Virtual POS is a banking service that lets a business accept payments by credit or debit card over the internet, without a physical card terminal. 3D Secure is the extra security layer that verifies the cardholder's identity during that payment, using a one-time password or mobile approval sent by the bank. Together, they form both the technical backbone and the security armor of online collections.
On the B2B side, these concepts are part of daily business. When you send a payment link to your dealer's current account, and the customer clicks through and pays the amount with their card, virtual POS runs in the background, 3D Secure verification is performed, and the collection lands at the bank. Set up correctly, it melts away overdue balances, brings cash flow into the till, and makes reconciliation easier.
In this article, we explain in plain language what virtual POS and 3D Secure mean, how they work, where the commission comes from, and what an account-based payment gateway changes in B2B collections.
What is virtual POS and how does it work?
Virtual POS is an online collection account that the bank assigns to the business. You can think of it as the internet equivalent of the physical POS terminal in a store. When the customer enters their card details on a payment screen, that information is encrypted and sent to the bank, the bank checks the card's balance and limit, blocks the amount if it is available, and approves the transaction.
The flow goes roughly like this: the customer enters the amount and card details, the virtual POS sends this request to the bank, the bank requests 3D Secure verification, the customer completes the password sent to their phone or the mobile approval, and once the bank approves the transaction the money sets off toward the business's account. The result returns within seconds; if it succeeds you see a collection record, if it fails you see a decline code.
Consider an 18.500 TL payment link a dealer sends to Demir Ticaret. Demir Ticaret opens the link and pays with their card, the virtual POS carries the transaction to the bank, and once approval arrives the amount is automatically deducted from the current account. Here there is no need for the business to track receipts by hand or to match the bank statement line by line.
How does 3D Secure make collections secure?
3D Secure is a protocol that verifies the person using the card is genuinely the cardholder. Its name refers to the three parties involved in the transaction (the card-issuing bank, the business's bank, and the card scheme). Even if the card number and expiry date have been stolen, because the verification step goes to the cardholder's phone, unauthorized transactions are largely blocked.
In practice, after the customer enters their payment details they are redirected to the bank's verification screen. They type the one-time password sent to their phone or approve it from their banking app. The transaction does not proceed until this step is completed. In B2B collections this protects both the business and the paying dealer, because the owner of the payment is clear.
Beyond security, 3D Secure also brings a balance of liability. In most scenarios, for verified transactions the chargeback risk shifts to the cardholder's bank. This provides important protection for wholesalers and manufacturers who carry out regular, high-value collections.
What is a commission, and why is it charged?
A commission is the service fee that the bank or payment institution takes from every collection made through virtual POS. It is generally calculated as a percentage of the transaction amount, and the rate varies by card (credit/debit), the number of installments, and the business's agreement with the bank. For single-payment transactions the rate is low, while for installment transactions it is higher, because the bank pays the amount to the business up front and collects it from the customer in installments.
Let's look through an example: on a 50.000 TL collection, if the single-payment commission is 1.5 percent, the business receives 49.250 TL, and 750 TL is deducted as commission. If the same amount is taken over 6 installments, the commission can rise to 4 percent and the deduction can reach 2.000 TL. For this reason, reflecting the installment option in pricing, or capping it above a certain amount, is a common approach.
Seeing the commission only as a cost item would be incomplete. The risk of an overdue balance going uncollected is often far more expensive than a few points of commission. As the price of accelerating cash flow, commission, when structured correctly, works in the business's favor.
What does an account-based payment gateway change in B2B?
An account-based payment gateway is the structure that takes virtual POS beyond being a standalone collection tool and ties each payment to the correct dealer's current account. A standard virtual POS only takes money; an account-based gateway, on the other hand, knows which dealer and which invoice the incoming collection belongs to and automatically deducts it from the balance. This way, reconciliation and offsetting proceed by themselves in the system rather than by hand.
B2BPro's payment link and virtual POS integration is exactly where this works. The 32.000 TL collection coming from a link sent to Yıldız Bayi is posted to the relevant current account, the credit limit is updated, and if there is an overdue amount the balance is recalculated. The field sales team can also share the same link with the customer and complete the collection on the spot. Related DBS (direct debit system, DBS) and reconciliation processes also proceed over the same current-account logic.
This structure also takes into account compliance requirements such as KVKK and PCI DSS. Card data is not stored in the business's system, the payment is taken on the bank's secure screen, and only the collection result is reflected to the current account. The end result is a collection flow that is both secure and traceable.
Key takeaways
- Virtual POS is a banking service that lets you accept card payments over the internet without a physical terminal.
- 3D Secure verifies the cardholder during payment with a one-time password or mobile approval, blocking unauthorized transactions and reducing chargeback risk.
- Commission is a percentage of the transaction amount; low for single payments, high for installments, and managed by reflecting it in pricing.
- An account-based payment gateway automatically posts incoming collections to the correct dealer's current account, making reconciliation and offsetting easier.
- Card data is taken on the bank's secure screen and not stored in the business's system, which supports KVKK and PCI DSS compliance.
Frequently asked questions
What is virtual POS?
Virtual POS is a banking service that lets a business accept payments by credit or debit card over the internet, without using a physical card terminal. It works through a payment screen, a payment link, or a website.
Is 3D Secure mandatory?
Most banks and card schemes have made 3D Secure verification standard, especially for high-value and B2B transactions. A verified transaction both increases security and protects the business against chargeback risk, so in practice it is treated as mandatory.
How much is the virtual POS commission?
The commission rate varies by bank, card type, and number of installments. A generally lower percentage applies to single-payment transactions and a higher one to installment transactions. The exact rate is determined by the business's agreement with its bank.
What is the difference between virtual POS and physical POS?
A physical POS is the device in the store where the card is read; the customer must be present. Virtual POS, on the other hand, works over the internet, and the customer can pay remotely with a payment link or by entering their card details on a website. In B2B collections, payment can be taken even when the dealer is not on site.
How does an account-based payment gateway work?
An account-based payment gateway automatically posts each collection coming from virtual POS, knowing which dealer's current account it belongs to. It deducts from the balance, updates the credit limit, and makes reconciliation easier. This removes the need to match receipts by hand.
Are card details secure in online collections?
Yes. In payments made with 3D Secure, card data is taken on the bank's secure screen and is not stored in the business's system. This structure operates in line with PCI DSS security standards and KVKK requirements.