For holder bank card the payment procedure with its help is convenient and extremely simple - just insert the card into the payment pos-terminal of the outlet, enter the pin code (sometimes this is not required), and the goods are paid for. But interaction with the terminal is only the very beginning of the process of transferring and processing information about the card and a series of checks, the purpose of which is to obtain approval of the payment operation or reject it.

In a few seconds, information will pass through the chain of participants in the banking settlement system, which can be geographically located in different cities of the country, and the international payment system is the determining link in this chain. Connecting a point of sale to this banking system calculations, which makes it possible to pay with cards, this is acquiring. In this article we will tell you what it is. in simple words who provides such a service, what are its advantages and disadvantages, and also talk about its various nuances.

Acquiring. What it is?

A bank card is an access tool (key) to bank account client. Today, every self-respecting bank issues cards; without them, it will simply be uncompetitive. International payment systems(MPS) make it possible to accept payments from your card in different parts of the world, provided that the bank that issued it (issuing bank) becomes a member of such a system. Several MPS are known in the world: Visa, MasterCard, etc. (and which MPS logo is on your plastic?). All of them compete with each other, but the principle of operation is the same for all.

Any trade and service enterprise (TSE) organizes the acceptance of payments from plastic cards with the help of authorized members of the payment system -. Thanks to such organizations and appropriate equipment, the buyer gets the opportunity to take advantage of all the benefits of cashless payments.

Acquiring (from the English "acquire" - to acquire, receive) is a banking service that allows a trade and service company to accept plastic cards as payment for goods or services. In a broader sense, it is a set of measures within the framework of which technological, settlement and information services are provided to merchants for payment transactions with bank cards.

To do this, the Merchant concludes an agreement with the acquiring bank, under which the acquirer provides equipment (pos-terminals, software, etc.) and provides the necessary support. He fulfills the following obligations to the trading enterprise:

• Installation and configuration of equipment for arranging payment by cards (pos-terminals can be provided free of charge or on a lease or buyout basis, depending on the planned trade turnover);
• Training of merchant employees to work with cards (payment, return, etc.) and transfer of information materials;
• Provision of necessary consumables;
• Implementation of service maintenance and information and reference support (usually around the clock).

At the same time, the merchant undertakes to comply with the terms of the concluded acquiring agreement:

• Ensure the placement of the acquiring bank's payment equipment (terminals, communication devices, etc.);
• Accept payments using installed equipment;
• Timely report its malfunctions, etc.

Acquiring is not a free service. The acquiring bank takes a certain commission for each transaction with a bank card (1.5-4% of the purchase amount), the component of which we will now talk about.

How much does it cost to pay with a card? Interchange Fee and other fees

Let's start with the fact that paying with a plastic card for the buyer does not cost anything (except if you withdraw money from a "foreign" ATM). On the contrary, the point of sale incurs costs, and quite significant. The cost of making a payment is usually set as a percentage of the payment amount, sometimes a fixed amount is added. The commission is charged both for successful authorization (in the Russian Federation) and for rejected authorization (abroad). The commission payment from each transaction consists of three parts:

1. Interchange Fee (translated into Russian literally: "interchange fee"), this is a commission for the operation that the issuing bank (which issued the cardholder's card) receives;
2. International Commission payment system (for example, Visa or Mastercard);
3. Commission (markup) of the acquiring bank or agents.

The amount of Interchange Fee depends on many factors and is set by payment systems. Its rate directly depends on the location of the participants in the payment chain: the issuer and the acquirer. Rates (in ascending order) are divided into local (all participants in the payment are in the same country), intra-regional (participants within the same region) and inter-regional (in different regions). When paying by card Russian bank in Europe, a European store will pay a significantly higher commission than a Russian one.

The rate is influenced by factors such as:

• payment security - the commission will be less when paying through pos-terminals at the cash desks of stores than, for example, in an online store, and if there is an additional authentication protocol (), the rate is reduced;
• type of outlet - grocery stores have a lower rate compared to, for example, electronics stores, since the risks of returning goods in the first case are close to zero, and in the second case it is a common thing;
• type of card (the credit rate is higher than the debit rate) and its status (budget, classic, gold, etc. - in ascending order);
• turnover in a trading company, etc.

In general, the “cooler” the card is, the more profitable it is for the banks that issued it: in this case, their commission increases, due to which the banks earn. This is how the phenomenon can be explained. card Tinkoff bank (and not only them), when an ordinary standard card is issued with the status of "Platinum" (or "World") - the bank increases its commission, depriving cardholders of the privileges that they are entitled to by status (in fact, the cost annual service such cards are not worth the cost of their premium counterparts).

The MPS commission is already much lower, it is fixed for each transaction and depends on the number of transactions and the amount of payment.

The acquirer's margin depends on the appetite of the bank itself and is set by the acquirer itself.

The MPS charges a commission for various transactions not only from the acquirer, but also from the issuer, as a rule, this is closed commercial information, but it is known that they make up a small part of the total commission for card payments.

Acquiring types

Today common the following types acquiring:

• trade;
• mobile;
• Internet acquiring (virtual);
• ATM acquiring.

