A vending machine point of sale (POS) system is just like the POS in any brick-and-mortar store, right? Think again. The point of sale is the interface between the consumer and the machine for payment, and is obviously a vital part of the vending machine and the operation of the machine needs to be integrated with the POS. If you’re unfamiliar with a POS for a vending machine, just know that it is a vending machine credit card reader.
Tap and Go POS
Not all POS systems are created equal. With the advent of tappable credit card readers for vending machines, even the fancy chip card readers are out of date. So, if you’re looking to up your vending game, a new touch and go reader is a great upgrade. Even as a consumer, I was reluctant to try the tap POS, but one I tried it, I decided never to go back to the smart card insertion. I don’t even know the last time I used the magnetic strip.
What makes tap and go so great? It’s faster. Not a lot faster, maybe a few seconds, but why waste those few seconds if you don’t have to? I don’t really have a great grasp of why tapping would be faster than a smart card chip, but it seems to just be a newer process that offers the same level of security with fewer computational steps.
Will any POS work on a vending machine?
Unfortunately, not just any POS with work on a vending machine – you’ll need to find one that works specifically on a vending machine, rather than one that is used at a store by an employee – think square or Apple Pay – since the payment process needs to be integrated with the dispensing functions of the vending machine. Maybe one day Apple Pay or Square POS will be available for vending machine, but as of right now, Nayax and Cantaloupe are your best bet.
