Payment solutions for Swiss farm shops, weekly markets and direct marketing – 5 practical guides

Over 11,000 Swiss agricultural businesses sell directly from the farm – more and more of them cashless. But which solution suits your business? Self-service farm shop with QR code, mobile card terminal at the weekly market, Tap to Pay on a smartphone, QR-Pay for all payment methods, or a solution for international guests? Our five guides show you step by step how each variant works, what it costs, and which sales situation it is suitable for.

This overview page summarizes the five guides and helps you find the right payment solution for your business model – whether self-service on a country road, an attended farm shop business, a weekly market, or a seasonal sales stand.

Guide 1: Running a self-service farm shop cashless

Honor box · TWINT QR · QR code with payment page · Vending machine

The classic honor box causes around 5% shrinkage. This guide compares three cashless alternatives for unattended farm shops: TWINT QR sticker (simple, but without amount control), QR code with payment page (amount preset, all payment methods), and vending machines with card payment (full control, but high investment). With comparison table, cost calculation at EUR 6–12 per purchase, and practical tips for weatherproof QR codes.

For whom: Self-service farm shops without staff, roadside farm stalls, egg/honey/vegetable sales, self-service refrigerators.

Core topics: Honor box vs. TWINT QR vs. QR payment page vs. vending machine, shrinkage reduction, seasonal pricing, weatherproof QR codes, accounting.

→ To the guide: Running a self-service farm shop cashless

Guide 2: Card terminal for weekly market and farm shop

Hardware · 4G SIM · Receipt printing · TWINT at the terminal · Provider comparison

A physical card terminal is the most robust solution for regular use at the weekly market. The guide compares Payrexx (N910 Pro, N6, or N86), SumUp, Worldline, and Nexi – with device costs, transaction fees, and the crucial question: TWINT at the terminal yes or no? Including a concrete cost calculation for 12 market days per month at EUR 18 average receipt.

For whom: Market traders with regular operations, attended farm shops, businesses that need to print receipts, higher sales volumes.

Core topics: Device types (Bluetooth, 4G, all-in-one), SumUp vs. Payrexx vs. Worldline, TWINT at the terminal, end of Maestro, battery and 4G at the market.

→ To the guide: Card terminal for weekly market and farm shop

Guide 3: Tap to Pay – Smartphone as a card terminal

No hardware · NFC · Android · SoftPOS

Tap to Pay transforms an NFC-enabled smartphone into a Lector de tarjetas – without an additional device, without fixed costs. Ideal as an entry-level solution or backup. The guide explains the requirements (Android 8.1+ for Payrexx incl. TWINT, iPhone XS+ for Apple Tap to Pay without TWINT), compares with terminal and TWINT QR, and shows the specific workflow at the market stand.

For whom: Beginners without a hardware budget, seasonal businesses, mobile Comerciante, backup for peak times.

Core topics: Android vs. iPhone, TWINT only on Android, battery and power bank, practical workflow (weigh, tap, pay), cost comparison at EUR 15 purchase.

→ To the guide: Tap to Pay at the weekly market and farm shop

Guide 4: QR-Pay – One QR code, all payment methods

No terminal · No smartphone required · TWINT + card + wallet · 1.25% + EUR 0.30

QR-Pay is a QR code that leads to a payment page in the browser. There, customers pay with TWINT, Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or PostFinance Pay. The core advantage over a pure TWINT QR sticker: amount control, more payment methods, and tourist suitability. The transaction fee is 1.25% + EUR 0.30 in the Free plan.

For whom: Self-service farm shops (primary solution), attended market stalls (secondary channel), seasonal stands (no fixed costs), businesses with international clientele.

Core topics: TWINT QR vs. QR-Pay vs. payment link, customer journey (scan → select → pay), dynamic vs. static QR, price changes, combination with terminal/Tap to Pay.

→ To the guide: QR-Pay for farm shop and weekly market

Guide 5: Letting tourists pay at the weekly market and farm shop

International cards · Apple Pay · Foreign currency · DCC

TWINT does not work for tourists. Those selling in Lucerne, Interlaken, Zermatt, or along a pass road lose 20–40% of sales without card payment. The guide shows which payment methods international guests expect (Visa, Apple Pay, Alipay), how Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) works, and what interregional transactions cost. QR-Pay as a universal solution for Swiss locals and tourists.

For whom: Weekly markets in tourist regions, farm shops along hiking trails, seasonal stands in holiday resorts.

Core topics: TWINT gap for tourists, DCC explained, interchange fees for foreign cards, Alipay/WeChat Pay, English signage, euro cash.

→ To the guide: Letting tourists pay at the weekly market and farm shop

Which solution suits your business?

All five variants at a glance – sorted by use case scenario, costs, and functional scope.

All prices excl. VAT. Fees apply to Swiss consumer cards (Visa/Mastercard). As of 2026, benchmark values.

Combinations for typical businesses

Self-service farm shop without staff: QR-Pay as primary solution, TWINT QR sticker as backup. No terminal required.

Attended farm shop business: Card terminal or Tap to Pay for the cash register, QR-Pay as a secondary channel for queues.

Weekly market (regular): Card terminal as main system, TWINT QR sticker as a supplement, QR-Pay for tourists.

Seasonal sales stand (strawberries, asparagus): QR-Pay or Tap to Pay – no fixed costs outside the season.

Tourist location (Lucerne, Interlaken): Terminal with international card acceptance + QR-Pay for universal coverage.

Accounting and settlement for farm shops and market traders

No matter which payment solution you choose – at the end of the market day, the register must balance. Modern payment providers deliver an online Dashboard with daily closing, CSV export, and breakdown by payment method.

Booking in the Swiss SME chart of accounts: You book transaction fees as bank charges (account 6840) – without VAT deduction, since payment services are tax-exempt according to Art. 21 para. 2 item 19 MWSTG. A transit account (e.g. 1090) neatly reflects the time delay between customer payment and payout.

Important: Always book the gross revenue as earnings, not the net payout amount. This ensures the VAT assessment basis remains correct.