Choosing the Correct Terminal Paper

If you have a point of sale system in your retail location, you will likely find that sooner or later, you will need some new terminal paper.  Terminal paper is that roll of paper that prints out receipts and sheets in order for your customers to sign and authorize credit card purchases. There are several types of paper for your point of sale terminals and though the manufacturer will have a suggested or recommended type or brand, you can almost certainly choose another. Learning about the different choices and how to purchase your terminal paper can help you save time and money.

Depending on the type of terminal you have, you may need to get a certain size of roll. Though there are typical sizes, usually from 2 1/4" to 3 1/8", some systems may veer off of these sizes. The length of the roll will typically be about 70 feet to 150 feet or longer. The core, or the plastic roll the paper is on, is almost always 7/16". If you don’t know what size you need, you can always try to look for an owner’s manual for your system or look online by searching for your terminal brand and model number.

Speaking of the terminal brand and model, some brands and models need certain types of terminal paper. For instance, you will probably need carbon paper if your customers will be signing a receipt in order to authorize payment. You cannot put regular single ply paper into a credit card terminal that needs a carbon roll.  It just won’t work to authorize payment if you don’t have two identical copies of a receipt.

If you are looking for the best price on terminal paper, there are a few places you can check out. One, of course, is the internet. Buying your paper online and having it shipped directly to your store is usually the best way to buy your paper if you are interested in saving money. You will, however, usually need to buy in bulk. If you go to the local office supply store, you may be able to buy single roll of paper if you need to, but online, you will have to buy in packs of 4 – 6 in most cases, depending on the brand. Other brands and types sell their rolls in 8, 12 or 15 rolls. The good thing about terminal paper is it will not go bad, so as long as you have space to store it, you can buy in bulk with no worries.

Another great place to buy paper for your credit card terminal is a warehouse store. Usually these large stores will have sections for office supplies and they carry many types paper that will fit in all brands. Again, you will need to buy these rolls in bulk.

Though it can be confusing to buy paper for your terminal the first time, once you find one that you like and fits into your machine, write down the information for future reference and keep it in a safe place.