Card machine for your charity shop

Accept card payments and boost donations - simple terminals with the lowest possible fees so more money goes to your cause.

Common challenges

  • Missing sales and donations from people who don't carry cash
  • Need the absolute lowest transaction fees to maximise funds
  • Volunteers need something incredibly simple to use
  • Budget constraints on terminal hardware
  • Don't want long contracts tying up charity funds

Published:

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  • 5.7-inch HD touchscreen
  • Built-in printer
  • Wi-Fi & 4G
  • Contactless, Chip & Pin, over-the-phone
  • Fast contactless transacting
  • Integrates with its provider's own POS only
  • Android POS and payments
Contract
negotiable

Why charity shops choose uno

Fewer people carry cash every year. If your charity shop is cash-only, you’re losing sales and donations. A card machine brings in more revenue - and every penny matters when it’s going to a good cause.

Lowest possible fees

Every pence in transaction fees is a pence less for your charity. We compare rates across every provider to find the absolute lowest cost for your transaction volume.

Simple enough for volunteers

Charity shops often rely on volunteers who change regularly. The terminal needs to be so simple that anyone can use it with minimal explanation.

Low upfront cost

We understand charity budgets. We’ll find options with minimal hardware costs and no long-term contract commitments.

What you get from uno

  • The most competitive rates available for your volume
  • A terminal simple enough for any volunteer to use
  • Low or no upfront hardware costs
  • Flexible terms with no long lock-in

Common questions from charity shop owners

Can we take contactless donations as well as retail sales?

Yes. The terminal processes any amount - a £2 purchased item or a £20 donation. You simply enter the amount and the customer taps to pay. Some charity shops set up a separate 'donation' button on their till flow, but the card machine itself handles it as a standard transaction.

Our shop is staffed by volunteers - is the card machine easy enough for anyone to use?

The terminals are designed for simplicity. A contactless payment is literally: enter the amount, customer taps, done. We walk your team through the process during setup, and it takes about five minutes to learn. Most volunteers are comfortable with it after two or three transactions.

Most of our items sell for £1–£5 - are card fees worth it for a charity shop?

On a £3 sale at 1.25%, the fee is under 4p. The revenue from customers who would otherwise walk away because they can't pay by card far exceeds that. Cash usage is declining year on year, and charity shops - like all retail - need to meet customers where they are. The card machine pays for itself quickly.

General questions about uno
Which card machine is right for my business?

It really does depend on how your business operates - there's no one 'best solution' for all, as a Fine Dining restaurant in Covent Garden has completely different operational requirements to a Market Trader in Glasgow's bustling Barras, or a Cardiff Arms Park pub. We make the effort to truly understand how your business actually operates - before recommending the best solution from a range of providers, not just one.

How much does a card machine cost?

It varies by provider and model. With some providers, your first card machine comes with no upfront cost, no monthly rental, and no per-transaction fees - so your only cost is the processing rate on each sale you make. Additional terminals - or those from other providers - may well carry rental or per-transaction fees. The exact cost depends on your terminal type, provider, and monthly card turnover. Because uno works across multiple providers, we compare the real-world, overall costs and then find the most competitive deal for your specific situation.

How long will it take for me to receive my takings?

We know for many UK independent businesses cashflow is a daily struggle. We can offer various options, with settlement times ranging next morning, to the full three days it takes providers to actually receive your customers money. Whatever your working requirements are, we'll find the ideal solution to match those needs.

Do all uno card machines accept contactless payments?

Yes. Every payment terminal we recommend accepts contactless payments, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and standard contactless cards. Contactless is now the default way most customers pay in the UK.

Will I be able to take 'over-the-phone' payments?

For most merchant-types this will be offered as a default payment option, available on-screen along with contactless and Chip & Pin. There are a small number of exceptional businesses operational-types where this is not the case - but for most, 'over-the-phone' payments will be offered as standard.

How can we process refunds?

Any terminal uno suggests would allow you to easily identify the original transaction. If still within the same day as the sale, then the transaction could then be 'voided'(aka 'reversed'). Voids/Reverses are typically instantaneous. However, if that trading day's 'banking window' had closed (typically at Midnight) then it would technically be classed as a 'refund' - which would then be subject to the bank's standard 3-5 day processing timeframe to complete.

Will we need to do complicated PCI compliance like we do with our current provider?

The great news for you is none of the providers uno works with have complicated anything! For those that require PCI of any sort at all, it really is a simple, painless process that just takes a few minutes per year!

Am I locked into a contract?

Not with every provider. Several of the solutions we offer have no long-term contract - you can switch or cancel without penalty. We'll always be upfront about contract terms before suggesting you commit to anything.

How long does it take to get set up?

Most businesses are up and running within a few days. We handle the supply, installation, and configuration so you can focus on serving your customers. We walk you through everything on-site - so you're confident from day one.

Why go through uno instead of going direct to a provider?

Going direct means you only see a single provider's products, at a single provider's prices. Because uno works across multiple providers, we can genuinely compare options and recommend the solution that suits your business - not just the only one we happen to sell! You also get a dedicated point of contact for ongoing support.

Ready to find the right card machine?

We make the effort to understand how your business works, and only then recommend the solution that genuinely fits - not the one with the biggest commission.

Get Started 07395 451520