Merchant acquiring

Merchant acquiring implies direct contact of the cashier (seller) with the buyer in the service sector (retail chains, restaurants, cafes, cinemas, hairdressers, etc.). It is organized according to the scheme described above: an agreement is concluded between the merchant and the acquiring bank, where all the conditions for cooperation are prescribed, as well as the amount of the commission charged, which averages 1.5-2.5%. For payment at the point of sale, monoblock or modular ones are installed.

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In a few words, we will tell you how this whole system works when a buyer pays with a card, in other words, we will trace the path of a bank transaction:

1. After you have inserted (rolled or leaned) the card into the payment terminal, all the necessary information is transmitted in encrypted form via communication channels (leased line or GSM modem) to the processing center of the acquiring bank (this is not necessarily the bank that issued your map).

2. The acquirer transfers the data to the data processing center (DPC) of the international payment system (to which your card belongs), where the card is checked for the presence / absence of it in the stop list, and if the transaction is refused, the transaction is returned back, and upon approval, the data is transferred to to the next participant in the settlement system - the issuing bank. Pay attention to the role of the payment system - it links all the banks participating in card settlements into one chain.

3. The Ministry of Railways sends information to the authorization center of the issuing bank, where the card is authorized: extended verification of card details (legality, probability of fraud - fraud, available balance on the card account, PIN code match, etc.). The purpose of this step is to generate an authorization code that will indicate payment permission or refusal, and send it back along the same chain: through the IPS to the acquiring bank.

4. Once the acquirer receives a response, the payment transaction is approved or denied. All payment details, including the authorization code, will be present on the check printed by the pos-terminal.

Despite the fact that the purchase will be paid at this moment, the actual settlement between banks will take place only after a few days, for which the funds on the buyer's card account will be (frozen). The acquirer will transfer the money to the settlement account of the outlet within 1-3 days (depending on the acquiring agreement), withholding the commission. And he will receive money from the issuing bank only after he sends the latter (through the IPS) files for debiting (clearing files) - documents confirming the operations performed. As soon as the issuer receives these documents, the money on the buyer's accounts is unfrozen and debited (transferred through the clearing center to the acquirer's accounts).

Mobile acquiring

Mobile acquiring is used to pay with cards "on the road" (couriers, taxi drivers, field service, etc.), or when a budget solution is needed for organizing card payments in retail outlets with a small turnover, in mobile stores. Work with cards is carried out through a mobile pos-terminal (mPOS), which connects to a smartphone via WI-FI or Bluetooth (other solutions are possible), and the terminal is controlled using a special mobile application installed on the phone.

As a rule, well-known banks act as acquiring banks. We can distinguish the following services that provide such services: iPay, Sum Up, Pay Me, 2Can, SimplePay, LifePay, Termite, ibox, Paybyway and RBK Card. Despite the fact that the amount of the commission in this case will be higher compared to merchant acquiring (approximately 2-3.5%), the advantage is obvious: the ability to organize payment by plastic cards in a short period of time and at low initial costs by sticking shop windows on the glass sticker "Here accept Visa cards/ Mastercard / MIR. The principle of operation is similar to that described above.

Internet acquiring (virtual)

Internet acquiring is used with. The terminal role uses the web interface (software) hosted on the merchant's website. As a rule, the buyer is provided with several payment methods: cards (including virtual ones), electronic money and other methods. The program used for online calculations must comply with modern security standards and use secure (encrypted) data exchange protocols. Such programs are provided by payment providers (processing companies), whose activities are supported by certificates from well-known payment systems Visa and MasterCard. When choosing this type of acquiring, the seller must pay a commission to the acquiring bank in the amount of 3-6% of the transferred amount.

ATM acquiring

It is also used in ATMs, where you can transfer money from a card, pay for various services using it, or withdraw cash. The principle of operation is generally comparable to merchant acquiring. Details at the link above.

Advantages and disadvantages

For any trading enterprise, connecting an acquiring service is, first of all, an increase in competitiveness and an increase in trade turnover. Marketers have long noticed that the average cost of a buyer paying by bank transfer is 10-20% higher than when paying for cash. The absence (even temporary) of the opportunity to pay for plastic will cause not only monetary, but also reputational damage to the merchant.

This service allows you to:

• Reduce cash collection costs (some of them will go to a commission, but it is still more profitable than working in cash, at least for a point with an average turnover and higher);
• Reduce cash fraud (you can’t pay with fake banknotes on a card, and stealing plastic is not the same as stealing a wallet with cash - the card can be quickly blocked);
• Improve the quality of customer service (at least the speed of payment increases and the time spent in queues decreases, and you can forget about the change at all!);
• Increase the average purchase amount and purchasing power client (for example, on a credit card a person spends not his own money, but borrowed money, which also increases the average bill, besides the presence various programs loyalty encourage the buyer to spend even more);
• Attract new customers-holders of bank cards, at least from those (already few) competitors who still do not accept cards for payment.

The disadvantages of the described service include the shortcomings and problems of the banking card industry itself. Failure to comply with the elementary safe use of bank cards by their holders and various ones greatly spoil the seemingly rosy picture.

Problematic situations can often arise on the side that accepts payments, especially when paying on the Internet or through a mobile terminal. In these cases, the risks are much higher. In general, there is room to move forward and where to develop, the only embarrassing thing is that people, according to the latest polls, do not really want to give up cash, but this, apparently, is a matter of time ...

