Store and forward (offline transactions): how it works and the risk

Store and forward lets a terminal accept a card while it has no connection, save the sale, and send it for approval once it reconnects. The catch: nothing is approved at the time of sale, so some stored sales are declined later and the merchant usually carries that loss. It only works if your processor has enabled it on your account and terminal.

Before you start

• Visa's device guide says the merchant is at risk for deferred (stored) sales that are later declined.
• Adyen's documentation says store-and-forward payments are approved without verification, that issuer declines are more likely, and that the merchant is fully liable for failed payments and disputes on offline sales. Adyen also says the feature must be switched on by its support team, with a maximum amount per sale and a maximum number of offline sales per terminal.
• Visa's dispute guide warns that completing a sale offline after an online decline can be charged back.

Steps

1. Ask your processor or Allstar support whether store and forward is enabled on your terminal and what limits apply. Do not try to turn it on yourself. Expected: you know if offline sales are possible and the limits that apply.
2. When the terminal loses its connection, first try to restore it (cables, Wi-Fi, cellular signal). Expected: the terminal is back online and sales approve in real time.
3. If you take sales offline, stay under your processor's limits and avoid high-value sales. Expected: your exposure to later declines stays small.
4. Never run a card offline after it was declined online. Expected: no sale is completed against an issuer decline.
5. Reconnect as soon as possible so the terminal uploads the stored sales, ideally within 24 hours. Expected: stored sales are sent for approval.
6. After upload, check the terminal or processor report for stored sales that were declined, and follow up with those customers. Expected: you know which offline sales were not paid.

If that did not work

If stored sales will not upload after the connection returns, do not clear or delete them. Contact Allstar support with the model, serial number, payment application, processor and the exact message on screen.

Sources

• Visa Transaction Acceptance Device Guide (TADG) (version 3.3, August 2025), section 6.2
• Visa Dispute Management Guide for Merchants (October 2026)
• Adyen Docs: Offline payments