You're probably already shopping around for an EFTPOS provider. On Monday, we're launching an Australian merchant acquiring and EFTPOS provider directory chatbot. Most retailers want to drop their merchant figures into one place and get a straight answer on multiple providers. Here, you can enter your turnover, average sale, card mix, and current and quoted rates. Then you ask the questions you would ask a broker, without the sales call.
Key takeaways
- The directory is a chatbot loaded with Australian acquirer, EFTPOS and fee-model source material.
- You enter your own figures (turnover, ticket size, card mix, current merchant rate, terminal rent) and ask follow-up questions.
- The bot compares banks, fintechs and specialist acquirers
- From 1 October 2026, the chatbot is built around cost inside the price.
- It will do its best to access flat-rate, interchange-plus and blended quotes.
- A useful shortlist for a single-store retailer is still a handful of names.
What is the merchant acquiring chatbot?
The merchant acquiring chatbot is a question-and-answer tool sitting on top of our Australian EFTPOS and acquirer source set. First, it is not a static page ranking 65 logos. You ask in plain English. For example, you enter in "We turn over $18,000 a week, average $12.40 a sale, mostly debit, $45 a month terminal rent, 1.4% blended. What should I ask CommBank versus Tyro versus Zeller?"
Moreover, the source material stays in the workspace. That means answers can point back to fee models, hardware notes and the October rule change, instead of guessing from a brochure.
Why launch it as a chatbot?
A chat fits how you actually run a shop. You can ask it questions, change scenarios such as average sale from $8 to $22 and ask again. This can make it feel real.
The other reason is the deadline. From 1 October 2026, designated card networks stop merchants from adding a surcharge for Visa, Mastercard and EFTPOS. Bank fees now have to live in the shelf price. The chatbot is there so you can model that shift with your numbers.
What can you ask it?
You can ask it anything you would put in an email to an EFTPOS/Credit provider:
- "Here is my current rate and weekly card mix. Is interchange-plus likely cheaper than flat-rate for us?"
- "We still surcharge 1%. What happens to margin after 1 October if volume stays the same?"
- "Compare a big-four integrated terminal with Tyro for a single counter and our POS."
- "What questions should I ask before I sign a 24-month rental?"
First, put in as many real numbers as you can; the more, the better. The more accurate, the better; remember, garbage in means garbage out.
How many providers sit behind the answers?
The AI source now covers about 65 platforms. There will be more on Monday when it's released, as we are waiting for a few more providers to send us information. Most are the majors; unfortunately, many providers refuse to release information publicly, but we have done what we can.
What you should have ready before you type
From your total reports, or better yet from your EFTPOS statement, you need, as a minimum, four figures: weekly card takings, average transaction value, debit amount, credit amount and what you pay now: rate plus terminal plus extras. Most of you can import the current EFTPOS provider invoice from a PDF.
What's next
Get a copy and start investigating.
Next month we will release an update once the dust settles.
Written by:
Bernard Zimmermann is the founding director at POS Solutions, a leading point-of-sale system company with 45 years of industry experience. He consults to various organisations, from small businesses to large retailers and government institutions. Bernard is passionate about helping companies optimise their operations through innovative POS technology and enabling seamless customer experiences through effective software solutions.
