Frequently Asked Questions

If our FAQ doesn’t help you, please email us. We’re happy to help.

Features

Authorize.Net / Merchant Account

Using Credit Card Terminal

Hardware

Troubleshooting

About Us

Features

Can I do refunds? What about credits and voids?

Yes, as long as you turn on Log/Refunds on the Settings screen. From the Log screen, tap on a charged transaction for the option to issue a refund. The refund will use the correct type of underlying transaction, either a void or a credit, as appropriate.

Can I send email receipts? Can I customize them?

Yes, as of version 3.4, as long as you turn on Log/Refunds, you can send PDF receipts right from Credit Card Terminal. The PDF receipts are sent from your email account, directly from your iPhone. The PDF is a beautifully-formatted classic looking sales receipt which includes your Merchant Name, the customer’s signature, and itemizes the tip if applicable. Tap the “Receipt” button after a transaction, or choose a transaction from the Log to view and email the receipt.

For more involved invoicing needs, consider using Credit Card Terminal with one of our partner apps.

If you’re using Authorize.Net, you can use their email receipts. They’re sent automatically as part of the transaction and come from an Authorize.Net email address. They don’t contain the signature or tip, and they’re formatted in plain text. You’ll need to collect the customer’s email address during the transaction if you want them to receive the Authorize.Net receipt.

To enable email receipts at Authorize.Net:

Log into the Merchant Interface at https://secure.authorize.net
Select Settings under Account in the main menu on the left
Click Email Receipt in the Transaction Format Settings section
Click to select the check box labeled Email transaction receipt to customer
Customize the email, if desired, by changing the Email Header and Email Footer fields.
Click Submit to save changes

To enter the email address in Credit Card Terminal:

From the main terminal screen, tap “More” to access more fields.
Tap the email field and use the on-screen keyboard to enter your customer’s email address.
Tap the back button in the upper left corner to return to the terminal.

Can I charge credit cards on my iPhone while I’m on a call?

Yes on Wi-Fi or 3G, but if you’re on an EDGE data network, you cannot use the internet while you’re on a call.

Can I use my PayPal account to accept credit cards?

Yes, but it requires PayPal Website Payments Pro, which is an additional service with a fee on top of your normal PayPal, PayPal Pro, or PayPal Business account.

If you’re in the United States, and you don’t already have a PayPal Website Payments Pro account, we strongly suggest you look into Authorize.Net instead. The costs are similar, but Authorize.Net has more features like test mode and email receipts, is easier to set up, and if you sign up through us comes with telephone support from people familiar with Credit Card Terminal.

You’ll want to look at PayPal’s step-by-step instructions for getting your API Username, API Password, and API Signature.

Entering the API values manually can be a frustrating process. Instead, we recommend installing the iPhone OS 3.0 update and using Copy/Paste to configure Credit Card Terminal. If you choose not to use Copy/Paste, be sure to key in correct upper or lower case letters, and beware of confusion between similar characters like 0/O/o or 1/I/l.

Be sure to use the Test Your Account button to confirm that your account is set up properly. PayPal Website Payments Pro does not provide a Test Mode like Authorize.Net, so there’s no way for you to try the interface without running real transactions.

How long does it take to charge a card?

2–3 seconds on a fast connection or up to 10–15 seconds on a slow one, depending on the type (Wi-Fi/3G/Edge) and strength (“bars”) of your data connection. We send as little data to Authorize.Net as we can, so wait times are as short as possible.

What if I have multiple businesses with different merchant accounts?

Right now, we only support one account. But we will implement support for multiple accounts in the future if enough customers request it. So let us know if it’s important to you.

Can I collect signatures on my iPhone? Do I need to collect signatures?

Yes, as of version 3.4, you can collect customers’ signatures on your iPhone. These signatures aren’t usually required if you have a Card Not Present, Mail Order, Telephone Order, or E-Commerce merchant account, but they can still be useful when fighting chargebacks. Collecting the customers’ signature may also help meet their expectations for a traditional face-to-face credit card transaction.

Can I use Automated Recurring Billing (ARB)?

You cannot perform ARB through Credit Card Terminal, but it’s ok to use accounts with ARB enabled with Credit Card Terminal.

Authorize.Net / Merchant Account

What is a Payment Gateway?

A payment gateway is a server on the internet that processes credit card transactions. Authorize.Net is one such gateway.

To understand how the payment gateway fits in to the overall credit card transaction, have a look at Authorize.Net’s How it Works diagram, which gives a step by step illustration of the credit card transaction process and the parties involved.

Your Authorize.Net account has an API Login ID and Transaction Key that identifies you. By entering these values into Credit Card Terminal — or any other software that supports Authorize.Net — the credit card processing can happen on your behalf.

You will typically pay both a monthly fee and a per-transaction fee for the payment gateway.

What is a Merchant Account?

