacement Service (TRS) allows you to immediately replace a broken terminal with a refurbished device. This minimizes downtime for your users, prevents them from looking for alternatives in the meantime, and eliminates the one-time, upfront cost for these replacements.
Replacements like this are requested through the regular order and return process.
Please note that TRS is applied to the entire terminal fleet. Its scope cannot be applied to specific terminals.