Merchants

Merchant Service Agreement (MSA)
Merchant Service Agreement (MSA) This agreement outlines the responsibilities of merchants and their acquiring members for point-of-sale (POS) services that are offered in accordance with the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA)’s mada (POS) standards. 

Merchants have an option to choose the type of terminal that best suits their market.

Point of Sale Choices Based on Connectivity
Choosing Point of Sale Systems Based on Connectivity Point of Sale terminals must be connected to a network to work. There are many different types of terminals in the market, but they can all be classified into two main categories based on connectivity:

• IP-based (always on): These terminals utilize broadband connectivity and are attached to a cable modem, (DSL) modem, or (IP) router to process transactions. Unlike dial-up terminals, IP terminals are always faster in processing transactions and, at the same time, keep merchants’ phone lines free, allowing businesses to run without interruption.
• GPRS (mobile): These terminals do not require a traditional phone line or an Internet connection but use regular SIM cards to access a cellular network, such as (GPRS) or (CDMA). These are suitable for merchants who require high speed and mobility.
   

Terminal Reconciliations

Point of Sale Terminal Reconciliations:
Merchants perform (POS) reconciliation to receive funds in their bank account. This process is ideally performed daily, as per the reconciliation guidelines stipulated by SAMA, to avoid having amounts pending in the system. Once completed, the acquiring bank will credit the contracted merchants according to the terms and conditions stipulated in the Merchant Service Agreement (MSA). Deposited payments will cover the transaction totals taking into consideration any reversals, adjustments, and refunds, and any applicable merchant discounts.

Point of Sale Terminals Certifications:
The procedure for the Security Certification of point-of-sale terminals sets out the conditions that vendors of terminals must meet in order to qualify for an approval certificate issued by Saudi Payments and SAMA. 
Terminals certification generally includes testing the entire cycle from the terminals system through acquiring banks to the card issuers.  All certifications comply to the guidelines set by (EMVCo). mada cards work at various point-of-sale terminals certified by the Saudi Payments or SAMA Quality Assurance Team.
To find out more, please get in touch with:
onboarding@saudipayments.com or certification@saudipayments.com