A merchant account is a special arrangement with a bank required for processing credit cards. An internet merchant account is allowed to accept e-Commerce charges over the internet. You will typically pay both a monthly fee and a per-transaction fee for the merchant account.

Merchant accounts also usually have a Minimum Processing Fee or Minimum Discount Fee, which requires the merchant to pay a penalty if a certain quota is not met for the month. Our internet merchant account has no monthly minimums.

In addition, you pay a per-transaction percentage associated with the type of credit card. For Visa and MasterCard, this is called the discount rate, which may be “qualified” or “non-qualified”. US consumer credit and debit cards typically receive the qualified (lower) rate. International, government, or corporate cards receive the non-qualified (higher) rate.

What are the rates and fees for the Authorize.Net and Merchant Accounts?

Refer to our detailed pricing information.

How else can I use my Authorize.Net account?

You can use your Authorize.Net account to accept payment on your PC or Mac with no additional software. For example, you can accept payment for telephone orders. To access the Virtual Terminal web site:

Log into the Merchant Interface at https://secure.authorize.net
Click on Virtual Terminal

You can also use your Authorize.Net to accept payment on your web site by using one of the many other e-commerce solutions that support Authorize.Net.

Should I sign up directly through Authorize.Net?

No, you should sign up through our website. Our partner Merchant Focus is an Authorize.Net Preferred Reseller. You’ll get better rates on your merchant account, and you can qualify for our special offer.

If I already have an Authorize.Net account, are there additional fees?

No, there are no additional fees for using Credit Card Terminal. You can simply purchase Credit Card Terminal from the iTunes App Store and start using it right away.

What are “qualified” and “non-qualified” transactions?

“Qualified” and “non-qualified” are pricing tiers on Visa/MasterCard transactions.

With our merchant account, US consumer credit and debit cards typically receive the qualified (lower) rate as long as you collect the zip code for verification. That’s why we include the zip code on the main Credit Card Terminal screen. Not all cards can run at the qualified rate. For example, international, government, and corporate cards typically run at the non-qualified (higher) rate.

If you have a different merchant account, you may have a third tier of pricing, such as “Mid-Qualified”. You should always check to see what the requirements are for each pricing tier. For example, many other accounts require a card to be swiped to achieve the qualified (lowest) rate, which means that you can’t actually qualify for that rate when using iPhone-based processing.

What is a “settled” transaction? When are transactions settled?

Although authorization is performed at the time you charge the card, Authorize.Net only submits your charges once per day for “settlement,” which starts the process of getting the money into your bank account. Once a transaction is settled, it can no longer be voided. Settlement happens automatically each day at a time called the “Transaction Cut-Off Time”, which you can configure at the Authorize.Net website. Here’s how:

Browse to https://account.authorize.net/
Log in using your Authorize.Net username and password
Click on Account on the right
Click on Transaction Cut-Off Time
Enter a new time for settlement
Click Submit

Does my seasonal business have to pay monthly fees during the off-season?

We’re happy to accommodate Credit Card Terminal customers with seasonal businesses. Just give Merchant Focus a call at 1-800-895-4085.

Can I process cards if I’m outside the USA?

In addition to the USA, we support Canada and the UK, with transactions in the native currencies, $CAD and £GBP respectively.

What if I already have Authorize.Net?

Credit Card Terminal can use your existing Authorize.Net account, there are no additional fees, you just need to purchase Credit Card Terminal from the app store.

What if I already have an Internet Merchant Account?

You may sign up for Authorize.Net with your existing merchant account by using our Gateway-Only sign-up form, but your established internet merchant account must be compatible with one of these processors:

Chase Paymentech — Tampa Platform
First Data Merchant Services (FDMS) — Nashville Platform
First Data Merchant Services (FDMS) — Omaha Platform
Global Payments — East Platform
Elavon (formerly Nova)
TSYS Acquiring Solutions (formerly Vital)

The costs for our gateway-only sign-up include a $49 non-refundable setup fee, $15/month, and $0.10/transaction. You’ll need to fill out and fax in the Gateway-Only Sign-Up PDF.

However, you may want to consider signing up for our merchant account anyway to get telephone support and better pricing. It’s ok to have multiple merchant accounts with different providers if it makes sense for you.

How soon will funds be deposited into my bank account?

2 business days for the account offered through our site. Sales on a Monday will be deposited on a Wednesday. Thursday sales will be a Monday deposit.

What is a chargeback?

A chargeback occurs when the cardholder disputes a charge that was made through your merchant account.

If this happens, you will receive a chargeback notification from your merchant account provider (Merchant Focus if you signed up through us). It is extremely important to respond to the notification as soon as possible, as the default judgement is in favor of the cardholder if the merchant does not respond.

The card issuing bank is responsible for the chargeback investigation, and they will decide whether or not to reverse the charge based on the claims of the cardholder and the merchant’s response.

You are responsible for the chargeback fee regardless of the outcome of the dispute.

