FasCard Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is FasCard?

FasCard is an electronic payment and management system designed to grant businesses an easy way to improve profitability by allowing their customer's multiple payment options. FasCard accomplishes this through the use of the FasCard wireless card reader and FasCard server network. FasCard readers can be installed on almost any kind of self-service equipment that natively accepts coins or cash including various brands and types of laundry and vending equipment. FasCard allows the business operator to supplement coin payments with credit/debit cards. FasCard can also be configured to accept Loyalty Cards which can greatly improve customer retention and increase sales and profitability. FasCard not only provides additional payment options but can monitor the existing coin/cash payments on a host machine. Vend pricing is all controlled remotely with FasCard and allows business operators to change pricing and run sales reports from any internet-enabled device, including PCs and smartphones.

FasCard equipment comprises two components, the FasCard reader and the Satellite Access Point (SAP). The FasCard reader is a custom-designed WiFi-enabled device that, once installed, wirelessly communicates with the SAP. The current generation of FasCard readers have a fully functional multi-colored 320x240dpi touchscreen. It also offers customers the ability to pay via a Magnetic Strip Reader (MSR) or EMV chip reader. The SAP is a communication link between the FasCard readers and the FasCard servers; the SAP can be connected to the business's local Internet connection or via a Cellular Modem Router (CMR), provided by CCI. This enables the FasCard system to provide real-time updates to the Administration Site. The SAP can be wall or ceiling mounted anywhere within 90 feet of the FasCard readers and uses a Power-over-Ethernet (POE) adapter, which means it doesn't require a separate power outlet at the install site. The SAP works with almost any wired or wireless internet service and does not require a static IP address.

Who is FasCard for?

FasCard is perfect for any business that currently accepts cash or coin payments on laundry or vending equipment that wants to either eliminate coins or supplement coins with credit card acceptance. Laundromats and apartment buildings are the two most popular environments for FasCard. FasCard does require a full-time internet connection from either a wired or wireless connection source and must be provided and maintained by the business operator. 

Do I get charged a transaction fee every time a credit card is swiped on a machine?

No, FasCard uses an Authorization Hold for handling credit card transactions allowing you to configure your system to only generate one transaction fee per credit card per day. When configured appropriately, system owners will only have to pay one transaction fee per credit card per day. The process starts with a user swiping their credit card on any machine, the system pre-authorizes the user's credit card a pre-determined amount and holds that amount for a preset amount of Idle Time. Once the user has stopped using their card for the designated Idle Time, the FasCard system then settles the credit card for the actual amount the user spent. If the user spends more than the pre-designated amount the FasCard system will settle what was actually spent and then pre-authorize again for the same pre-determined amount, and Idle Time. 

What is a Gateway Processor and why do I need one?

All credit card transactions that do not prompt the user for a PIN (offline debit), require a Gateway Processor to be configured. FasCard currently is able to host the following Gateway Processors: 

• Authorize.Net

• WorldNet Payments

• Pineapple Payments

A Gateway Processor passes credit/debit card transaction information via a secure connection to the Merchant Processor, from which your Merchant Processor submits the transaction to the credit card network (i.e. Visa, MasterCard, etc..). The credit card network then routes the transaction to the bank that issued the customer's credit/debit card. The issuing bank will either approve or decline the transaction based on the customer's available funds and card status. The transaction results are then passed back to the credit card network. They relay the results to the Merchant Processor which is then relayed to the Gateway Processor. The Gateway will then store the transaction results and send them to the FasCard system. 

The benefit of using these Gateway Providers is that they can be configured to work with almost any Merchant Processor, therefore, giving the business owner the ability to choose which bank they wish to do business with. 

What is a batch fee?

A Batch is referred to as a settlement of credit/debit card transactions for a period of time, generally once a day. Each night the individual FasCard account needs to close the transactions for the day and submit a Batch to the Gateway Processor for processing, in turn, the Gateway Processor also settles the transactions and charges a small fee based on the total charges. 

