The holiday season is the most lucrative time of the year for Canadian retailers. Between Black Friday, Cyber Monday and last-minute pre-Christmas shopping, your business needs to be perfectly prepared to maximize revenue and deliver an exceptional customer experience. Whether you run a restaurant, retail store or online boutique, your payment system will play a crucial role in your success.
This comprehensive guide helps you prepare your POS for the busiest shopping season of the year. From payment terminals to omnichannel strategies, find out how Geasy Pay can turn this holiday season into a record-breaking time for your business.
Understanding holiday shopping trends 2025
According to Payments Canada, Canadian e-commerce reached $71.6 billion in 2023, representing 546 million transactions. These figures continue to rise in 2025, with an estimated 15% growth over the previous year. Quebec consumers spend on average 30% more during the holiday season, creating a major opportunity for well-prepared merchants.
The omnichannel trend is intensifying. Customers are now looking for online shopping with in-store pick-up, easy returns and, above all, flexible payment options. Data shows that 48% of in-store transactions now involve contactless payment, while mobile payments via Apple Pay and Google Pay have increased by 35% this year.
Canadian consumers also prefer installment payments for larger purchases. This financial flexibility becomes essential during the holiday season, when budgets are stretched between gifts, decorations and celebrations.
Strategy 1: Optimize your payment terminal for high volumes
The last thing you want during the holiday rush is a payment terminal failure. Before the critical November-December period, perform a complete check of all your equipment. Global Payments payment terminals, including Verifone and Ingenico models, offer exceptional reliability with 99.99% uptime.
Check that your terminals support all modern payment methods. Your
Test your Internet connectivity and have a backup plan. Modern Global Payments terminals feature offline functionality that stores transactions locally in the event of connection loss, automatically transmitting them once the network is restored.
Increase your processing capacity
If you’re expecting transaction volumes 2-3 times higher than normal, consider adding additional payment terminals. For a minimal investment, an additional terminal can significantly reduce waiting times and improve the customer experience.
Restaurants should equip their servers with mobile terminals to accept payments directly at the table. This approach speeds up service during busy holiday meals and increases tipping through convenience. Global Payments solutions include rugged mobile terminals with long-life batteries, ideal for continuous service.
For retail outlets, strategically position several payment points. A
Strategy 2: Implement flexible payment options
Installment payments
Installment payments (Buy Now, Pay Later) are enjoying explosive popularity in Canada. This option allows your customers to spread the cost of their purchases over several equal installments, significantly increasing your average shopping basket. Studies show that merchants offering installments see a 20-30% increase in their average amount per transaction. Implementation is simple and requires no modification to your existing payment terminal.
Contactless and mobile payments
If your payment terminal doesn’t yet accept contactless payments, you absolutely must upgrade before the holidays. Contactless payment has become the norm in Canada, now accounting for 48% of in-store transactions. Consumers expect to be able to tap their card, phone or watch to pay in 2-3 seconds.
Global Payments terminals with NFC 15 technology accept all forms of contactless payment: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Interac Flash, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay. This speed becomes crucial during busy periods, when every second saved translates into more customers served.
Clearly display that you accept contactless payments. A simple sticker near your terminal informs customers and speeds up the process. Train your staff to encourage this fast method during peak hours.
Virtual terminal for remote sales
The holiday season also generates a massive increase in telephone sales and special orders. A Global Payments virtual terminal lets you accept payments from any computer, tablet or phone without additional equipment. This flexibility is particularly valuable for businesses receiving calls from customers wanting to reserve products, order gift baskets, or pay for services. The virtual terminal processes payments in seconds, with the same level of security as a physical terminal.
For restaurants offering catering services during the holidays, the virtual terminal simplifies the taking of deposits and advance payments. Your customers can pay securely over the phone, and you receive instant confirmation.
Strategy 3: Adopt an omnichannel approach
Unify your sales channels
Modern consumers no longer distinguish between “online” and “in-store”, they simply want to buy easily, whatever the channel. Your payment system needs to support this fluidity. A customer should be able to order online, pay by phone and collect in-store without friction.
A POS Global Payments system automatically synchronizes your online and in-store sales. Your inventory is updated in real time, avoiding embarrassing situations where you sell out. Consolidated data gives you a clear view of your performance across all channels.
This unification is particularly crucial for post-holiday returns and exchanges. A customer who has purchased online can easily return to the store, and your POS system instantly recovers the original transaction to process the refund on the right card.
In-store pickup and local delivery
The “buy online, pick up in store” model explodes during the holidays. Consumers want the convenience of online shopping with the immediacy of same-day pick-up. Your payment system needs to support this uncomplicated flow. With Geasy Pay, online payments are processed instantly and synchronized with your point of sale. When customers arrive to collect their order, your staff immediately see the paid transaction and can hand over the products without delay.
Also consider offering local delivery during the holidays. A virtual terminal allows you to accept telephone payments for deliveries, while mobile terminals equip your delivery drivers to accept additional payments or tips on delivery.
