Top 3 Questions

1. I already have a standard merchant facility with my bank, can I use Commerce Engine?

   Almost, you need to ask your bank to set up an internet merchant facility. This allows you to accept online payments.

2. Do I need a bank merchant facility?

   Yes, you must have a bank merchant facility which allows internet payments, commonly referred to as an internet merchant facility. We can assist you in the selection.

3. What payment types are accepted?

   We accept all major credit cards.

General Questions

• What are your business hours?

  Office hours are between 9am and 5pm weekdays.

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• When can I process payments?

  Our payment gateway is available 24/7. That part of the business is never closed!

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Commerce Engine Merchant Account Questions

• Do I need to register with Commerce Engine in order to accept payments?

  Yes, to begin taking payments you must sign up to become an authorised merchant.

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• What do I need, what are the requirements?

  All you need to get started is:
  1. A Commerce Engine merchant account
  2. An internet merchant facility linked to your bank account
  3. A website, if you do not have one, www.pacificfox.com.au can provide you with one

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• I already have a standard merchant facility with my bank, can I use Commerce Engine?

  Yes, almost, you need to ask your bank to set up an internet merchant facility. This allows you to accept online payments.

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• Do I need a bank merchant facility?

  Yes, you must have a bank merchant facility which allows internet payments, commonly referred to as an internet merchant facility. Commerce Engine can assist you in the selection.

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• What payment types are accepted?

  Commerce Engine accepts all major credit cards.

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• Can I accept payments for eBay auction sales?

  Yes you can, it is very easy, you would need to select the following option under payment methods for the item you are selling;

  Merchant credit cards
  Only for sellers accepting credit card purchases through their own merchant account.
  Visa/MasterCard American Express

  and tick the type of credit cards you would want to accept. In the payment description you would have the links to the Commerce Engine payment solution either directly to our system or to your own website.

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Signing up Questions

• How do I sign up?

  Use our secure sign up page.

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• Are there any forms I need to fill in?

  The sign up is entirely automated and online for your convenience thus eliminating the need for filling out forms.

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• How long does it take to set up a Commerce Engine merchant account?

  You should allow up to 24 hours but we can usually have the service available within 2-3 hours if requested (business hours only).

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Banks and Internet Merchant Facilities Questions

• What Australian banks does Commerce Engine support?

  ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, National Bank, American Express, Diners, JCB, Bank West, Bank of SA.

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• What is an internet merchant facility?

  Like the standard merchant facility this allows you to take credit card payments from customers. The difference is that this facility enables you to take card details over the internet. As the credit card is not physically present when the payment is made the bank needs to specifically approve the extended facility.

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• How much does an internet merchant facility cost?

  There are a number of bank fees involved. These include:
  1. Establishment fee
  2. Monthly fees
  3. Merchant transaction fee (2-4.5% of payment total)
  You can often negotiate a reduction in these costs.

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• Does it take long to set up a merchant internet facility with the bank?

  This is dependant on your bank and typically takes between 3 – 5 working days.

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• How do I sign up for a merchant internet facility?

  Begin the sign up process here. Alternatively, contact your bank for details.

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• Do banks require a business plan?

  Some do and we can assist you in that process. During the sign up you have the option of creating a business plan. In addition we have financial advisors on staff that can negotiate with banks on your behalf.

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Pricing Questions

• How much does it cost?

  Please visit our pricing page.

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• Do Commerce Engine fees cover the bank merchant facility fees?

  Like all other payment gateways our fees do not include bank fees. Their fees are separate and relate to the provision of the Merchant Facility.

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Credit Card Questions

• What credit card type does Commerce Engine support?

  American Express, Bankcard, Diners Club, JCB, MasterCard, Proprietary and Visa.

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• Can I process American Express, diners or JCB?

  You normally need to establish an account with each of these providers to accept payments.

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• Can I process overseas credit cards?

  Yes! So long as the credit card details are valid they will be processed.

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• Can I pre-authorise a payment?