Acquiring ( from English. acquire - accept) is a general term that refers to the technology for accepting bank credit and debit plastic cards as the main means of paying for goods and services.. Acquiring operations can only be carried out by banks that have the appropriate license. To carry out the transaction, the acquiring bank installs a special payment terminal on the territory of the enterprise (shop, restaurant, gas station, etc.), with the help of which customers can make payments using bank cards.

In recent years, portable acquiring has gained particular popularity, which allows you to use mini-terminals without being tied to an office or enterprise - the terminal moves along with the courier (which is especially convenient for providing delivery services, taxis, etc.). Along with portable, active, another subspecies of acquiring is also developing - the Internet.

Internet acquiring - what is it and how does it work

This is a subspecies of acquiring, which allows you to make payments using virtual and plastic bank cards via the Internet. To do this, a specially designed virtual interface is installed on the site. It acts as a regular terminal, which can be found in shops and cafes.

Acquiring connection algorithm

To provide Internet acquiring services, you need:

• acquiring bank(a special license for providing Internet acquiring is not required);
• processing center with a web interface, with which the buyer will pay for the purchase or service in the online store or any other online service with a bank card, and the seller receives payment;
• service provider, which will ensure full protection and confidentiality of payments and data transmitted by the client;
• user authentication protocol who will carry out fraud monitoring of operations carried out on the site.

In order to pay for a product or service online, you will need a debit or credit plastic card. With their help, you can pay in a regular store, restaurant, withdraw cash.

But Internet acquiring, unlike the usual one, provides the possibility of quick online payment of payments through virtual bank cards from popular electronic payment systems (WebMoney, Qiwi, Yandex Money, etc.). And yet, what merchant acquiring different from Internet acquiring? We will try to briefly outline its main differences:

1. The number of market participants. Merchant (traditional) acquiring requires far fewer participants.
2. Client anonymity when making a financial transaction.
3. Ability to use a virtual bank card for payment from popular electronic payment systems.
4. Basic information of the card (and its owner) is entered manually by the client through a special form on the site.

For payment via the Internet, both personalized and non-personalized bank and virtual cards. Therefore, the Internet acquiring service differs from the usual one only in that the card data is entered manually by the client on their own, through a special secure form, and not read by the card reader through the payment terminal.

The advantages of Internet acquiring for organizations are as follows:

1. Ability to work with clients, accept payments at any time of the day automatically.
2. Reduction of costs for each financial transaction.
3. The ability to enter the global market, sell goods and services around the world, regardless of the geographical location of the office.
4. Bringing a product or service to market faster than traditional sell-buy models.
5. Relatively low price for the distribution of digital products.

Disadvantages of Internet acquiring for organizations:

1. When paying for a purchase, the client may have doubts about the reliability of the information provided on the web resource regarding the seller or the whole organization. So-called negative anonymity. Most of all, young and little-known companies are subject to this shortcoming.
2. Possible difficulties of doing business and legalization financial activities enterprise on the Internet.

Internet acquiring participants

Client with a computer or any other device with an Internet browser installed on it and access to the Internet. It is he who pays for the goods or services online.

Issuing bank. He is engaged in the issuance of plastic cards, acts as a guarantor of all financial transactions carried out by the client, in whose name the client's current account is opened.

Salesman. Unlike conventional acquiring, a server or website acts as a seller, on which the main list of goods or services offered to the client is located, orders are accepted, and they are paid.

Acquiring Bank which accepts payments from customers. The seller can have only one acquiring bank, on which he will maintain his current account. While customers can pay for purchases using a card from any other bank.

Payment system. It includes electronic components that act as intermediaries between other participants in Internet acquiring, as well as a set of financial and technological tools for servicing bank cards. Support Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, UnionPay, etc.

Settlement bank of the payment system. A financial institution that maintains the payment system carries out transactions between other market participants.

Processing center. It provides full interaction between the main participants of the payment system.

Internet acquiring is impossible in the absence of at least one of the market participants described above.

Internet acquiring scheme

Internet acquiring is not something beyond. Therefore, it does not differ much from a regular trading one. The scheme of his work is as follows:

1. The customer visits the merchant's website, selects the product or service they like, and then makes a purchase or places an order online. After that, the web resource redirects the buyer to a page where you can select one of the available ways to pay for the order. When choosing to pay for the purchase using a plastic or virtual plastic card, the client will be automatically redirected to an SSL-secured page, where he will be asked to enter payment details.
2. The service provider generates a procedure for authenticating the data entered by the clients, which is then sent to the next Internet acquiring participant, the issuing bank. If the authentication was successful and the issuing bank confirmed the authenticity of the data and the solvency of the client to the service provider, then a request is generated for the next participant in the operation - the processing center.
3. The processor redirects the information received from the service provider to the international payment system, after which a message will be generated about the successful or unsuccessful operation. The received data is redirected to the provider, who informs the client and the seller (online store or online service) about the result of the operation. Depending on this (successful payment or refusal), the order is paid or canceled.
4. If the operation was successful, then the processor sends data on the financial transaction to settlement bank a client who refunds funds for a completed transaction to the account of an online service or online store. The client and the seller receive information about the transaction.

