Smart data cable for point of sale systems

A system comprising:

• a printer;
• a point-of-sale system, the point-of-sale system configured to generate transaction data for a transaction, the transaction data having a format with which the printer is compatible, and send the transaction data for receipt by the printer;
• and
• an apparatus comprising:
• a first connection that communicatively couples the apparatus to the point-of-sale system;
• a second connection that communicatively couples the apparatus to the printer;
• a third connection that communicatively couples the apparatus to at least one server;
• and
• circuitry coupled to the first, second and third connections, the circuitry configured to receive the transaction data from the point-of-sale system using the first connection, parse the transaction data and identify at least amount information therein regardless of the format, send at least the amount information using the third connection for receipt by the server, and send at least the transaction data using the second connection for receipt by the printer.

A method comprising:

• receiving, from a point-of-sale system, transaction data for a transaction between a merchant and a customer, the transaction data having a format with which a printer associated with the point-of-sale system is compatible;
• parsing the transaction data and identifying at least amount information therein regardless of the format;
• sending at least the amount information for receipt by a server;
• sending at least the transaction data for receipt by the printer, the printer configured to print a receipt for the customer using the transaction data;
• and
• receiving, from the server, a confirmation that the server has processed the transaction, the server having processed the transaction using the amount information and data that the server received from a device associated with the customer, the device having generated the data by capturing an image of the receipt and forwarded the data using a messaging application.