Point of interaction

A point of interaction (POI) is a (hardware and/or software) component in point of sale equipment (e.g. a magnetic card reader) that enables a consumer to use a credit card to make a purchase at a retailer. The point of sale terminal might be attended or unattended.

The new generation of POI systems will be designed to allow devices other than credit cards to be used to make payments (e.g. mobile phones or PDA's), provided that the same high level of security is ensured by the equipment.