Benefits of Internet acquiring for consumers:

1. You can pay for goods and services around the world without leaving your home.
2. Anonymity. The seller does not receive any data about who exactly paid for the purchase. Only the status of the payment is available to him (passed or not).
3. A wide range of goods and services available for payment.
4. More and more organizations are moving into the electronic payment segment.
5. Lower cost for some goods or services through the use of Internet acquiring and lower costs for the seller.
6. Fast delivery.

The disadvantages of Internet acquiring for consumers lies, first of all, in the low confidence of customers in the purchased goods and services, the sale of which is carried out by the seller. This is especially true for little-known or newly entered the market enterprises. In addition, it is impossible to personally check the quality of the product before making a purchase decision. This is offset by the fact that most sellers provide a guarantee when paying for goods online. Often you have to endure too long waiting for the delivery of the purchased goods. Now you know what Internet acquiring is, what are its disadvantages, advantages and main differences from merchant.

Tariffs and commission

For each payment, the provider charges a small commission. The amount of which will depend on the tariff chosen by the seller, sales volume and other factors. Some providers may charge an additional commission not only from the seller, but also from the client. As a rule, this is reported at the time of purchase. To minimize the size of the commission, large companies (with a large turnover) can connect the Internet acquiring service directly, without the use of intermediaries. This allows you to significantly reduce the cost of operations.

Choice of Internet acquiring

Additionally, the seller can connect several banks to his online resource, after which it will be possible to process requests using different issuing banks. If the company's sales volume is small, it is much easier and cheaper to connect a special payment aggregator. By getting a discount, this will significantly save on commission. The amount of the commission will depend on:

• sales volume (the larger it is, the lower the commission);
• geographical location of the organization, sales market;
• from turnover on other non-cash payments (for example, through electronic wallets);
• scope of the organization.

The total amount of the commission will consist of the commission of the international payment system, the acquiring bank and the processing center.

At present, you will not surprise anyone with bank cards, since most citizens receive salaries using this tool, and can also pay for goods or various services. Many paid attention to the presence of payment terminals in shops and supermarkets. These devices are designed to read information and make payments from a specific card account. This procedure is an integral part of acquiring. Consider its main features.

What is acquiring?

In simple words, acquiring is a certain banking service that allows you to purchase various goods using a cashless payment made from debit or credit plastic cards. The acquiring system enables individuals to make various purchases not only in stores, but also on the Internet, as well as pay for all kinds of services and cash out earned funds.

If a person is engaged in entrepreneurial activities (acquiring for small businesses), he can sell goods or provide various services, receiving payment for them to his card account. In turn, if you need to purchase something, a certain amount is debited from it and transferred to the seller's account.

Few people know that acquiring is a powerful financial tool that allows sellers to significantly increase their income. As practice shows, buyers who pay with a plastic card are able to spend 15-20% more money than people who pay in cash.

Let's look at a simple example of how the acquiring system works. The buyer wants to pay for a certain product or service with a card of a bank. To do this, the seller swipes it through the reader of the payment terminal. The card is activated, after which personal information about the owner of the card account is sent to the bank server, where the data is verified. After their confirmation, a certain amount of money is debited from the buyer's card, which is transferred to the seller's account. Please note that after the financial transaction, two checks are printed. One of them remains with the seller, and the second is signed and given to the buyer.

Many trade organizations can work without a cash register using payment terminals. To do this, it is necessary to conclude an appropriate acquiring agreement with the bank, which will equip the outlet with the necessary equipment necessary for conducting non-cash financial transactions. It is a POS-terminal (small device), consisting of:

• system block;
• card reader (reader);
• printing device;
• fiscal part;
• display and buttons for entering information.

There are modern cash registers equipped with card readers for reading information from bank cards and accepting payments from them. They are expensive equipment that only large stores, supermarkets and other trade enterprises can afford. It is beneficial for small business owners to use terminals and acquiring services without a cash register, which will significantly reduce the corresponding part of the costs.

People can pay for various goods and services using payment terminals or directly on Internet sites, where it is enough to enter the details of their card account to conduct a financial transaction.

POS-terminals are equipped with SIM-cards that provide communication with a specific bank, and they read data not only from credit cards or debit cards, but also from cards equipped with magnetic tape and chips. If there are not enough funds on the card or it is blocked for a number of reasons, payment will not be made.

Important: most entrepreneurs are interested in the question of whether it is possible to connect acquiring without opening a current account. Regardless of the form of the enterprise (LLC, IP), to use this banking service, you must have your own current account. It does not matter which type of acquiring the company will use. It is allowed to work as an individual entrepreneur without an open current account, provided that payment for goods and services, as well as receipt of proceeds, will be carried out in cash without exceeding the relevant limits.

Acquiring types

To date, many big banks("Sberbank", "Gazprombank", "Alfa-Bank", "VTB24" and others) offer their customers to use acquiring services. In total, there are 4 types of this system: trade, exchange, mobile and Internet acquiring. Let's analyze each of them in detail.

Trade

The most demanded and popular type of acquiring among the population is merchant. It is designed for cashless payments for goods in almost all stores. With the card you can pay for the purchase:

• food;
• consumer electronics and computer equipment;
• building materials;
• furniture;
• spare parts, fuels and lubricants, etc.

