Lightspeed Payments is Lightspeed's integrated payment processor. With Lightspeed Payments, you can accept various payment methods directly within your Lightspeed K-Series POS, including credit and debit cards and contactless payments. Lightspeed Payments also provides features and services like integrated reporting and chargeback management. Lightspeed Payments is designed to simplify payment processing and streamline the checkout experience for your customers.

Account management

• What is Lightspeed Payments?

  Lightspeed Payments is a payment processor designed for Lightspeed POS. Unlike other payment processors, Lightspeed Payments integrates with Lightspeed POS, allowing you to manage your business and transactions in one seamless Lightspeed experience.

• How do I sign up for Lightspeed Payments?

  Before you can process card payments with Lightspeed Payments, you will need to submit an application. When you first log in to the Back Office, you can apply by clicking Activate Lightspeed Payments as your sales representative guides you through the process. To resume a previously-started application or submit one for a business location that's a separate legal entity, click the Product Switcher.

  Contact our Sales team for more information or apply for Lightspeed Payments directly from your Back Office. Lightspeed's underwriting team is legally required to collect certain information about your business and follow due process before we can approve your application and set up your account with Lightspeed Payments.

• Can I use Lightspeed Payments with my existing payment processor?

  No. Lightspeed Payments does not integrate with any other payment processor or POS system.

• How can I change my Lightspeed Payments account information?

  You can edit your bank account and business information in the Financial Services tab of your account by navigating to Financial Services > Settings.

• How can I customize Lightspeed Payments to fit my business needs?

  One of the advantages of Lightspeed Payments is that Lightspeed will take care of most of your gateway configurations for you. Once you have been approved for Lightspeed Payments and Lightspeed Payments has been added to your account, you can adjust your settings to fit your needs, such as tipping, surcharging, and signature capture.

• Is Lightspeed Payments mandatory?

  To provide industry-leading support and technology and keep your business running smoothly, we now require merchants to use Lightspeed Payments. Merchants using non-Lightspeed Payments solutions will be charged a monthly third-party processing fee. To avoid this transaction fee, submit a Lightspeed Payments application to switch from your current processor before the end of your notice period. If you have any questions about these changes, contact your Sales Account Manager.

• How can I get help with Lightspeed Payments?

  For assistance with troubleshooting or questions about Lightspeed Payments, contact Lightspeed Support via chat or phone.

• How can I cancel my Lightspeed Payments account?

  In the event that you need to cancel your contract with Lightspeed Payments, please contact your Sales Account Manager.

• I bought my business from a previous Lightspeed Payments customer. Do I still need to fill out a new application?

  In the event of ownership changes, you must update your business and ownership information. This application can be completed by navigating to the Financial Services tab in your account and selecting Settings. Updates to your account typically take 5-10 business days, so it is important to reach out early to prevent additional delays to your funding schedule.

Hardware

• What payment terminals are compatible with Lightspeed Payments?

  Payment terminal compatibility depends on the country where you do business. View our Setting up Lightspeed Payments article to learn more. Lightspeed Payments payment terminals must be obtained from Lightspeed directly. Payment terminals purchased through third-party vendors are not supported. The following terminals are compatible with Lightspeed Payments:

  • Smart Terminal
  • Smart Terminal with Printer
  • Verifone V400m
  • Verifone P400
  • Verifone e280/e285
• Can I use a mobile reader with Lightspeed Payments?

  Yes, you can use the Mobile Tap Card reader. View our Setting up Mobile Tap with Lightspeed Payments article to learn more.

Processing transactions

• What payment methods are accepted with Lightspeed Payments?

  By default, most major credit cards are accepted and automatically enabled for use with Lightspeed Payments. However, some third-party apps and payment types may require activation. Read our Enabling optional payment methods for Lightspeed Payments article to learn more.

• Is PIN capture required with Lightspeed Payments in the US?

  In most scenarios, there will be no PIN entry required for any transaction in the US. In some cases, such as international cards being used within the US, a card may automatically prompt you to enter a PIN. Press the green continue button on your terminal to bypass the PIN entry screen and continue the transaction.

