To purchase hardware, contact merchant@shepherd.vet.
What You Need to Know
Hardware is not required to use Shepherd Pay. You can accept payments via manual card entry without any device.
All hardware must be ordered through Shepherd. Terminals purchased elsewhere are not guaranteed to be compatible.
EMV terminals must be registered in Shepherd before use.
See Shepherd Pay: Initial Setup for setup instructions.
The wired terminal requires an active ethernet connection.
It will not appear as available at checkout if it is powered off or disconnected.
Mac users with the USB swiper may encounter a double-space issue.
A known macOS behavior causes a double space to be inserted after the card number on some machines. See the Troubleshooting section below.
Hardware Options
Device | Connection | Price | Best For |
Equinox Luxe 6200 (Wired EMV) | Ethernet | $350 | Fixed checkout desks |
Equinox Luxe 6200m (Wireless EMV) | Wi-Fi | $450 | Mobile or multi-room use |
USB Card Swiper | USB | $69 | Backup or low-volume use |
Wired EMV Terminal — Equinox Luxe 6200
The Equinox Luxe 6200 is a countertop chip terminal that connects to your network via ethernet. It supports EMV chip, magnetic stripe, and contactless payments.
Setup requirements:
Must be connected to an ethernet cable and powered on before it will appear at checkout in Shepherd
Must be registered in Shepherd with its serial number (located on the back of the device)
Best for: front desk stations with a fixed network connection.
Wireless EMV Terminal — Equinox Luxe 6200m
The Equinox Luxe 6200m is the wireless version of the 6200. It connects via Wi-Fi and can be used anywhere within your clinic's network range. It supports EMV chip, magnetic stripe, and contactless payments.
Setup requirements:
Must be connected to Wi-Fi and powered on before it will appear at checkout in Shepherd
Must be registered in Shepherd with its serial number (located on the back of the device)
Best for: exam rooms, mobile use, or any location where a wired connection is not practical.
USB Card Swiper
The USB card swiper connects directly to a computer via USB and allows staff to swipe a client's card at checkout without a full EMV terminal. It functions as a keyboard input device — when a card is swiped, the card data is entered directly into the active field in Shepherd.
Setup requirements:
Plug into a USB port on the computer used at checkout
No driver installation is required
No registration in Shepherd is required
Best for: clinics that want a lower-cost card entry option, or as a backup when a terminal is unavailable.
Cards swiped with the USB swiper are eligible for autosave if the Autosave Client Credit Cards toggle is enabled in Shepherd Pay settings.
Troubleshooting
The wired terminal is not appearing at checkout
The Equinox Luxe 6200 only appears as an available payment method when it is powered on and connected to ethernet. Check that:
The ethernet cable is securely connected at both the terminal and the wall/switch
The terminal is powered on and showing its home screen
The terminal has been registered in Shepherd with the correct serial number
If all three conditions are met and the terminal still does not appear, contact merchant@shepherd.vet.
The USB swiper is inserting a double space after the card number (Mac)
This is a known behavior on some Mac computers. When a card is swiped, macOS autocorrect interprets the pause between data fields as a sentence end and inserts a double space.
To fix this:
Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions)
Go to Keyboard
Select Text Input > Edit
Uncheck Add period with double-space
After disabling this setting, swiped card data will enter correctly without the extra space.
A card was swiped but the payment did not process
Confirm that the cursor was active in the correct payment field in Shepherd before the card was swiped. The swiper inputs data wherever the cursor is — if focus has moved to another field or window, the card data will not be captured correctly. Return to the payment screen, click into the card number field, and swipe again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my own card terminal with Shepherd Pay?
Shepherd Pay is configured to work with specific certified hardware. Terminals not purchased through Shepherd are not supported.
How do I find the serial number on my terminal?
The serial number is printed on a label on the back of the device. It is also displayed in the terminal's settings menu.
Can I have more than one terminal registered in Shepherd?
Yes. You can register multiple terminals in Admin > Clinic Settings > Financial Settings > Shepherd Pay under the EMV Chip Terminals section. Each terminal appears as a separate option at checkout.
Do I need a terminal for every exam room?
Not necessarily. The wireless Equinox Luxe 6200m can be moved between rooms. Many clinics purchase one or two wireless terminals and share them as needed, rather than placing a fixed device in every room.
What payment types do the EMV terminals accept?
Both the wired and wireless Equinox terminals accept EMV chip, magnetic stripe swipe, and contactless payments (tap to pay).
Can I use the USB swiper and an EMV terminal at the same checkout station?
Yes. Both will appear as available payment method options in Shepherd. Staff can choose which to use at the time of payment.