Card machines for retail shops

Reliable payments, POS integration if you need it, and competitive rates - compared across multiple providers for your shop.

Common challenges

  • Overpaying on transaction fees relative to your turnover
  • Card machine doesn't integrate with your POS or stock system
  • Locked into a long contract you didn't fully understand when you signed
  • Provider is unresponsive when things go wrong
  • Want to accept contactless and mobile payments

Updated:

Recommended solutions

PAX A920

Portable/countertop Android terminal with 4.9-inch touchscreen, built-in Wi-Fi & 4G connectivity, and thermal printing. Its form-factor means it's ideal when payments need to be taken away from the counter. Easily handles over-the-phone payments, and is configurable for full POS integration with many third-party POS systems.

  • 4.9-inch HD touchscreen
  • Built-in printer
  • Wi-Fi and 4G connectivity
  • Contactless, Chip & Pin, over-the-phone
  • Can be integrated with multiple POS systems
  • Android payment-only terminal
Contract
negotiable

PAX A800

Portable/countertop Android terminal with 5.7-inch touchscreen and Payment & POS functionality. Built-in Wi-Fi & 4G connectivity, along with thermal printing. Includes merchant branding on-screen, an intuitive over-the-phone payment flow, on-board POS features, and is configurable for full POS integration.

  • 5.7-inch HD touchscreen
  • Built-in printer
  • Wi-Fi & 4G
  • Contactless, Chip & Pin, over-the-phone
  • Fast contactless transacting
  • Integrates with its provider's own POS only
  • Android POS and payments
Contract
negotiable

Why retailers choose uno

Independent shops need straightforward, reliable card payments at the counter, but many are overpaying for the out-of-date equipment that their current supplier has lumbered them with. Huge numbers are unaware of the savings just waiting to be unlocked, and that the process of switching is such a simple, painless operation - when it’s handled correctly. So they struggle on, under the belief that they’re locked into a contract with their current provider.

Our expertise can help you end that vicious cycle. We’ll evaluate your existing setup to fully understand your transaction volume and POS setup, and find the optimal solution for your business - not the provider’s.

Countertop payments

For many retail businesses, one payment terminal at a till is all that’s needed. But if your business has multiple pay stations, or complex needs, uno will tailor a bespoke package that best fits your operation - typically with each card machine able to connect through both Wi-Fi and multi-network 4G to maximise payment dependability under all circumstances.

Which provider suits your shop?

For simpler operations the PAX A800 may be ideal as it comes rental-free for the first machine, but with a higher, all-encompassing ‘blended rate’ that’s great for processing lower transaction values. On the other hand the PAX A920 does have monthly fees - but also a lower transaction rate, which for higher value sales, will save you money. It also integrates with the majority of POS systems commonly found in retail. We’ll assess your exact setup and analyse your transaction history to accurately compare the real numbers - saving your business money whilst improving your payment flow at the same time.

Mixed use

Some retail operations also sell via ‘Pop Ups’ at Markets, Trade Fairs or Special Events. A portable terminal with multi-network 4G connectivity will offer the flexibility to cover such instances, and act as an additional option for your busiest periods in-store too.

What you get from uno

  • An assessment to fully understand your shop’s payment flow and volume
  • Comparison of multiple terminal options and rates across multiple providers
  • POS integration advice - if relevant
  • On-site installation and ongoing UK-based support

Common questions from retail owners

We sell items from £1 to £500 - what's the best card machine to handle such a wide range of prices?

In essence every option is a compromise - those offering a single, all-encompassing 'blended rate' (often with no rental or other monthly fees) can be the cheapest for lower value transactions, but can work out more expensive for higher value items. For higher-value items deals offering lower transaction rates often prove cheaper. So it's a balancing act - which is why uno comparing each provider offer with this in mind is so valuable.

During our busiest periods like Christmas our transaction count doubles. Will your terminals keep up?

All the terminals we supply are built for sustained high-volume use. Doubling your normal transaction count won't cause any performance issues at all, as each transaction takes a couple of seconds to process, then the terminal is ready for the next one - significantly quicker than counting cash and change.

We've already invested in a POS setup that we don't want to lose. Can you integrate your card machines with that?

A discovery call establishes exactly how the operation runs, so a recommendation can be made with certainty. uno offers card machines that integrate with many of the POS systems typically found in retail, so an existing POS and till setup can usually be kept.

General questions about uno
Which card machine is right for my business?

The right card machine depends on how the business trades. A fine-dining restaurant in Covent Garden, a market trader at Glasgow's Barras and a pub beside Cardiff Arms Park take payments in completely different ways, and no single machine suits all three. uno starts by understanding how a business actually operates, and only then recommends - from a range of providers rather than from one.

Do all the card machines uno recommends take contactless?

Yes, every one of them. Apple Pay, Google Pay and contactless cards are accepted as standard on every machine uno recommends; contactless is how most UK customers now pay, and every machine features it as standard.

Will I be able to take 'over-the-phone' payments?

For most merchants, yes - available on-screen along with contactless and Chip & Pin. The small minority of high-risk business-types that are not offered over-the-phone payments by default are the exception - for the vast majority, 'over-the-phone' payments will be offered as standard.

How can we process refunds?

From the card machine, in a few taps. Refund a sale on the same day and it is cancelled outright, with the money never leaving the customer's account; refund it after the provider's daily cut-off and the customer's bank typically takes 3-5 days to return it. Every machine uno recommends handles both, and the difference is only in how quickly the customer sees the money.

Is PCI compliance as much of a chore as it is with my current provider?

With several of the providers uno works with the merchant does nothing at all, because the provider handles PCI on their behalf; with the others it is a few minutes once a year. Nobody uno works with makes it complicated, and uno tells a merchant which they are getting before anything is signed.

How long does it take to get set up?

Most businesses are up and running within a few days. uno handles the installation and configuration, then walks the merchant and their staff through everything.

Ready to choose the right card machine?

We make the effort to understand how you operate, and only then recommend the solution that's right for your business - not the provider's.

Get Started 07395 451520