Card reader setup
Set up and use a Stripe card reader with Arketa — the Stripe Reader S710 or the BBPOS WisePOS E.
Arketa supports two Stripe smart card readers for taking in-person card payments — the Stripe Reader S710 and the BBPOS WisePOS E. Both handle chip, swipe, contactless (tap), Apple Pay, and Google Pay, and both connect to Arketa the same way.
To order a reader, see purchase a terminal. The Arketa team places the order for you.
What the readers do
- Chip, swipe, and tap (NFC) card payments
- Apple Pay and Google Pay
- On-screen display for client interaction
- Connects over WiFi — no wired connection needed
Set up your reader
Setup is the same for both readers.
- Order the reader — see purchase a terminal
- Power the reader on and connect it to your WiFi network
- In Arketa, go to Settings → Locations, select your location, then open Payment Terminals
- Follow the prompts to pair the reader with your account
- Test with a small transaction, then refund it
Once connected, the reader appears as a payment option in your POS checkout.
Using it at checkout
- Open the POS and add items to the cart
- Select Terminal as the payment method
- The total is sent to the reader's screen
- The client inserts, taps, or swipes their card
- The transaction completes and the receipt is emailed
One reader, multiple staff
The reader connects to your Arketa account, not to a specific staff member or device. Any staff member can ring up a sale and send it to the reader.
Keeping the reader healthy
- Leave it plugged in overnight. Stripe pushes software updates automatically when the reader is idle, and the reader restarts every night at midnight for PCI compliance. A reader that's powered off overnight may install its update in the middle of your morning instead.
- Charge the S710 fully before a busy day. A full charge lasts about 15 hours of active use and takes about 2.5 hours to reach.
- Keep it close to the router. Both readers are WiFi-first, and a weak signal at the front desk is the most common cause of dropped transactions.
Location and reader limits
A reader pairs to one location. If you take in-person payments at two locations, you need a reader for each.
Selling memberships on the reader
We don't recommend it — the payment goes through, but the client's card isn't saved, so the membership won't renew. See charge subscriptions on the terminal for how to sell a membership in person instead.