In Processing, What’s the Real Difference Between Credit and Debit Cards?

y2payments debit credit card processing

Your customers are likely to use both credit and debit cards when they make a purchase from you, and while these two payment vehicles look like the same thing, they’re actually quite different when it comes to processing. For the customer, the biggest difference is simply the source of funds. Credit cards are borrowed money while debit cards take money directly from an account to pay the merchant. For stores like yours, though, the difference runs much deeper.

Where They’re Processed

The difference between payment process solutions for both cards begins from the moment the customer presses credit or debit on the PIN pad. If they choose to press credit, it will be processed through a credit card network, like Visa or MasterCard. The details go through your payment processor to the network, then on to the issuer to get the signal of acceptance. Then the decision backtracks to your point of sale. Credit card processing sounds complex, but it happens in just a few moments.

Debit card processing, though, requires a PIN to complete the transaction. Once that is entered, it moves through an entirely different network. Star and Interlink are two of the biggest. Then approval is given or denied, and the decision works its way back to you.

The Cost

The physical space in which these two cards are processed isn’t the only big difference. The fees can vary, too. You pay an interchange fee on every debit or credit card transaction you handle. The fee, though, can vary by the type of card. If you’re running a card not present transaction, you’re likely to pay the same fee for either a credit or a debit card. If you’re handling an in-person sale, though, the interchange fees on debit cards are often less than they are on credit cards.

No matter what type of card your customers are using, understanding how the process works is key to getting you the rates and perks you deserve from your processing equipment.

Contact Y2Payments today at 888-693-1850 to learn how we can help provide you with a superior payment system.

Why Does Swiping Lower Merchant Fees?

merchant fees swiping credit card Y2Payments

Read almost any blog about lowering your credit card processing merchant fees, and you’ll quickly discover that one of the top tips is to swipe a customer’s card over keying it in. Why the simple act of swiping a card versus keying in the numbers is a mystery to some, but the explanation is fairly simple.

Risk Averse

Credit card processing companies tend to be fairly risk averse. In other words, they don’t want the merchants they work to be part of an industry that may be dangerous, they don’t want them working with customers who may not be legitimate, and they generally don’t want to associate with merchants who will cost them any extra money. Credit card fraud is at an all-time high today, and processing companies are sometimes held responsible for that fraud. As a result, they’ve developed a method of business that can only be described as awful.

The Swiping Debate

So, why does it matter if you swipe a card or key it in? Swiping is a safer method of card entry. Card numbers can be bought online in bulk. Physical cards, though, are harder to come by. Because card companies are so risk averse, they would rather have you swipe a card than key it in. If you’re swiping a physical card, the chances are far lower that you aren’t dealing with a stolen card, and because of that, they can offer lower merchant fees and rates to companies that choose to swipe over keying them in.

Other Ways to Lower Processing Costs

If you’re a company that can’t swipe a card, though, that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve low rates. instead, you simply have to choose a processor like Y2Payments that can help you get the pricing model similar to the rates government agencies — you deserve that.

To learn more about how we can help you deal with high processing costs, contact us today.