Article | April 9, 2015

Eight Things Retailers Need To Know About EMV In The US

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Retail EMV In The US

By David Dorf, Sr. Director of Technology Strategy, Oracle Retail

If you’ve received a new card from your bank in the last six months, it’s likely an EMV card with a chip.  Banks are issuing EMV cards, and retailers are installing EMV-capable terminals to accept those EMV cards.  Both are working toward the October 2015 deadline whereby the liability shift occurs.  Today, when a counterfeit card is used in a store, the bank takes the loss.  But after the liability shift, if the bank has issued an EMV card, but the retailer has not upgraded to an EMV terminal, then the retailer takes the loss resulting from counterfeit cards.

In that scenario the bank has done its part but the retailer hasn’t – so the retailer is the weakest link and takes on the risk.  If the retailer has an EMV terminal, but the card is not an EMV card, then the risk goes back to the bank since it’s the weakest link.

Most retailers understand the situation and have carefully weighed the risk versus the cost of upgrading terminals.  But there are many other nuances with the EMV migration.  Below are eight things every retailer should know:

1. If you’re not already testing EMV-capable terminals, you’re behind. But you’re not alone as many retailers are questioning the cost of upgrading terminals.  The rollout in the UK and Canada took several years, so don’t expect anything special to happen on October 1 when the liability shift occurs.  It will be just like any other day.

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