Switching CC Companies

Switching CC Processor - FAQ

Why is ABA doing this now

In recent months, the high volume of online sales has made it apparent that the ABA account for credit card processing does not scale well. We’ve seen bank delays in issuing funds to our members, difficulties in managing refund requests, and the fee structure that we require for covering fraudulent online transactions is onerous for struggling stores.

To address these issues and lower credit card processing costs for stores using IndieCommerce and IndieLite, we’ve decided to transition stores off of the ABA merchant account and onto their own credit card merchant account. This transition will start with IndieCommerce websites

I have an IndieLite site. Do I need to find my own Credit Card Processing Service

For the remainder of 2020 we just want to move IndieCommerce (IC) stores off of the ABA account. After all or most IC stores have been moved we will then start on IndieLite stores. Depending on how rapidly IndieCommerce stores move off of the ABA account, we can then start moving IndieLite stores onto their own credit card merchant accounts

Do we have to choose a Credit Card Processing Service recommended by ABA

No, you have two options to consider:

a) Use Your Current Merchant Account - If your bookstore currently has a credit card processor that you use for processing in store credit card purchases, you may be able to use that service on your indieCommerce website as well. Check with your credit card merchant account provider and ask them if they work with the Authorize.net gateway and if the merchant account will process Visa/MC/Amex/Dis cards for online orders.

b) Sign Up For A New Credit Card Merchant Account - This can be any credit card processing service provider that works with Authorize.net. Although you now have many options, we've tried to make this transition as easy as possible by vetting a recommended credit card processor and pre-negotiating the rate.

Is there a deadline to switch over to the store’s credit card processor / merchant account

We have a deadline of October 22, 2020. We expect online holiday shopping to start early this year due to Covid related shipping delays that consumers have been experiencing.
 

Are credit cards going away as a payment option on IndieCommerce sites

No. You can continue to offer credit card as a payment option on your IC website (and it is highly recommended that all IC sites offer credit card as a payment option). The only difference is credit card transactions on your IC site will be processed by the credit card processor of your choice, instead of ABA’s shared credit card processor.
 

What are the next steps

Whether you are just starting the process or already working with a credit card processor,  please refer to our updated help document for next steps.

https://www.bookweb.org/indiecommerce/authorizenet

We've contacted our credit card processor, and we are ready. What are the next steps?

Whether you are just starting the process or already working with a credit card processor,  please refer to our updated help document for next steps.

https://www.bookweb.org/indiecommerce/authorizenet

Our Credit Card Processing Service would like to see the following listed on our IC website - Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, Return Policy etc. Not sure how to get those added to our IC website

If your credit card processor has requested that you create new pages for your store's Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy and Return Policy and these pages don't currently exist on your website, you can create them by following the instructions on this help doc and link them from the footer of your website or the menu.

https://www.bookweb.org/indiecommerce/pages .

 If you don't know what to include in these pages, please ask your credit card processor for examples of what they would like you to include on those pages

Will there be any changes to how we process credit card orders on our IC website

No. The processes you have in place now will remain the same. Your store staff who process online orders will not see anything different.

We will be adding one new feature which will make it easier for your staff to issue refunds for online credit card orders

If we have questions about a credit card transaction for an online order on our IC website, who should we contact

The indieCommerce team can assist you with questions related to your online credit card transactions, we will continue to be your first point of contact for anything related to orders on your IndieCommerce site.  But, the responsibility for managing all credit credit card transactions will lie with your store. This would include refunds and any other adjustments to credit card orders

We have many pre-orders (into next year) marked payment received and not complete. What will be the protocol around those orders?

Pre-orders marked payment received can now be left as-is, just like any other payment received orders.