Strategy 4: Efficient inventory management and reporting
Real-time inventory tracking
Nothing is more frustrating for a holiday shopper than discovering that a displayed product is sold out. A modern POS system with integrated inventory management becomes indispensable during this critical period. Each sale automatically adjusts your stock, alerting you when levels become low. Global Payments POS systems offer advanced inventory management features. You can set minimum thresholds for your popular products, receiving automatic alerts to replenish before they run out. Inventory reports identify your star products, enabling you to order strategically.
For multi-location businesses, real-time synchronization between your stores avoids last-minute emergency transfers. You can instantly see which location has the product a customer is looking for.
Data analysis to maximize profits
The data generated by your payment terminal and POS system represents a goldmine of strategic information. The merchant portal provides detailed reports on your sales by time, day, product and payment method. Analyze your data from the previous year to identify your peak hours. Schedule your staff accordingly, ensuring optimal coverage when transaction volumes are at their highest. Restaurants can adjust their menus and stocks according to observed trends.
Category sales reports reveal which products are performing best. Highlight these items in your point-of-sale and ensure sufficient stock. Conversely, identify slow-moving products to adjust your orders and avoid overstocking after the holidays.
Track your preferred payment methods too. If 60% of your customers pay by credit card versus 30% by Interac debit, you’ll have a better understanding of your clientele and can optimize your transaction costs.
Strategy 5: Offer exceptional customer service
Train your staff
During the holiday rush, your team needs to handle payment terminals with efficiency and confidence. Organize comprehensive training sessions before the critical period, covering all scenarios. Standard payments, remittances, refunds, cancelled transactions, basic problem solving – your staff need to master it all.
Speed of payment has a direct impact on customer satisfaction. An employee hesitating or struggling to process a transaction slows down the entire queue. Investing a few hours in training before the holidays translates into thousands of dollars in additional sales.
Managing returns and refunds
The post-holiday period inevitably generates returns. Your POS system needs to process these refunds quickly and without complication. Global Payments terminals automatically refund to the original payment card, avoiding error-prone manual processes. Establish a clear and generous holiday returns policy. Consumers buy with more confidence when they know they can easily exchange. Display this policy prominently and train your staff to communicate it proactively.
Strategy 6: Secure your transactions and protect your customers
Compliance and maximum safety
Unfortunately, the holiday season also attracts fraudsters. Your payment terminal must offer maximum security to protect your customers and your business. Global Payments terminals are PCI DSS Level 1 certified, the strictest security standard in the industry. Every transaction is end-to-end encrypted with EMV technology. Chip payments generate a unique code for each transaction, making it impossible to counterfeit or reuse data. Contactless payment offers the same level of security, with transaction limits to minimize risk.
For Quebec restaurants,compliance with Bill 72 on tipping becomes even more critical during the holiday season. POS Global Payments systems automatically manage tips according to legal requirements, protecting you from fines and ensuring fair treatment for your employees.
Fraud prevention
Train your staff to recognize the warning signs of potential fraud. Unusually high transactions, multiple rejected payment attempts, customers pressing to avoid certain verification procedures – these situations deserve special attention. Global Payments terminals include built-in fraud detection systems. Suspicious transactions are automatically flagged for further verification. This protection operates in the background without slowing down legitimate transactions.
Holiday 2025 preparation checklist
Before Black Friday (November 29, 2025)
– Check all payment terminals and make any necessary updates
– Test acceptance of all payment methods: card, Interac, contactless, mobile
– Ensure that installment payments are enabled for eligible amounts
– Install a virtual terminal for telephone sales
– Check Internet connectivity and have a back-up plan
– Train all staff on payment procedures, including refunds
– Set up reports and dashboards to track sales in real time
– Optimize your POS system with advance holiday inventory
December 2025
– Monitor stock levels daily and proactively replenish
– Analyze sales reports to identify trends and adjust
– Communicate regularly with your team on performance and targets
– Promote your flexible payment options (instalments, contactless)
– Prepare your returns policy and train staff
– Monitor waiting times and add temporary checkouts if necessary
January 2026
– Efficiently process returns with your POS system
– Analyze complete season data to identify learnings
– Thank your loyal customers with personalized offers
– Plan adjustments for next year based on insights
– Check that all financial reports are accurate for your accounting purposes
The holiday season is upon us! Merchants who prepare now will maximize their revenues and deliver an exceptional customer experience. Your payment system is the final point of contact with every customer. Make sure it’s fast, reliable and flexible.
Contact Geasy Pay today at +1 438-806-0450 or request a free quote. Our experts will analyze your specific needs and recommend the optimal solutions for your parties. Whether you need an additional payment terminal, a POS system, a virtual terminal or an upgrade to higher-performance equipment, we’ve got the solution. Don’t let an inadequate payment system limit your success during the most lucrative time of the year.
Happy Holidays!