Skip to main content

Processing Card Payments

Accept credit and debit card payments smoothly with integrated payment terminals and secure transaction processing.

Hayden Zammit Meaney avatar
Written by Hayden Zammit Meaney
Updated today

Processing Card Payments

Card payments are the most common payment method for tourism businesses. Tourism Accelerator integrates with payment terminals to make card transactions fast and secure.

Supported Payment Methods

  • Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)

  • Debit cards

  • Contactless payments (tap and go)

  • Mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay)

  • EFTPOS

Processing a Card Payment

Once items are in the cart:

Step 1: Select Card Payment

  • Review the cart total with the customer

  • Click the Card payment button

  • The payment screen displays the amount

Step 2: Process on Terminal

If you have an integrated terminal:
​

  • The amount is sent automatically to the terminal

  • Ask the customer to tap, insert, or swipe their card

  • Customer enters PIN if required (or approves on their device)

  • Wait for the terminal to show "Approved"


If using a standalone terminal:
​

  • Manually enter the sale amount on the terminal

  • Process the card as normal

  • Once approved, click Mark as Paid in the POS


​

Step 3: Complete the Sale

  • Once payment is approved, click Complete Sale

  • The transaction is recorded automatically

  • Offer the customer their receipt

Integrated vs Standalone Terminals

Integrated Terminals

  • Amount sent automatically from POS

  • Transaction recorded instantly

  • Reduces manual entry errors

  • Reconciliation is simplified

Standalone Terminals

  • Enter amounts manually on the terminal

  • Mark payments as complete in the POS

  • Suitable for any terminal brand

  • Requires careful reconciliation

Contactless (Tap and Go) Payments

Contactless payments under $200 typically don't require a PIN:

  • Process as a normal card payment

  • Customer taps their card or phone on the terminal

  • Payment approves almost instantly

  • Complete the sale

For amounts over $200, the customer may need to enter their PIN.

Handling Declined Cards

If a card is declined:

  • The terminal displays a decline message

  • Politely inform the customer: "I'm sorry, that payment wasn't approved"

  • Ask if they'd like to try another card

  • Or offer alternative payment methods (cash, another card)

Common decline reasons:

  • Insufficient funds

  • Card expired

  • Incorrect PIN entered

  • Bank security block (customer may need to call their bank)

Never tell the customer the specific reason for decline—this information is private between them and their bank.

Split Card Payments

When a customer wants to split across multiple cards:

  • Click Split Payment instead of Card

  • Enter the amount for the first card

  • Process the first card payment

  • Click Add Another Payment

  • Process the second card for the remaining amount

  • Complete the sale once all payments are received

Card Payment Security

Tourism Accelerator takes payment security seriously:

  • PCI Compliant: Our system meets industry security standards

  • No card storage: We never store full card numbers

  • Encrypted transmission: All payment data is encrypted

  • Tokenisation: Card details are replaced with secure tokens

Your responsibilities:

  • Never write down card numbers

  • Don't process transactions over the phone unless you have proper security measures

  • Report any suspicious activity immediately

Adding a Surcharge

If your business applies a card surcharge:

  • This is configured in your payment settings

  • Surcharges are calculated automatically when card is selected

  • The customer sees the surcharge before confirming

  • Surcharges appear on receipts and in reports

To configure surcharges, go to Settings > Payments.

Refunds to Card

To refund a card payment:

  • Find the original transaction in Sales History

  • Click Refund

  • The refund is processed to the original card

  • This may take 3-5 business days to appear in the customer's account

See Refund Processing for detailed instructions.

Troubleshooting

Terminal not connecting

  • Check the terminal is powered on

  • Verify network/Bluetooth connection

  • Restart the terminal and POS

  • Contact support if issues persist

Transaction pending for too long

  • Cancel and retry the payment

  • Check for network issues

  • Process manually if needed

Amount mismatch between POS and terminal

  • Cancel both transactions

  • Start fresh to avoid double-charging

Tips for Smooth Card Payments

  • Keep terminals charged: Wireless terminals need regular charging

  • Test daily: Run a test transaction each morning

  • Have a backup: Keep a standalone terminal for emergencies

  • Train staff: Ensure everyone knows the process

  • Stay calm: Terminal issues happen—customers understand

Need Help?

If you're experiencing issues with card payments or need help setting up your terminal integration, our support team can guide you through the process.

Did this answer your question?