Nor can every business offer pin-less debit. Only those who provide regulated services, including utilities, lenders and government agencies can offer it.

Online debit has increased from <20% to over 45% in recent years. This represents a huge opportunity for eligible businesses to reduce costs. Pin-less debit costs a lot less than traditional online debit transactions.

As merchants demand relief, there may be additional regulatory changes in this area.

3DMerchant.com is the web site for First Payment Systems representative Christine Speedy. First Payment Systems is an Independent Service Organization for First Data, Chase Paymentech and others, all of whom offer pin-less debit. Not all ISO’s offer pin-less debit.

If you are ready to implement pin-less debit now or you need additional information, please call us at 954-942-0483. It could save you a bundle.

In traditional retail if the merchant is maximizing the low cost debit networks, the consumer buys a product in the store and enters their pin number. The merchant is charged a flat fee. If the consumer does not enter their pin number and they sign, the merchant pays a percentage of the transaction.

Pin-less debit is the online solution to the retail pin-entered transaction. The merchant gets the benefit of the flat rate transaction, however the consumer does not enter their pin number because it is usually an Electronic Funds Transfer or Ecommerce transaction.

Interchange Rate Changes

Corporate Card Level II Data Rate + 0.05%
Business Card Level II Data Rate + 0.05%
Purchasing Card Level II Data Rate + 0.05%
Commercial Card Retail - Corporate - 0.10%
Commercial Card Retail - Purchasing + 0.10%
Purchasing Card - Card Not Present + 0.15%
Purchasing Card Electronic +0.20%
Corporate Card Electronic + 0.05%
Corporate Card Standard + 0.25%

See more about Fall 2008 interchange updates here.

Visa Automated Fuel Dispenser Partial Authorization (AFD) Requirements - AFD merchant software providers must now support the ability to receive partial authorization approval amounts, in authorization messages, for all Visa transactions. Merchants should be aware that authorization requests failing to meet this criteria will be assessed an additional fee of $0.01 per transaction, which will be passed through to the merchant.

Visa Commercial Rate Modifications - Effective October 3, Visa will introduce new rate changes resulting in potential impact to all merchant segments. Relevant updates include an increase to Commercial Product Level II and Standard transactions, modifications to Commercial Card Retail and Card-Not-Present (CNP) transactions and an increase to Commercial Electronic transactions. There are no changes to Commercial Product Level III transactions to announce at this time.

New Visa Debt Repayment Fee Program - Visa is introducing a new interchange fee and rate program for domestic debt repayment transactions applicable only to collectible consumer debt on auto loans, credit card payments, mortgage payments and student loans. The qualifying rate will be 0.35% + $0.50 and merchant registration is required. Eligible merchants must be prepared to submit the bill payment indicator, bill payment processing code and the existing debt indicator. Acquirers must register eligible merchants with Visa.

New Visa CPS/Debit Tax Payment Fee - Visa will implement a new interchange rate program for Visa consumer debit transactions submitted by acquirers from a participating tax authority or third-party service provider accepting payments on behalf of the tax authority. Merchant registration is required and eligibility standards do apply.

Visa GSA Government to Government (G2G) Modifications - Visa is introducing a new G2G program and revised interchange rates for government merchants accepting government cards. Qualified Merchants will now be eligible for the interchange rate of 1.65% + $0.10. Merchant registration is required to participate in this program.

Visa GSA Purchasing Card/Large Ticket Modifications - Visa will now allow GSA Purchasing Card and GSA Fleet Card transactions accepted at non Travel and Entertainment (T&E) merchant locations to be eligible for Level Ml interchange. Level II and Level III Commercial Data will continue to be required to qualify for this category.

MasterCard Revisions Effective October 3. 2008
MasterCard Revised Standards for Transaction Presentment Time - Effective October 3, MasterCard is reducing the current first presentment time frame of 30 days to a maximum of seven calendar days from the original transaction date.
MasterCard Revised Standards for Quick Payment Service (QPS) Program - MasterCard will require that all transactions, including QPS, be authorized for optimum interchange qualification in order to meet chargeback requirements.