The merchant acquiring system is also applicable to pay for the services of enterprises Catering(restaurants, bars, cafes, bistros, canteens, etc.). POS-terminals are installed at the cash desks of retail outlets, where you can pay with a card, which is swiped through the card reader compartment or inserted into a special receiver.

For their services, banks charge a commission from sellers, its percentage can vary in the amount of 1.5-2.5% for a financial transaction, and in many trading organizations they also install payment terminals.

The amount of commission deductions depends on the turnover of the trade organization, which is negotiated in advance between the parties to the agreement and is prescribed at the conclusion of the contract. In turn, the bank undertakes to provide and install at the point of sale the necessary equipment and consumables necessary for the smooth operation and maintenance of terminals.

Banks have acquiring departments, whose specialists train the personnel of trade organizations to work with terminals and auxiliary equipment and properly serve customers who pay with plastic cards. Also, bank employees provide advice on ongoing transactions using POS-terminals.

Banks undertake to compensate trade organizations for the money received from non-cash payments made by buyers within a strictly specified time frame. Their duties also include mandatory control over the necessary amount of money in the card accounts of buyers. In fact, the banking organization is fully responsible for the operation of the acquiring system, withdrawing (under the contract) certain amounts for its services.

Mobile

This acquiring system appeared relatively recently and has already become very popular among owners of various mobile devices. This type of banking services does not involve the placement of payment terminals in retail outlets. Any seller or courier can deliver the goods to the place specified by the buyer. Payment for it is carried out using a card and a terminal that the seller will bring with him. For mobile acquiring services, banks charge a commission, the amount of which varies between 2-3% of the payments made.

ATM acquiring

Like the trading type, ATM acquiring is very popular with most bank card holders. This is due to the fact that many citizens wage comes to the card, and you can get (cash out) it at ATM-ATMs.

This type of banking service is also called exchange acquiring. To receive money, the cardholder needs to use a certain ATM, insert the card into a special receiver, enter a personal PIN code, indicate the desired amount of money and receive it.

The ATM has a device for reading information from cards. If there are sufficient funds for withdrawal, they are debited, and the person receives the requested amount in cash.

It must be remembered that the cardholder of a particular bank may be charged a commission for financial transactions if they wish to cash out. This is possible if a person uses ATMs of other banks or stays in another state. To avoid losing your money, you need to find out the list of partner banks that do not charge commissions when “cashing out” cards through their ATM network.

Internet acquiring

With the development of the Internet, it has become possible to sell various goods and services directly from sellers' websites. Moreover, many users willingly make purchases on the Web, since goods are much cheaper there, and besides, it is very convenient, since there is no need to waste time going to stores. Most entrepreneurs use this type of acquiring and use their card accounts as the main type of payment.

Internet acquiring is very convenient for most users, since it does not require the installation of payment terminals and their maintenance. To do this, just connect to the appropriate banking system. In turn, the buyer needs to enter his payment details in a special payment form on the seller's website (plastic card number or electronic payment system).

As a rule, bank commissions for acquiring for Internet users are somewhat higher, which is associated not only with payment for holding cash transactions, but also with ensuring the proper level of protection of user data from criminal acts of various kinds of fraudsters.

In addition to buying goods, each Internet user has the opportunity to pay for the services of providers, mobile communications, fines, utility bills, taxes, etc. To do this, it is enough to use your plastic card, and payment can be made both at bank branches and on specialized sites.

Pros and cons of acquiring

The acquiring system contributes to a significant increase in the profits of commercial enterprises due to the fact that most consumers make purchases both offline and on the Internet spontaneously. Also, acquiring has undeniable advantages, which include:

• convenience of making cashless payments;
• complete exclusion of settlement with the seller with counterfeit money;
• saving personal funds on collection services;
• exclusion of accidental or intentional miscalculation at the time of issuance of change.

Also, payments using bank cards completely eliminate the buying error, which is expressed in overpayment for a product or service. In addition to the positive features of acquiring, there are also disadvantages. The cons include:

• instability of the acquiring system;
• there is no 100% guarantee of the safety of funds;
• unauthorized debiting of money from buyers' accounts due to errors of unqualified sellers;
• instant withdrawal of bank interest from the seller's account.

If the bank server or the POS-terminal fails, the buyer will not be able to purchase goods at a certain point of sale, which will cause his indignation and the loss of the seller.

Important: despite high level security banking operations, quite often there are cases of disappearance of funds from people's accounts due to hacking and other fraudulent acts. Therefore, card users should not write PIN codes on them “so as not to forget”, as well as disclose other personal data that can be used by criminals for personal gain. You should be aware that no one has the right to demand the secret data of users who provide access to money(bank employees do not specify them under any pretext).

Nevertheless, the shortcomings listed above are quickly eliminated by employees. banking organizations, since the work of servers is restored in a short time, the personnel of trading enterprises can always be trained, and instant withdrawal of interest should be considered as a payment for the services provided. As practice shows, the majority of sellers and buyers are satisfied with the acquiring services of banks.

Acquiring bank - what is it?

Banks that organize plastic card acceptance points equipped with payment terminals and ATMs are called acquirers.

