Hi Sergio,

>
>I am new to Credit Card Processing and I know it is going to be a little bit painful to get the POS software to work.
>
I am also new at this but have experienced a few 'growing pains' I am willing to share.

>First I need to evaluate which Developer Kit to use. You do not seem very happy with PCCharge!.
>I will look into PCCharge and Mercury Systems.
>Today I contacted Mercury Systems and they will be calling me soon to answers my questions.
>

My unhappiness with PCCcharge stems from two issues. First their developers kit is very expensive. Second, their OCX had/has some problems. The first one I discovered by chance because one of the Credit Cards I was using to test the system was a commercial card that had exceeded its limit. PCCharge had a bug that prevented proper handling of that situation. That bug was fixed. The second problem involves processing thru the PCCharge server with multiple cash drawers. PCCharge sometimes loses the ability to match responses to the correct request. This happens when requests are sent nearly simultaneously by multiple users. Even tho the requests are identified by user, PCCharge gets confused. This is unacceptable even tho it is a rare occurence. PCCharge has acknowledged this problem and told me the fix will be in their next update due out in October 2005. A third issue is that PCCharge requuires the client to purchase server software.

I am still in the learning phase with Mercury. Their developers kit is free and they do not require any software to be purchased by the client. So far, I have noted that the Mercury OCX requires that your POS app pass an XML string. Not a real problem except that the PCCharge OCX was a little friendlier in that you set properties and the OCX develops the XML string itself. Also, I may be wrong, but it appears that when you have multiple cash drawers, each one communicates directly with Mercury rather than dealing with a local "server" ala PCCharge.

>
>One of my concern is the hardware/equipment that I will need.
>Currently my client is processing CC using a Linkpoint AIO with Pin Pad.
>Can the software use this equipment or do I have to buy specific card reader and receipt printer?
>
The equipment required depends on the functionality you want. For example, if you want to process Debit Cards, you will need a pin pad device. A card swipe mechanism will be required if you want to capture the info on the card's magnetic strip, a requirement to get the lowest processing fee.

I don't think you absolutely need a receipt printer but most establishments use them and customers are used to getting the little slip to sign. And if you use a cash drawer, they are usually driven via the printer.

Hope this helps,

Ken


>
>This appication is for a Spa & Hair center in Miami.
>
>
>
>Thanks Ken,
>Sergio