MasterCard Fleet Merchant Data Quality Modifications - MasterCard will implement additional industry interchange data requirements for fuel transactions supporting fuel addendum detail. As a result, relevant data will be subject to Fleet Data Quality Edits and must be present in transactions to avoid downgrades. This pertains to valid values for fleet transactions including Motor Fuel Product Code, Motor Fuel Unit Price, Motor Fuel Unit of Measure, Motor Fuel Quantity, Motor Fuel Sale Amount, and Driver Number/ID Number.

Specific new interchanges rates affecting B2B.

Visa interchange rates and MasterCard interchange rates provide additional information on their Web sites.

NEEDHAM, Mass., Sept. 11 /PRNewswire/ — In the mid-1990s, the electronic funds transfer (EFT) networks debuted PINless debit, or PINless bill payment, as a new, low-risk way for billers to collect payments from consumers. New research from TowerGroup estimates that PINless debit bill payment volume in 2007 will be at least 40 percent higher than in 2006. However, various obstacles to its adoption will cause PINless debit to remain a small percentage of overall bill payments (0.45 percent).

PINless debit allows consumers to pay bills through a remote channel by entering their debit card number without the personal identification number (PIN). Since its introduction, transaction volume has grown steadily as billers and their customers explore this alternative. However, adoption of PINless debit continues to face many challenges, including: inconsistency in industries eligible for participation; functionality; and card eligibility.

PINless debit offers benefits to billers that “split the difference” between credit cards and ACH debits. PINless debit, like credit cards, provides guaranteed funds. ACH does not. However, PINless debit does not have the higher fee structure associated with credit cards. PINless debit can be used to pay bills for which credit cards as a payment method are simply precluded, such as credit card invoices themselves. It is also an
additional method to increase overall adoption of electronic payments, a common goal for billers and suppliers in the bill payment value chain.

The new research report, titled “PINless Debit: Finally Taking Off or Headed for a Crash Landing,” by Jennifer Roth, a senior analyst in the Global Payments practice at TowerGroup, identifies the challenges related to PINless debit bill payment, the methods for overcoming these obstacles, and the durability of PINless debit as an alternate payment method.

At TowerGroup, Roth’s research focuses on electronic bill and invoice presentment and payment, including the Internet environment and otherchannels in which it can be delivered. She also examines consumer funds transfer, remittance processing, and the domestic electronic funds transfer networks supporting payment processing infrastructures.

About TowerGroup: TowerGroup is the leading research and advisory services firm focused exclusively on the financial services industry. A respected source for trusted information and advice, TowerGroup brings many of the world’s leading financial institutions, technology companies, and professional services firms a deeper understanding of the business and technology issues impacting their organizations. Headquartered near Boston in Needham, Massachusetts, and with offices in North America and Europe, TowerGroup serves a global client base.

“Chase Paymentech’s certification of the Ingenico terminals is another example of Chase Paymentech’s ongoing commitment to provide advanced technological solutions to its merchants and partners in Canada,” said Paul Browne, VP, Operations for Chase Paymentech Solutions. “As the Canadian payment card industry moves towards chip technology, the EMV standard will provide an even more secure payment environment; assist in reducing card fraud and increase security of card transactions.”

“The requirement for PIN entry on credit card purchases is changing the way restaurants manage card acceptance,” said Lisa Shipley, Sr. VP, Sales & Marketing, Ingenico North America. “Restaurants are now beginning to use Ingenico’s portable and secure payment terminals, allowing the server to bring the transaction directly to the customer. Our product offerings provide a number of solutions that fit many needs, and the software and certification from Chase Paymentech ensure that each transaction is not only convenient, but safe and secure.”

Ingenico’s i5310, i3070 and i7780 are chip-enabled products using the new EMV application. The terminals prompt users of chip-enabled cards for a PIN number on credit card transactions. The i7780, featuring Ingenico’s Pay@Table solution, is a portable and secure payment terminal that allows the server to bring the payment terminal to the table. The i5310 adds the convenience of a built-in, secure PIN pad. The i3070 allows the merchant to locate the terminal out of reach of the consumer for aesthetic or environmental reasons while providing an easy-to-use key pad that can be handed directly to the customer.

