Microsoft is attempting to gain traction for its Surface tablet as a point-of-sale terminal, a market currently dominated by Apple’s iPad.

The US giant has joined forces with payments vendor AnywhereCommerce so that it can pitch retailers with a range of mobile point-of-sale solutions integrated into Surface tablets.

It has also signed up a second payment specialist called MagTek which will work on a card reader that works with its tablets.

The announcements appeared in a blog written by Cyril Belikoff, Microsoft’s director of Surface marketing.

Belikoff also talked up a trial of the company’s tablets with Swedish retailer MQ Retail. He claimed early indications had shown a positive impact on sales per store and additional supply chain and inventory management benefits.

The retailer will look to deploy the Surface tablets more broadly later in 2014, he said.

Microsoft also showed off its new retail strategy for the Surface at this week’s National Retail Federation show.