Card machine for your sweet shop

Quick contactless payments at the counter, competitive rates for smaller purchases, and simple setup.

Common challenges

Many customers — especially younger ones - only carry a phone or card
Average transaction values are small so fees matter
Don't want something complicated for a simple counter setup
Worried about monthly costs eating into margins
Want contactless and Apple Pay

Why sweet shops choose uno

Sweet shops often have high footfall but smaller average transaction values. Younger customers especially expect to tap and pay - and losing a sale because you’re cash-only adds up quickly.

Fast contactless

The Shift4 PAX A800 handles contactless payments in under a second at the counter. Simple, wired, reliable.

Costs that make sense

When your average sale is £3–£8, the difference between 1.25% or less and 1.69% per transaction might be less important than whether you’re paying a monthly fee. We compare the real numbers for your volume and help you pick the model that genuinely costs less overall.

What you get from uno

A counter terminal suited to quick, small transactions
Honest comparison of costs for your transaction profile
Simple installation — we set it up and show you how it works
UK-based support

Common questions from sweet shop owners

Is it worth taking card payments when kids are buying 50p worth of sweets?

Increasingly, yes. Children carry their parents' contactless cards or phones, and parents send them in expecting card payment to be available. Even at an all-in blended rate of 1.25%, 50p of sweets costs you less than a penny in fees. The real question is whether you'd rather lose the sale entirely.

We get a lot of tourist footfall - do the terminals accept foreign cards?

Yes. We can recommend terminals that can accept Visa, Mastercard, and contactless payments from any country. Foreign cards are generally charged at a higher rate, though we can offer solutions where they're included at the same rate as domestic cards. That's why a full understanding of precisely what ratio of card types your business transacts is crucial before uno can make an informed recommendation.

I sell pick and mix by weight - can the terminal handle irregular amounts?

You key in whatever amount the scales show — £1.37, £2.84, any amount. The terminal handles any value. There's no minimum transaction amount required, so even a small bag of cola bottles gets processed instantly.

General questions about uno

Which card machine is right for my business?

It really does depend on how your business operates - there's no one 'best solution' for all, as a Fine Dining restaurant in Covent Garden has completely different operational requirements to a Market Trader in Glasgow's bustling Barras, or a Cardiff Arms Park pub. We make the effort to truly understand how your business actually operates - before recommending the best solution from a range of providers, not just one.

How much does a card machine cost?

It varies by provider and model. With some providers, your first card machine comes with no upfront cost, no monthly rental, and no per-transaction fees - so your only cost is the processing rate on each sale you make. Additional terminals - or those from other providers - may well carry rental or per-transaction fees. The exact cost depends on your terminal type, provider, and monthly card turnover. Because uno works across multiple providers, we compare the real-world, overall costs and then find the most competitive deal for your specific situation.

How long will it take for me to receive my takings?

We know for many UK independent buinesses cashflow is a daily struggle. We can offer various options, with settlement times ranging from just a few hours, to the full three days it takes providers to actually receive your customers money. Whatever your working requirements are, we'll find the ideal solution to match those needs.

Do all uno card machines accept contactless payments?

Yes. Every payment terminal we recommend accepts contactless payments, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and standard contactless cards. Contactless is now the default way most customers pay in the UK.

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

For most merchant-types this will be offered as a default payment option, available on-screen along with contactless and Chip'n'Pin. There are a small number of exceptional businesess operational-types where this is not the case - but for most, 'over-the-phone' payments will be offered as standard.

How can we process refunds?

Any terminal uno suggests would allow you to easily identify the original transaction. If still within the same day as the sale, then the transaction could then be 'voided'(aka 'reversed'). Voids/Reverses are typically instantaneous. However, if that trading day's 'banking window' had closed (typically at Midnight) then it would technically be classed as a 'refund' - which would be subject to the bank's standard 3-5 processing timeframe to complete.

Will we need to do complicated PCI compliance like we do with our current provider?

The great news for you is none of the providers uno works with have complicated anything! For those that require PCI of any sort atall, it really is a simple, painless process that just takes a few minutes per year!

Am I locked into a contract?

Not with every provider. Several of the solutions we offer have no long-term contract - you can switch or cancel without penalty. We'll always be upfront about contract terms before suggesting you commit to anything.

How long does it take to get set up?

Most businesses are up and running within a few days. We handle the supply, installation, and configuration so you can focus on serving your customers. We walk you through everything on-site - so you're confident from day one.

Why go through uno instead of going direct to a provider?

Going direct means you only see a single provider's products, at a single provider's prices. Because uno works across multiple providers, we can genuinely compare options and recommend the solution that suits your business - not just the only one we happen to sell! You also get a dedicated point of contact for ongoing support.

Ready to find the right card machine?

We make the effort to your business, understand how you take payments, and recommend the solution that genuinely fits - not the one with the biggest commission.

Call 07395 451520 Get in touch