About Ingenico

Throughout the world businesses rely on Ingenico for secure and expedient electronic transaction acceptance. Ingenico products leverage proven technology, established standards and unparalleled ergonomics to provide optimal reliability, versatility and usability. This comprehensive range of products is complemented by a global array of services and partnerships, enabling businesses in a number of vertical sectors to accept transactions anywhere their business takes them. For more information about Ingenico, a leading supplier of electronic acceptance technology, please visit www.ingenico-us.com.

About Chase Paymentech

In Canada, Chase Paymentech Solutions is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario and is an affiliate of Chase Paymentech Solutions, LLC. As a leading payment processor and a single source for debit and all major credit cards, the company offers a full suite of advanced payment solutions, including point-of-sale and wireless terminals, electronic gift card programs and secure e-commerce capabilities. Chase Paymentech Solutions, LLC, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is the world’s largest merchant acquirer for businesses accepting payments via point-of-sale, hospitality, Internet, catalogue and recurring billing. The privately-held company is an end-to-end processor for merchants of all sizes and industries. In 2007, the privately held company processed approximately 19.7 billion payment transactions, with more than $719 billion in annual bankcard and debit volume.

Chase Paymentech’s customer base reflects the most respected global brands, including 70 percent of leading ecommerce business and almost 600,000 merchants in over 1 million locations worldwide.

We’ve answered this before. Most of it goes to the banks. In a few moments, you’ll read about their blatant promotions to make more money at your expense.

If you process a transaction at the best interchange qualification, they make a little money. If you process a transaction that downgrades to a higher interchange qualification, they make more money. In fact, the worse you qualify, the more money they make.

This is a key reason why banks may not be the best choice for your credit card processing. With their inherent conflict of interest, do you trust your bank to help you hit the best interchange? You can influence your interchange qualification. It’s complicated. It’s more than what customers can do, it’s up to professionals like us to not only spot problem areas, but to take the corrective actions to fix the underlying causes- either behind the scenes, through programming changes or by contacting you and providing tips for staff.

Today I received a direct mail piece from a bank. The promotion rewards me for SIGNATURE BASED gold debit mastercard purchases. Pin based debit transactions are ineligible. That’s right. The bank is strongly encouraging consumers not to enter their pin number. They make lots of money that way.

How can you combat this kind of promotion and encourage pin based debit?
1. Do you have a pin pad? Consumer oriented businesses processing $1M annually, will almost always benefit. Call us for a free analysis.
2. Are you processing $1,000,000+ per MONTH (all card type transactions), please call me regarding new technology that will dramatically lower your debit processing costs.

1. Do not enter into a long term contract for your payment processor unless you have been in business for at least 3-5 years.
2. Do not choose a POS solution that has limited choices for who will do your credit card processing.

This is a true story. I contacted a specialty retail shoe store that I shop at to discuss their credit card processing. They are using http://www.ricssoftware.com/ which seems like an excellent solution for this merchant store. In fact, it seems like a great solution for any shoe retailer, their target audience. But no where does it mention, that I could find, that the customer has NO CHOICE about who their payment processor is. That’s right, no choice! RICS is only compatible with ONE merchant service provider.

I talked to RICS about who they use. It’s a quality company, but they don’t necessarily provide the best solution for the retailers. In fact, I’d bet that 50-70% of their retailer merchant accounts could save significantly on credit card processing with a different merchant service provider. I’m not guessing. I know that a certain portion of them are too small to realize any significant benefit. Most of the rest of them are on a price plan usually reserved for very small businesses, or new businesses.

New businesses always pay a premium for merchant card processing fees. That’s because they are higher risk than established businesses. The most stringent underwriters, those that you can get the best deals from, require two years healthy financial statements. Once your business is established you are in a better position to get a permanent solution for managing credit card costs. What do I mean by permanent? One that enables the merchant to see how they are qualifying for interchange levels and what interchange levels they are hitting. Without that transparency, you can’t even begin to manage your costs.

In summary, make sure you choose a retail POS solution that is OPEN and doesn’t lock you into a single vendor solution- whether it be hardware, merchant service provider, or some other service. The more flexibility you have, the easier it will be to grow and expand later without disruption to your business.