Using Credit Card Terminal

How do I explain my iPhone Credit Card Terminal to my customers?

Taking a credit card with Credit Card Terminal is a lot like paying with your credit card on Amazon.com. In both cases, the credit card information is entered into a computer (in this case your iPhone), and a secure connection is used to transmit the information. No sensitive credit card information is stored on your iPhone.

If you’re performing a face-to-face transaction with a customer, it’s a great opportunity to be completely open and straightforward about what you’re doing. You can build a level of trust that is otherwise impossible; for example, many credit card transactions are performed by servers in restaurants well out of sight of the cardholder.

In short, using Credit Card Terminal is just like any other credit card transaction. Customers will trust you based on your customer service, products, and services, not which technology you use for bookkeeping or payment. And just like with any other credit card transaction, consumers are well-protected from fraudulent credit card transactions by their credit card companies and the law.

Which information do I need to collect?

Unless you’ve turned on additional Authorize.Net required fields, you only need to collect the Card Number and Expiration from the customers and enter an amount to charge.

You may not be able to qualify for the better “qualified” rate unless you also collect the zip code for AVS. (Applies to our merchant account, check with your merchant account provider if you have a different account.)

If you want Authorize.Net to send an email receipt, you’ll also need to enter the email address on the More Fields screen.

How can I speed up entering customer information?

You can use one of our partner apps, like Timewerks or Ring It Up, to create a full payment solution. Invoicing, customer tracking, inventory, etc, is handled by the partner app. When it’s time to collect payment, Credit Card Terminal is run with all the applicable fields already filled in. You just have to collect the credit card information.

Hardware

Can I charge cards from more than one iPhone?

Your Authorize.Net account is not tied to Credit Card Terminal in any way. You can use it with any number of iPhones or iPod touches, as well as many other e-commerce solutions.

When you purchase Credit Card Terminal, you use a particular iTunes account username. You can freely install the app to as many devices as you like that use the same iTunes account.

If you want to use Credit Card Terminal on a device that doesn’t use the same iTunes account, the new account will need to purchase its own copy of the app. This one-time cost through iTunes won’t affect your monthly Authorize.Net or merchant account bills.

Do I need any special hardware?

No, you just need an iPhone or an iPod touch with the 2.0 firmware update.

Can I use a magnetic card reader for “swiped” transactions?

Coming soon. We have a card swipe hardware accessory working on the iPhone right now. But we’re still under non-disclosure agreements with the manufacturer, so we can’t release details or timelines at this time. Stay tuned!

Troubleshooting

Why do partial refunds sometimes fail?

Partial refunds may only be performed against settled transactions. So if you just make a mistake ringing up an order, or someone returns something on the same day they bought it, you’ll need to perform a full refund (which actually voids the original transaction). Then do a new charge for the correct amount.

Why do my transactions fail with “Shipping Address (for example) is required”?

“Shipping Address” is just an example; it could be any field. This error indicates that you’ve configured your Authorize.Net account to require fields. If it’s a field that Credit Card Terminal supports, like Invoice Number, you can simply take care to enter that field. If it’s one of the unsupported fields like the shipping address, sales tax, or line items, you’ll need to disable the requirement on the Authorize.Net web site. Here’s how:

Log into the Merchant Interface at https://secure.authorize.net
Select Settings under Account in the main menu on the left
Click Payment Form in the Transaction Settings section
Click Form Fields
Uncheck any required fields that are not desired

If you have an e-commerce site and want to require the field in question for website transactions, there should be a way to require the field in the shopping cart itself, instead of requiring it globally for your whole Authorize.Net account. Please let us know if you need help figuring it out.

About Us

Who is Inner Fence?

We are Inner Fence, the creators of Credit Card Terminal for iPhone and Mac. We’ve partnered with Authorize.Net and Merchant Focus to provide merchant services for you.

We are active and enthusiastic partners with Merchant Focus, and we stand behind our relationship with them 100%. They’ve got great customer service and have distinguished themselves from other players in the merchant industry by being fair, honest, and up-front about their fees and charges.

In order to provide you with the best possible customer service, we’re working with the best in the industry to become experts in merchant services. You should feel free to contact us with any problems or questions about our software or about your merchant account.

Who is Authorize.Net?

Authorize.Net^® has been providing payment gateway services since 1996, and they are the #1 provider in the US. We’ve chosen them as the payment gateway for Credit Card Terminal because of their long-standing reputation. They’re also the gateway that you’re most likely to already have an account with if you have an e-commerce website.

Who is Merchant Focus?

We’ve partnered with Merchant Focus to help customers set up new merchant accounts. Their leadership has 30 years of combined experience in e-commerce merchant services, and they’ve helped us by offering great rates for credit card processing and excellent customer service. Merchant Focus is an Authorize.Net Preferred Reseller. You can contact Merchant Focus at 1-800-895-4085.