Can FasCard accept debit cards?

Yes, FasCard can accept what's called an 'offline' debit card. Almost all debit cards can operate in either 'online' or 'offline' mode. Offline debit cards do not require a PIN number and work much like credit cards.

What is a FasCard Hosting Account?

FasCard is what's known as a Cloud Base Application. This basically means that there are no computers or servers that need to be installed at your location in order to use the features of the FasCard system. Rather than having to manage servers at your location, there are centrally located servers on the internet that manage and monitor the FasCard equipment in your location. These servers act as web servers that allow you to manage your system remotely and allow your customers access to their card activity. Every FasCard installation is associated with a Hosting Account, and each Hosting Account can have an unlimited number of locations associated with it. Card Concepts Inc. collects a monthly service fee from account holders for hosting, managing, and backing up these servers.

Is FasCard Multi-Vend (MLV) Compatible?

Yes, the FasCard system was designed to be Multi-Vend compatible with many different providers of equipment. For a complete list of equipment types that FasCard supports visit our Multi Level Vend Functionality page, there you will find a detailed functionality description.

Does CCI provide remote tech support for FasCard? How much does tech support cost?

Yes, we offer 24/7 technical support via telephone and email, remotely. Phone support is included in your monthly hosting fee, no additional support fees are required.

What remote features does FasCard offer?

FasCard provides full remote access to the system. Which includes, but is not limited to changing prices, setting up specials, and running reports all from any internet-enabled device such as iPhone, iPad, Android device, PC, laptop, etc., to name a few. 

Does CCI develop its own software and hardware or is the product developed by a third-party company?

CCI develops everything in-house, both hardware and software. All of our core assemblies are manufactured within 30 minutes of our office, all in the USA. This is the same process and team that we used to engineer our LaundryCard product in the year 2000.

Why does the FasCard credit card settlements report not always match my Gateway Processor reports or bank deposits?

There three (3) factors that may cause discrepancies between the reports.

Factor #1: FasCard Idle Time

When a card is swiped, FasCard does not immediately settle the transaction for the amount of the machine. Instead, a specific amount (default $15) is pre-authorized for that credit card. This helps the owner incur fewer transaction fees. After the FasCard Idle Time (default 120 minutes) has passed since the card was last swiped, FasCard will then settle the actual amount spent in the business. Due to the Idle Time delay, a card that is swiped at 11:00 PM, for example, may not be settled until the next day.

Factor #2: Batch processing times

All Gateway Processors configured a Transaction Cut-Off Time. This controls when a transaction will be picked up for settlement, meaning that the cut-off time is 11:50 PM, a transaction at 11:51 PM would not be included when the past 24 hours are batched out. The Gateway will submit the batched transactions at the cut-off time to the Merchant Processor. The batch will then sit in line at the Processor, and may not be processed until a while later. The time the batch is processed is the time that Gateway uses for the settlement. This means that if the cut-off is 11:50 PM, the processor may not process the batch until the next morning. This causes the Gateway settlement reports to be a day off from what is expected. The settlement report for March 3rd would actually show some transactions from the 2nd.

Factor #3: Bank deposit times

When the Gateway does eventually batch out a period of transactions, it is simply submitting an amount to deposit to the store owner. The bank may not deposit the money into the account until a later point.

Why is there a charge on my bank account greater than the amount I was pre-authorized for?

When using a credit or debit card, be aware that your financial institution may place an authorization hold on your account that may exceed the purchase amount. We are not responsible for placing or removing debit holds. Please contact your financial institution if you would like more information.

Some banks call these holds "authorizations pending" or "processing charges". After a purchase is made, FasCard contacts the issuing bank to confirm that the payment method is valid. Most US banks hold these authorizations for 24 to 48 hours but some may hold for up to 10 business days. International banks usually hold authorizations longer. Please contact the issuing bank for more information on their specific policies regarding authorizations.

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