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A Milestone for Hypercom

O urs is a retail world of giant multiplexes, megamalls and superstores. And one of the giants in the ISO marketplace announced a milestone in sales recently.

Hypercom Corp. (NYSE: HYC) is conducting so many transactions - about 2.5 billion annually - that maybe it should change its logo to the golden arches. Recently, it announced that it had shipped its four millionth POS terminal. The terminal, Hypercom's ICE 5500, ePOS-infocommerce (ePic) compatible terminal, was sent to First Data Merchant Services to support its ongoing implementation requirements.

Escalating demand boosted Hypercom's worldwide market share of POS terminal shipments to 18.4 percent in 1999 from 15.9 percent a year earlier as the electronic payment provider outpaced and continued to take market share from competitors. In 1999, Hypercom shipped 896,519 card payment terminals. This included 234 percent and 71 percent increases in Europe and Latin America, respectively.

"This latest achievement demonstrates the continued gains that we are making at the expense of both the legacy market leader and would-be challengers," says Jairo E. Gonzalez, president, Hypercom' Transaction Systems Group.

What makes these terminals so popular? Hypercom's ePic ICE (Interactive Consumer Environment) devices are high performance, touch screen-based, Internet-enabled card payment terminals and Web appliances that incorporate a firewall-protected multi-application operating system, EMV chip card capability, secure PIN pad, built-in HTML/HTTP Web browser and integrated receipt printer.

In addition to the embedded applications, Hypercom's ePic ICE terminals support a range of value-added applications and services, including electronic signature and receipt capture, e-mail, on-screen advertising, interactive electronic coupons, and cash management reporting through a standard browser - as well as secure credit, debit and smart card functions.

At this year's ETA meeting and exposition, Hypercom introduced the ePic ICE 5700. This device magnetically reads the MICR line on a check and supports dial-up to multiple check processors for fast verification against negative files or check guarantee via positive online authorizations. This single integrated device requires less counter space and fewer cables than traditional terminals with detached check readers.

"The ICE 5700 . delivers the value-added, revenue-generating features at the point-of-sale that merchants need to compete and prosper in today's highly competitive retail market," says Gonzalez.

This newest member of Hypercom's ICE family of card payment terminals offers all of the operational features of Hypercom's popular ICE 5500 as well as the integrated motorized check reader, which supports a variety of MICR formats with high reading accuracy.

ISOs can find yet another item in the Hypercom aisle: the ICE 4000, a compact and robust card payment Web appliance. This customer-activated device is easy to use, and it can deliver an array of important value-added features and services. It is the ideal solution for retail stores, restaurants, hotels, stadiums and other organizations that want to use proven technology to maintain their competitive edge and bring the payment function directly to the consumer.

"Demands on the average consumer's time have never been greater. Competition at the retail level has never been more intense. Both are demanding faster, more secure and virtually 'anytime, anywhere' payment capabilities and services, and the ePic ICE 4000 squarely addresses these needs," says Gonzalez.

Headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz., Hypercom maintains an installed base of more than 3.5 million card payment terminals that operate in more than 100 countries.

For more information, visit its Web site at www.hypercom.com.