  Yes, although it could be restricted by your bank. Please contact us to confirm availability.

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Transaction Questions

• What types of transactions can be sent?

  Captures, Authorisations, Settlement Advices, Refunds, Reversals and Query Status

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• How does Commerce Engine check the validity of transaction details?

  Validation of data takes place at several stages of the payment process. We ensure mandatory fields are given and check that credit card details are properly formatted. Transactions that are rejected do not incur a fee.

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• How fast are payments handled?

  Instantly. There may a slight delay of a few seconds while the bank network is contacted. Response is returned immediately indicating success or failure.

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• Is there a minimum or maximum limit on the number of transactions?

  There are currently no limits set by Commerce Engine. You should check with your bank to ensure that they do not impose restrictions.

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• Is there a minimum or maximum payment amount?

  These limits are set by your merchant bank.

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• Can I process payments received by post, fax or email?

  Yes. You can log into your merchant console and process a manual transaction. Payments are made immediately and a response issued.

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• Can I process refunds?

  Yes. You can log into your merchant console and process a manual refund.

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• Can I refund more than the original amount?

  You can refund up to the original amount but not more. You can refund a partial amount.

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• Can I process more than one refund?

  Yes but only up to the amount of the original payment.

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• Can I process a reversal or refund for an expired credit card?

  You will need to contact your customer to obtain the new card information. You can then log into the merchant console and manually refund.

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• Is there a limit to the total amount of refunds I can process?

  Yes, usually the banks set a default limit on your merchant account. You should contact them if you want to vary the limit.

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• Can I cancel a payment?

  Yes you can log into your merchant console and process a manual reversal. These can only be made on the day of the original payment and will not appear on the payer’s credit card statement. If not reversed the same day a refund can be issued.

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• How do I prevent fraudulent transactions?

  Please review the material provided by your bank.

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• What currencies can I accept?

  This is restricted by your merchant bank. Most Australian banks only accept Australian dollars.

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Hosted Payment Questions

• Is the customer redirect away from my site?

  You have the option of opening payment pages in a frame contained on your web site.

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• What ports does my merchant server need to be able to access?

  Communication between a merchant server and Commerce Engine gateway is over HTTPS. You should open port 433. This is the standard port.

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Seamless Integration Questions

• What software needs to be installed?

  Unlike our competitors there are no required software components. All you need is the ability to program a shopping basket to interface with our solution.

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• What programming language does seamless support?

  Any language including Java, C#, PHP, Perl, ColdFusion, ASP, VB, etcetera. As long as the language is capable of building a string in XML format and can call web services it is supported.

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• What are the minimum requirements?

  Any web server that conforms to HTTP/1.0 standard Server that can be configured for SSL Any platform including Windows NT, 2000, XP, Unix (Linux), Macintosh.

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• My site does not support secure socket layer. Can I still process payments?

  You won’t be able to use seamless payments. However, hosted payments are available.

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Merchant Console Questions

• Do I need multiple log-ins for each product?

  To keep things simple and easy to use each merchant has full access to all facilities through one console login.

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• What reports are available?

  There are extensive, customisable reports to enable you to review payment histories and perform reconciliations.

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Integration Questions

• What information do I need to provide to my web developer?

  Please advise them that you have signed up with Commerce Engine. We are very happy to liase directly with your developers to deliver an exceptional payment service.

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Billing Questions

• How do I pay?

  Log into your merchant console, select account and enter/update your payment details. We only accept credit card payments.

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• When do I pay access fees?

  These costs are payable after the merchant facility is tested. Payment is required before the facility goes live.

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• When am I billed for transactions costs?

  We automatically bill transaction fees against your nominated credit card at the end of each month.

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On this page you will find frequently asked questions about;

• General

• Commerce Engine Merchant Account

• Signing up

• Banks and Internet Merchant Facilities

• Pricing

• Credit Cards

• Transactions

• Hosted Payments

• Seamless Integration

• Merchant Console

• Integration

• Billing