What is “NFC”?
NFC stands for “near field communication”. You can think of near field communication like your Bluetooth speaker or home wi-fi network. When two NFC-enabled devices are in close proximity—usually four inches or less apart—radio wave tags can be used to transmit data.
This is how contactless payments work: NFC mobile pay apps use a method called emulation, where NFC allows the app to act “like” a credit card, without having a physical card present. This enables you to accept payments by simply tapping the contactless card flat onto the upper half of the card reader. The same applies to the use of Wallet apps, such as GooglePay or ApplePay.*
How do I accept contactless payments with SumUp?
Accepting contactless payments with the SumUp Card Reader is easy:
Have your customer bring their card, mobile device or wearable accessory close to your payment terminal.
The NFC tags from the customer’s payment method will activate a transaction automatically.
After tapping the card, your phone or compatible device onto the reader, you will hear a beep and the 4 LEDs will light up, signaling a successful transfer.
Transactions of $24 or less shouldn’t normally require a signature, while transactions $25 or more will require a signature. (This limit is set by the bank of the cardholder and can vary from bank to bank.)
Cards that offer a contactless payment option are recognizable by this logo:
What are the fees for contactless transactions?
Contactless transactions are processed in the same way as credit cards. Therefore, the same fees apply for contactless transactions and credit card transactions.
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*Note: Wallet apps can only be used with SumUp devices if the card saved in the app is acceptable with SumUp services.