Merchant services encompass the infrastructure used to accept customer payments, whether through physical EFTPOS terminals in a storefront or online payment gateways for e-commerce. For business owners, these services are essential for managing day-to-day transactions and ensuring that customer payments settle into your business account efficiently.
Managing these services effectively involves understanding your terminal connectivity, settlement windows, and the administrative tools provided to reconcile daily takings. Because these tools are tied directly to your business cash flow, keeping your contact information and terminal software up to date is a practical way to avoid disruptions to your trading.
Key merchant service details
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Methods | Business online portal, Phone support, In-branch support |
| Processing Time | Settlement typically occurs within 1–2 business days |
| Eligibility | Active Australian business entity with a Westpac business account |
| Key Requirements | Valid ABN/ACN, merchant ID, established business banking facility |
Pro-Tip: Perform a 'manual settlement' on your EFTPOS terminal at the end of each business day. This triggers the bank's processing system to batch your transactions and prepare them for settlement, which can help ensure you reconcile your daily takings more accurately before the next trading day begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is my terminal showing a 'Communication Error' message?
This message appears when the terminal cannot reach the bank's payment gateway, often due to a poor Wi-Fi or 4G connection in your store. The system requires a stable signal to authorize transactions and batch your daily payments. First, check your internet modem or the terminal's SIM connection; if the signal is strong but the error persists, perform a 'Reboot' of the terminal. If it still fails, contact the technical support line to check if there is a regional service outage.
Q: My daily takings have not appeared in my account yet—what happened?
Daily takings depend on your terminal's 'settlement time,' which is the specific window during which the bank processes your daily batch. If you performed your settlement after the bank's cutoff time, your funds will likely appear in the next business day's cycle. Check your terminal’s settlement report to see the exact time the batch was sent. If the batch was sent correctly but funds are still missing after 48 hours, contact the merchant support team to track the deposit.
