In wholesale there’s a lot to juggle—sales, logistics, onboarding, credit, and collections. But there’s one critical area that often gets overlooked: how your business handles customer credit card information.
Whether you’re a wholesaler, distributor, or supplier, if you’re storing, processing, or transmitting cardholder data, you need to comply with something called PCI DSS. And if you’re not, you could be putting your entire business at risk.
Let’s break it down.
What is PCI DSS?
PCI DSS stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. It’s a global set of security standards designed to ensure that all businesses that accept, process, store or transmit credit card information do so securely.
It was created by the major credit card companies (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and JCB) to combat credit card fraud and protect sensitive cardholder data.
In plain English:
If you’re handling card payments in your business, PCI DSS is not optional.
Why Should Wholesalers Care?
Many wholesalers operate on trade accounts, offer payment terms, and take card payments from independent retailers, franchisees, and hospitality venues. But unlike ecommerce businesses, wholesalers often aren’t set up with the right systems.
Here’s why that’s a problem.
1. Manual Card Handling is a Time Bomb
Still taking credit card details over the phone or storing them in spreadsheets? That’s a massive PCI violation. It exposes you to:
- Security breaches
- Fines from payment processors
- Reputation damage
- And potentially, legal consequences
2. Your Sales & Admin Teams Shouldn’t Be Handling Cards
When your staff manually input credit card details or store them in ERPs and accounting platforms not built for secure storage, you’re increasing your PCI scope—and your risk. It’s not their job to be PCI experts.
3. Non-Compliance Can Kill Deals
If you’re selling into national retailers, chains, or corporate customers, being PCI compliant gives them confidence in your professionalism. Non-compliance can block you from winning big accounts.
What Does PCI DSS Require?
There are 12 core requirements, including:
- Installing firewalls
- Encrypting data transmission
- Regularly testing security systems
- Restricting access to card data
- Never storing full card numbers or CVV
The bottom line? PCI compliance is complex—but critically important. Most wholesalers don’t have the internal resources to meet all the requirements manually.
How PencilPay Helps You Stay PCI Compliant
At PencilPay, we’ve built PCI compliance into the product, so you don’t have to worry about it.
Here’s how:
- Secure Payment Links: Customers enter card details through a secure portal—your team never touches card data.
- Tokenisation: We store payment methods as encrypted tokens via PCI-compliant providers—no sensitive data lives in your ERP or CRM.
- Automated Billing: Once authorised, recurring payments and payment plans are automated, reducing manual handling.
- Audit-Friendly Logs: Every action is recorded, giving you a clear audit trail for compliance and dispute resolution.
The Takeaway
Wholesalers have long been underserved when it comes to B2B payments. But with increasing regulation, fraud risk, and customer expectations, it’s no longer acceptable to treat credit card security as an afterthought.
PCI DSS isn’t just for big ecommerce players—it’s for anyone handling card payments.
The good news? With tools like PencilPay, you can eliminate PCI risks without adding complexity to your workflow.
Want to learn more about how PencilPay can protect your business and streamline your payments?
Sign up today for a free trial!