• A customer was double-charged, what do I do?

  If a customer was double-charged by mistake, you can refund one of the original transactions in the POS by editing or voiding the receipt. If you believe a system error led to the duplicate charge, contact Lightspeed Support.

• Can I add surcharges to my transactions?

  Surcharging with Lightspeed Payments is available from the Settings page. Read our Surcharging with Lightspeed Payments article to learn more.

• How do I process a standalone or non-integrated transaction through my terminal?

  Once you've set up your payment terminal for standalone payments on the Settings page, you can initiate a payment by entering the value of the transaction on the terminal, then handing it to your customer to complete the transaction. To learn more, view our Standalone payments article.

• How do I process manual payments with Lightspeed Payments?

  To begin accepting manual entry payments, you must first enable the Lightspeed Payments - Adyen Manual Keyed Entry payment method in your Lightspeed Back Office. Once the payment method is enabled, you can process manual entry payments by following these instructions:

  1. From the Order screen, add all items and discounts to the sale.

  2. Tap Pay.

  3. Tap the Lightspeed Payments Manual Entry payment type.

  4. Enter the credit card number and expiration date on the terminal and complete the transaction.

• How long does a credit card refund take to process?

  Once a refund to a customer's credit card has been initiated, the cardholder can expect their funds to settle into their account in 2-7 business days, depending on their bank's policies. 

Reporting

• What kind of reporting is available with Lightspeed Payments?

  You can find your Lightspeed Payments reports in the Financial Services tab of your account. Here you can see all payments processed through Lightspeed Payments, your settlements, your monthly statements, and any Lightspeed Capital advances or offers.

  You can also use reporting automation to generate and send daily Lightspeed Payments reports directly to your email. Read our Automated reporting with Lightspeed Payments article to learn more.

• How do I read my reports?

  To understand how to read your Lightspeed Payment reports, visit the following article: Reporting with Lightspeed Payments. 

Batching and deposits

• When do I receive funds from credit card transactions?

  In general, settlements are deposited into your bank account one business day after the original transaction. However, a number of circumstances can affect this timeline. For more information on deposits, see our Getting paid article.

• How do I dispute a transaction or report fraud?
  If you suspect a fraudulent transaction was processed in your store, immediately contact Lightspeed Support. While preventing fraudulent transactions is not always possible, we recommend taking proper precautions. Read our Preventing chargebacks article to learn more.
• How can I update or change my bank account information?

  Navigate to the Financial Services tab to change the bank account associated with your Lightspeed Payments account.

Chargebacks

• What is a chargeback?

  A chargeback occurs when a cardholder disputes a debit or credit card transaction on their account and the cardholder's bank reverses the transaction. Once a customer opens a dispute, the disputed funds and a chargeback fee are immediately debited from the merchant’s account. For more information, see our Managing chargebacks with Lightspeed Payments article.

• How do I dispute a chargeback?

  Once a cardholder has opened a dispute, our Lightspeed Payments team will reach out to you via email to discuss your next steps. To dispute the chargeback, you will need to provide evidence that the charge is legitimate. Our Lightspeed Payments team will walk you through the chargeback process.

• How do I prevent chargebacks?

  Chargebacks are a normal part of credit card processing, and it is difficult to avoid them entirely. However, maintaining PCI compliance and taking preventive measures in your daily business practices can significantly reduce the number of chargebacks you receive. For a list of preventive measures you can take to reduce customer disputes, see our article on Preventing chargebacks.

• How do I manage chargebacks?

  If a dispute is opened against you, the Lightspeed Payments team will contact you via email to discuss your next steps. You can choose to dispute or accept the chargeback. For more information on managing chargebacks, see our Managing chargebacks with Lightspeed Payments article.

Miscellaneous

• What security measures are in place to protect my customer's payment information?
  The hardware and software provided by Lightspeed Payments is PCI compliant. However, you will need to take some steps to ensure you handle sensitive card information securely. For more information about PCI compliance and protecting customer payment information, see our Understanding PCI compliance article.