Manual Credit Card Machine

An imprinter is an easy, low-priced way to gather payment information on-site.

Most types are small and do not require electricity or a telecom connection, which makes them convenient for businesses on the go.

In general, a manual credit card imprinter is used to imprint the raised (embossed) alphanumeric characters on the front of a credit card (or ATM card) along with the merchant information onto a multi-copy paper form set.  The image created on the form should be sharp and clear.  This is a great way for a merchant to keep records of business transactions while at the same time providing customers with an official receipt or proof of their purchase.

Some modern models are specifically designed to withstand the abuse that can occur in any busy merchant environment such as a warehouse or outdoor location.  These are mechanical, not electronic, devices (like a credit card swiper) so they are generally more sturdy.  Many business still depend on imprinters for manual credit card processing because their businesses require them to complete payment transactions at the customer location.  Think of appliance repair services, exterminators, plumbers, delivery services, etc. who all require lightweight and dependable systems.

Having a standard credit card imprinter as a backup for transactions or for business emergencies is a good idea.  In the event that the primary merchant equipment payment transaction system goes down, due to an electrical issue or phone line problem, businesses can still process payments with their imprinter.  Likewise, a portable imprinter is also very handy for someone who does not have constant access to the internet or a phone line, such as a taxi cab or door-to-door salesperson. 

Just like all credit card terminals are not all alike, neither are manual imprinters.  One of the most common and easy to use manual credit card equipment is a compact, versatile pump handle imprinter capable of producing high quality and easy-to-read impressions.  The other common version is the standard slide mechanism.  If business handles relatively low volume transactions, using a manual credit card imprinter can work fine and may also save some of the operating costs associated with other payment systems.

The submission of credit card information by keying the customer's information into a hardware terminal can be done instead of swiping, or reading payment information from a magnetic stripe on a credit card. Additionally, for online merchants a manual transaction might be considered any transaction that is not entered at their e-commerce Web site by a customer. The imprinter takes this a step further and produces a receipt that provides evidence that the card was actually used at the point of sale.