History of Integrated Payments

The payment processing industry has come a long way. Possibilities for its future are vast, but they involve some form of payment integration. Today’s integrated payment systems already do a lot, with offerings that streamline mobile functions, customer relationship management, payroll, accounting and other critical business systems.

Before Integrated Payments

In the early 1970s and before, customers handed over cash. Retail personnel jotted down notable information about the purchases and placed the cash into a cash register (or a box or some type of storage unit). Only hours later would the cash amount be entered into an accounting ledger. Some businesses, particularly small businesses, function similarly today.

1973

Payment processing took a big step forward in 1973 with the first PC-based point-of-sale system, courtesy of IBM. These systems (IBM 3650 and 3660) communicated with IBM POS registers. Main features included checkout scanning, receipt tape, customer display units and data storage capabilities.

1980 and 1986

Gene Mosher, owner of the Old Canal Cafe in Syracuse, New York, devised a POS system in 1980 that ran on Apple II. It could do these things:

• Create labor and inventory reports
• Track popular and unpopular items
• Record customers’ orders at the entrance of the cafe
• Print orders and cooking instructions for kitchen staffers

The system required a 65-foot-long cable running between the computer and the kitchen. It worked well, but Mosher was not content to stop there. In 1986, he rolled out a color touchscreen POS system called ViewTouch. It worked with the 1985 Atari color computer.

Late 1980s and the 1990s

More payment systems became computer-based, and standalone credit card terminals became more common. Integrated payment systems enabled merchants to process credit cards and gift cards, schedule employees and verify customer ages, among other things.

2000’s & Today 20 Years Later

Software providers were able to easily add payments to their applications via hosted payments or an API.  Integrated payments and POS systems simplify so many functions that they can seem overwhelming. That’s especially true for new businesses. Get in touch with Paragon Payment Solutions today to ease your pain.