EFTPOS terminals have become indispensable in every business. Whether in a restaurant, a corner shop, or a hair salon, cashless payment is a must for customers. Anyone looking to buy or rent a terminal is faced with a wide range of choices and a difficult decision.

Choosing the right EFTPOS terminal for SMEs is more complex than it might seem at first glance. In Switzerland in particular, the ep2 standard plays an important role. However, SMEs are increasingly opting for supposedly inexpensive terminals that are not ep2-compliant, such as those from SumUp, Adyen, or myPOS. This decision can quickly prove to be costly, though.

Why ep2-compliant? What is behind it?

ep2 is the Swiss standard for EFTPOS terminals, which ensures that all payments function smoothly and that all national cards can also be accepted. What does this mean for SMEs in concrete terms? If a terminal is ep2-compliant, special cards such as WIRcard, WIRcard plus, REKA checks, Lunchcheck, and gift cards can also be accepted—a total of over 120 domestic payment methods that many customers in Switzerland like to use.

Unfortunately, there are more and more terminals on the market that do not meet this standard, such as those from SumUp, Adyen, myPOS, and other international providers. Anyone who buys such a device will not be able to accept many cards. Those who later want to accept these cards are often bound by long-term contracts and forced to purchase a new device.

PostFinance Card: The hidden additional costs

You might think, “Well, REKA or Lunchcheck can be dispensed with.” But there are also disadvantages to the PostFinance Card. If the terminal is not ep2-compliant, you cannot benefit from PostFinance’s particularly low fees. Since the transactions are then settled via Mastercard, the fees are significantly higher. These additional costs may not be immediately obvious, but they add up over time – and that has a direct impact on your margin. So why spend money unnecessarily when there is a more cost-effective solution?

A lack of knowledge about ep2-compliant terminals often leads to wrong decisions that cost SMEs dearly. It is therefore essential to be thoroughly informed.

Avoid frustration, retain customers

The aspect of customer service should not be underestimated either. A regular customer may want to pay with their WIRcard in order to spend their WIR. If the terminal does not accept this card, the customer must either be turned away or pay in Swiss francs, which may cause frustration. This leads to stress at the checkout and possibly damaged trust. Ep2-compliant terminals ensure fewer discussions at the checkout – and thus satisfied customers.

Smooth checkout in the store is a decisive factor for customer satisfaction. A terminal that does not accept all common cards can quickly become a stumbling block here.

The best choice for WIR participants

The best choice for companies that work with WIR are terminals from Wallee. Wallee has implemented a so-called split function that allows the WIR portion and the Swiss franc portion to be paid in a single transaction.

Of course, there are many other providers offering ep2-compliant terminals, including Worldline, Nexi, and Paytec. These providers ensure that all national payment methods are supported and thus offer a reliable solution for Swiss SMEs – even if the WIR portion has to be paid in a second transaction.

By the way: WIR participants with an ep2-compliant terminal benefit even more. This is because Bank WIR does not charge any fees on the Swiss franc portion paid with a WIRcard or WIRcard plus. It couldn’t be cheaper.

Conclusion: The better choice for SMEs

An ep2-compliant EFTPOS terminal offers many advantages: All relevant national cards can be accepted, unnecessary transaction costs with the PostFinance Card are avoided, and customer satisfaction is ensured. Choosing the right terminal may seem insignificant at first glance, but it has a direct impact on revenue and customer relationships.

So it’s worth taking a closer look: why lose money and customers unnecessarily when the solution could be so simple?