As a rule, they provide comprehensive services for all financial transactions, which fully reflect the ongoing payments and settlements on credit and debit cards. Also, acquiring banks are responsible for the proper performance of a number of operations:

• processing requests received via PBK;
• authorization of plastic cards;
• transfers of guaranteed payments to settlement accounts of trade enterprises;
• processing of information and documents confirming transactions with bank cards.

In simple words, acquirers carry out all kinds of calculations with the participation of PBK. These financial institutions have their own processing servers, which are directly connected to the well-known banking networks. Among them are MasterCard, Visa and UnionCard. As a rule, PBK is authorized through them, after which a bank payment automatically passes.

Acquiring - tariffs of banks (rating)

How to order acquiring at a bank and which one to choose? How much will you pay for equipment maintenance? Some companies often face similar questions. We offer you to get acquainted with the rating of the most popular acquiring banks and their rates:

1. Sberbank of Russia. Interest rate of the purchase price is 0.5-2.5%. The cost of equipment is 1.7-2.2 thousand rubles per month.
2. Gazprombank. The bank charges a commission of 1.5-2%, the monthly cost of equipment is 1.75 thousand rubles.
3. VTB 24. It offers a commission of 1.6% for conducting operations on card accounts and charges 1.6 thousand rubles for servicing terminals.
4. Alfa Bank. The interest rate is 2.5-3%, the monthly cost of equipment is 1.85 thousand rubles.
5. Promsvyazbank charges a commission of 1.1-1.8% for the operation, the cost of equipment - by agreement with the bank.

The cost of the equipment provided (monthly payment) largely depends on the type of software used, as well as on the number of outlets in stores.

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Summing up, we note that entrepreneurs who want to increase the income from the operation of their outlet, as well as increase the number of potential customers, should appreciate the undeniable advantages of using the banking acquiring system. Before signing an agreement with a bank, it is necessary to carefully study the proposed tariffs, the conditions for servicing terminals and auxiliary equipment.

In contact with

New technologies play a crucial role in all spheres of life. The interaction of high-tech and communication facilities allowed the banking sector to create a convenient system of cashless payments. Consider what acquiring is and how it works.

Now rare points of sale do not carry out settlements with customers using bank cards. A well-established mechanism is convenient for both the seller and the buyer, it allows you to make payments without cash.

Acquiring as economic concept represents the method of payment by means of a plastic card through a POS-terminal. It is also used to pay for services on the Internet. The card is not provided to the seller, only its details are indicated.

Economists distinguish three types of acquiring - merchant, mobile, virtual.

Merchant acquiring

In oznik with the advent of this system. Represents a payment at the POS terminal at the point of purchase. The money goes into the account. The buyer does not need to have cash with him, and the seller does not need to look for change.

There are more advantages for the client in this system. No commission is charged from it. The second participant in the transaction does not receive the amount indicated on the price tag, but taking into account the percentage of sales (1.5–2.5%).

The reduction of the rate, as well as the establishment of a limit on settlement transactions, depends on the company's turnover and agreements between the bank and the organization.

Documentation for calculations

An acquiring agreement is concluded between a retail outlet (regardless of whether it is a store or a travel agency) and a credit institution, which specifies the conditions, obligations, and responsibilities of the parties. The agreement regulates the formal side. In this chain, the bank is an intermediary between payment systems and merchants.

Visa, MasterCard, UnionPay, American Express are the whales of the business, they control the technical side of operations.

Benefits and commission of the bank

Credit organizations occupy one of the favorable positions in the mechanism of this system. Thanks to the spread of the acquiring network in trade, the service sector, education, and medicine, they have a stable income from deducting a commission from the seller of services.

The percentage is set for each outlet individually, while the bank takes into account the following conditions:

• field of activity;
• annual revenue indicator;
• "service life" of the enterprise;
• the number of outlets, their size;
• technical capabilities (communication between the bank and the terminal).

The commission does not go to one hand. A part is transferred to the address of the payment system and to the settlement account of the bank issuing the plastic card. It also affects the establishment of a commission for the seller, the income of the credit institution from operations.

Bank card acquiring as a direction is now experiencing high competition. Market players strive to offer more favorable conditions, a low commission threshold and no limits.

Member Requirements

Those wishing to connect to the acquiring system should contact the place of direct access to it, namely banking institutions. Managers will tell you in detail about the features of the system, the nuances and ways of working with it.

If the parties come to a decision, sign an acquiring agreement, the client is assigned a personal identifier that is associated with the current account. Not everyone can become a member of the program. Many banks do not agree for some reason. So, for example, the company must provide, upon request, a report on financial and economic activities and additional documents.

Organizational issues related to connecting the terminal, concluding an agreement and checking company data take from a week to a month. When everything is settled, the number of terminals that the organization needs, taking into account the existing offices and branches, is transferred into the possession of the client for temporary use. Rent of equipment for cashless payments is present at all banks. Installation and configuration is carried out by IT specialists.

Often, services for connecting equipment, training employees and processing documents are provided by institutions free of charge. Sometimes a limit threshold is set, according to which he must make payments at the terminal, or the equipment is given for a paid lease. Conditions are negotiated individually.

