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How it works
A Product Level Blocking function lets your system identify restricted items in your product range.
Your POS system can identify these items and stop the sale from completing.
Your staff do not need to recognise the SmartCard or remember which items are restricted.
If the POS system doesn’t detect a restricted item, the sale will proceed normally.
If the POS system detects a restricted item, the PIN Pad will cancel the payment. The POS system will allow the operator to remove the restricted items from the basket. The customer can then choose what to do. They can pay for the unrestricted items with a SmartCard and not buy the restricted items at all. Or they can pay for the restricted items with cash or a different card.
This process does not affect any other customers; only those attempting to purchase restricted items with a SmartCard.
If you sell both restricted and non-restricted goods, we call you a mixed merchant.
Who can get it
Your mixed merchant business can get product level blocking if all of these apply:
- it accepts Visa or eftpos
- it sells primarily non-restricted items.
You can’t get it if the primary goods in your store are alcohol, tobacco, gambling services, pornography and cash-like products, prepaid cards, and some gift cards.
You don’t need it if your business only sells non-restricted items.
How to get it
We will work with your bank and Point of Sale (POS) system supplier to make the changes you need. The POS system supplier will provide free staff training, if needed.
You will need to identify restricted items in your product range. The POS system supplier will provide a tool for you to do this. You can identify restricted items individually or in groups at the category level or department level. For example, the alcohol department range is restricted, but the bistro food department is unrestricted.
If all restricted items are in departments, then you only need to identify those departments.
If your mixed merchant business chooses to accept the SmartCard but can’t implement Product Level Blocking, you can complete a Mixed Merchant Agreement. Under the agreement, you must put controls in place to prevent the sale of restricted items with a SmartCard. These controls typically require you to nominate a PIN Pad in the business for the sale of only unrestricted items. No other PIN Pads in the business can accept a SmartCard.
If you choose to enable Product Level Blocking, then all PIN Pads in the business will be able to accept the SmartCard. This simplifies your operations and you will no longer need a Mixed Merchant Agreement.
Read more about how to get product level blocking on the merchant portal.