Surcharging allows businesses to pay zero credit card swipe fees, instead passing those along to the cardholder. That generates significant savings on every credit card sale, since swipe fees can be as high as 2-3 percent of the transacted amount, or more. To legally surcharge without violating card brand contracts, it’s necessary to follow compliance guidelines. But not to worry; there’s an elegant, frictionless, automated solution. It’s a smart tech plug-in, designed by CardX, the industry leader in surcharging solutions – and it works across all business sectors and professions.
How It Works
One of the stipulations for compliance is that surcharging can only be used with credit cards, not debit cards. But these two products are so similar that it can quite difficult for a merchant to distinguish between them. However, the CardX smart technology instantly and accurately determines whether the transaction involves a credit or a debit card. If it is a credit card, it automatically calculates the exact amount of the surcharge and passes that along to the cardholder, eliminating the merchant’s swipe fee. The business retains 100 percent of the transaction amount. The customer also has the option to pay by another method like cash or debit card, if they don’t want to pay the surcharge.
Keeping You Compliant
Legal restrictions and credit card company contracts require full compliance with all surcharging regulations. Failure to comply puts the merchant at risk of penalties, fines, and even loss of the privilege of being able to accept credit and debit cards. But CardX software was specifically created and engineered to remove that potential liability by automating the entire process and removing human error. The result is that every credit card transaction is both fee-free and 100 percent compliant.
Sleek Simple Interface
The surcharging software comes pre-installed, along with an EMV Quick Chip, on a custom-designed and sleek-looking credit card terminal. There is no technical training or additional tech infrastructure required. All the merchant needs to do is plug the terminal in and they are good to go, ready to process transactions. It’s as simple as that to start enjoying zero swipe fees for all credit card purchases. CardX also includes tasteful, fully compliant signage that can be posted in a place of business, so that customers are fully informed about their surcharging options.
What Does it Cost?
There is no upfront cost and no long-term contract involved. For online transactions or a virtual terminal, there is no cost whatsoever. Online transactions can be processed directly on the merchant’s own website, without having to redirect customers to another site. Businesses that prefer to have a physical PCI-compliant plug-in terminal pay only $35 a month, a low cost which many recoup right away through swipe-fee savings. If a merchant later decides to stop surcharging and go back to paying credit card fees, they can return the terminal at any time, without penalty.
The Bottom Line
CardX offers high-security, fully compliant, automated processing − with the unique opportunity to save substantial amounts of net revenue by never again paying a swipe fee. That makes surcharging effortless, and can be one of the smartest and easiest financial tools a business uses.