The client will give preference to the store where there is a POS-terminal. Therefore, many enter into acquiring agreements. In addition, outlets increase their trading revenue through payments made. This relationship is based on the following principles:

Mobile and internet acquiring

Mobile acquiring allows you to accept payments using your cell phone

Mobile - the youngest type. Its advantage is the ability to significantly expand the horizons of card payments without being tied to a specific outlet.

Money is written off using a mini-terminal (mPOS) connected to a smartphone, which has the application necessary for this operation. As a rule, the commission for mini-terminals is 2.5–3%.

Internet acquiring

The type that is confidently gaining every year is virtual. Payment is made via the Internet without special equipment.

Enough access to the network and the support of the web-interface, carrying out the transition to the pages of banks and their payment systems. Due to frequent failures, reading cards by hackers, additional protection methods are installed - one-time keys, otp-tokers, SMS confirmation.

With this type of acquiring for online stores, the seller's commission is from 3 to 6%.

Online today buy anything. You can book a trip to hot countries from home, buy furniture or order food at home. But there are a number of goods that are prohibited by representatives of payment systems - firearms, counterfeit and counterfeit products, dangerous goods, perishable products and medical supplies.

Any online store tries to make shopping convenient. Therefore, it is reasonable that they also turn to the system of making payments through plastic cards. Internet acquiring is connected in the following ways:

1. Direct agreement with a bank that independently carries out Money transfers between customer and supplier. The service is paid by the owner of the online store. The commission percentage is two times higher than in merchant acquiring.
2. Service providers. Such organizations transmit information about settlements between the enterprise and the client to banking institutions. This scheme contributes to obtaining information about financial and economic operations for all counterparties and more detailed management cash flows. This option provides great opportunities than with banks. Provider analytics is also in demand for sellers.

How to connect Internet acquiring

It is necessary to go through several stages, determined by the following principles:

• Internet access must comply with international standards;
• configure interface elements that are responsible for conducting monetary transactions;
• develop an algorithm for issuing a refund;
• set system icons.

Only after that the resource will be able to fully work. These are formalities, the main thing is correctly executed documents.

Disadvantages of the acquiring system

Among the obvious advantages, there are also disadvantages. Due to the complex information process that is created by many software packages, the system is not protected from possible errors. There are malfunctions in the terminal itself. This leads to customer dissatisfaction.

Some illiterate employees refuse to make a return, citing this as a technical impossibility. However, the option is provided by the terminal itself. There are also cases of fraud when the seller indicates an amount greater than that specified on the price tag. It is important to pay attention to checks.

Acquiring has become an important part of payments for goods between the seller and the buyer. And if the trading type has a competitor in the form of cash, then it is in the lead in Internet payments.

Mobile acquiring is a banking service, after connecting which an entrepreneur will be able to accept payments from bank cards anywhere. This service is especially relevant for traveling businesses, when customers are charged at home or elsewhere. The operation is carried out through a special mpos terminal (reader), which is tied to the seller's smartphone.

What is the difference between mobile acquiring and merchant acquiring

Banks offer a range of several acquiring services. If we consider, then when it is connected, the bank installs equipment at a specific outlet, with the help of which buyers can pay for purchases with a bank card. When connecting mobile acquiring, there will be no stationary terminal. The client receives portable equipment that can be used anywhere.

Important features of mobile acquiring:

• payment acceptance is possible only where there is Internet access, since the entire system is built on this communication channel;
• transactions made through the mpos terminal are usually charged more than through stationary terminals;
• You need a smartphone to receive payments. If there are several couriers, each of them must be provided with them;
• does not imply the presence of a device that will print a receipt (there are exceptions). The check is sent to the buyer in the form of SMS.

Mobile acquiring is aimed at companies and entrepreneurs who run a field sales business. For example, it can be food delivery, the provision of services at the client's home, the mpos terminal will be relevant for taxi services, courier services, etc. Most often, the reader connects to a smartphone via bluetooth, a wired connection is rarely used.

How the mobile acquiring service is implemented

It is best to connect mobile acquiring at a bank that provides cash settlement services to a client. But you can choose for this and any other bank that offers such a service, in this case, a special account will be opened to perform operations.

When connecting to the service, the client receives a special mobile terminal for paying with bank cards. It can be leased or owned. The bank also provides special software that is installed on a smartphone, through which operations will be performed to receive payments from a bank card. The connection process takes approximately 3-5 days, after which you can use the mpos terminal for your business. The company can order several readers at once, each equipment is paid separately.

Transaction procedure:

1. For example, a client ordered a pizza and chose a payment method - from a bank card upon delivery. Then the courier comes to him with the equipment necessary to complete the operation: a smartphone and a reader connected to it (usually via bluetooth). On the spot, the devices are synchronized, the program for accepting payment from the card is launched.
2. The courier enters information about the payment into the program: its purpose, amount and mobile phone buyer. Instead of a phone number, you can enter an email address if it is more convenient for the customer.
3. The buyer checks the correctness of the entered information and swipes the card through the reader, enters the PIN code. A standard operation takes place here - the acquiring bank submits a request to the issuing bank servicing the card, checks the possibility of the transaction. If there are no problems with the card, the operation is performed. The check takes a few seconds.
4. Information about the successful completion of the payment appears, after which the check is sent to the buyer via SMS or e-mail.

The specifics of the service is such that after receiving the payment through the mpos terminal, the money is not immediately credited to the company's account. The terms of enrollment are indicated in the service agreement, usually it is 1-3 days.

You can track the transactions carried out through Internet banking, which is accessed by all bank customers. Through it, you can view information both for each individual device, and in general, money from all terminals is credited to one account. Also, the payment history can be tracked through the program itself installed on the smartphone.

Which banks offer connection to mobile acquiring

All banks offering this option provide customers with a comprehensive service. They provide equipment (rent, sale), give access to the necessary software, for crediting payments (if the client is not connected to the cash register), organize training for the client's employees, and provide technical support. Mobile acquiring in most banks is connected free of charge, the client pays only a commission for making a payment and pays the cost of the terminal.

1. Alfa Bank

Offers customers modern devices that connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth. does not rent readers, he only sells devices. And the more readers a client purchases, the cheaper one unit will be. So, one device costs 8600 rubles, when buying from 5 to 9 at once - 8500, etc. The most low price 8100 rubles is set when ordering more than 30 terminals.

Alfa Bank readers are compatible with Apple or Android smartphones. Commission for making a card payment - 2.5-2.75% of the transaction amount, but not less than 3.5 rubles. After the transaction, the money is credited to the company's account on the next business day.

2. Point

The bank is convenient because it does not have service offices, it works remotely. To connect to a mobile or any other type of acquiring, the client simply submits an online application, after which a representative of the Point visits him to resolve all issues. As a result, mobile acquiring will be connected without leaving the office.

The point sells compact LifePay terminals, the cost of each device is 8490 rubles. Commission for the transaction - up to 2.7% of its size. Transfer of funds to the client's account - within three days.

3. UBRD

Like Tochka, it implements LifePay mobile terminals, but the cost of the device is somewhat lower - 8390 rubles. The device is not wireless, it connects to a smartphone via the headphone jack. UBRD offers express connection to mobile acquiring within 3 days.

The amount of commission for making payments depends on the volume of transactions carried out through the device. The largest commission is set for devices that pass an amount less than 99,999 rubles per month - 2.5% plus an additional monthly fee of 500 rubles. With a turnover of 100,000 - 299,000 rubles, the commission remains the same, but no subscription fee is charged. Further, depending on the turnover, the commission goes down, its lowest value of 2% is set for devices through which an amount of more than 3,000,000 rubles passes per month.

4. VTB

VTB Bank offers its customers a wide range of mpos terminals. The cheapest Spire device costs 7,500 rubles, followed by 2can NFC P17 and Assist Datecs BluePad-50, which can connect to a smartphone both via bluetooth and via wire - 7,990 rubles each. The assortment includes the A17 terminal, which can print standard checks, it costs 13,990 rubles.

The exact size of the commission for each company or entrepreneur must be specified in VTB itself, the average value will be in the range of 2.1-2.7%. The more payments the client makes, the lower the commission will be for him.

5. Sberbank

It offers business representatives all forms of acquiring, while promising to connect to the service as quickly as possible - in 1 business day. After accepting a payment from a bank card through the mpos terminal, the money is in the client's account on the next business day.

The exact amount of tariffs for mobile acquiring services should be specified at Sberbank itself. The commission depends not only on the turnover of the company, but also on the type of its activity. The conditions for the sale of equipment also need to be clarified, they may be different.

These are not all banks that offer a comprehensive mobile acquiring service, but the offers of these organizations are in demand among customers. Please note that not all banks that work with businesses offer a mobile version of acquiring. Many are limited only to merchant or merchant plus Internet acquiring.

If necessary, you can connect several types of services at once. For example, merchant and mobile acquiring. Then the company will be able to conduct both stationary and traveling trade, having all the necessary equipment for this.

How to choose the right bank

If you are served by any bank within the framework of the RKO, initially consider its conditions for providing mobile acquiring. Such customers may be offered special terms of service.

When choosing a bank, the most important thing is the equipment and the size of the commission. For example, if wired equipment is not convenient for you, look for a bank that offers modern devices that work via bluetooth. Specify the conditions of maintenance: what is included in it, whether round-the-clock support is offered. It doesn't hurt to read reviews online.

Are you planning to start your own business? Don't forget to reserve your checking account. To select a current account, try our bank rate calculator:

The calculator will select the most advantageous bank offer for settlement and cash services for your business. Enter the volume of transactions that you plan to make per month, and the calculator will show the rates of banks with suitable conditions.

Advantages of mobile acquiring

Anyone can connect this service, even. If you just provide services at home, the same manicure, this banking service can be very useful.

Main advantages:

• accepting payment from a bank card anywhere, in any place convenient for the client, but only where there is Internet access;
• round-the-clock payment acceptance, the system works without breaks and days off;
• the bank itself will install the software on the client's smartphone, train employees;
• the use of a mobile terminal helps to increase revenue and increase customer loyalty;
• can be connected at any bank, regardless of which organization provides settlement and cash services.

Of course, there are certain disadvantages too. For example, if the transaction is performed in a room where there is poor network reception, there may be difficulties, the transaction will not be completed. In addition, this method of payment carries increased risks for the buyers themselves. Banks protect transactions as much as possible, but the possibility of data leakage cannot be completely ruled out.