Collecting and Processing Payments
Control Panel > Money > SetupClubExpress gives you several options for collecting payments on your website. Clubs and associations can use our built-in merchant account provided by Stripe, or have their own merchant account. If you have your own merchant account, instead of the funds flowing through us, the funds flow directly to your bank account.
In addition to being able to process check and cash payments, you can use:
If you do not have your own merchant account you can apply to use the built-in ClubExpress merchant account provided by Stripe. (Note this option is for customers using the built-in Stripe account, as opposed to using their own Stripe account). The ClubExpress merchant account is available to non-profit organizations in the United States only, and can only be used if none of the following apply:
- If you are a membership-based business rather than a non-profit club or association.
- If your club has a restaurant or bar facility and you need to process member "tabs" (food or drink charges) through your ClubExpress website.
- If you need to regularly process large transactions (for example, over $1500).
- If state law prohibits your organization (such as a large public university) from giving us access to a bank account to deposit collected funds and collect the merchant processing fees.
- If your club is located outside the US. ClubExpress supports Stripe as a payment gateway for clubs based in Canada, Australia, the UK and Europe. Our recommended payment gateway is Stripe, however we can provide support for Authorize.net.
Note: If you do not qualify to use the built-in ClubExpress merchant account but need to process credit card payments on your website, see instructions on using Stripe or Authorize.net below.
Charges appear on user statements using a shortened version of your organization name, and the funds flow into our bank account. Three (3) times per month (the 10th, 20th, and last day of the month), we transfer the net amount of each charge directly into your bank account - the charge, minus the credit card processing fee and the non-member convenience fee, if paid by your club (more on that below). The cut-off for funds remitted during that time period includes a three-day lag to allow the bank to verify and receive the funds. For example, funds remitted on January 10 include all payments received through your website from January 1 - January 7.
If non-members pay using a credit card on your site (for an event, donation, etc.), we will add a small per-transaction fee to the charge (the "Non-Member Technology Convenience Fee"). This fee is never charged to members and not charged to non-members who pay by other means (cash or a check). The fee is also never charged if you are using your own merchant account.
Note: The built-in merchant account is provided as a courtesy to clubs. However, ClubExpress carries all the credit card risk for this account and we need to carefully manage risk as well as transaction volume/size in order to keep fees and reserves as low as possible.
The default limit for an individual credit card payment is $500. For the vast majority of our customers, this will never be an issue. We know that some clubs do have memberships and events that cost more than this limit. In special circumstances and for long-time customers with a proven track record, we will consider raising this limit on request and on a case-by-case basis.
Please note that this change does not stop a club from recording memberships, event registrations, or donations that are larger than the limit; however, as long as the club is using the ClubExpress merchant account, these transactions can only be paid by check or cash, not by credit card. And don't forget that ClubExpress fully supports clubs and associations having their own merchant account. With your own merchant account, all limits are removed because risk is moved from ClubExpress over to the club. So for organizations that need the ability to process large transactions by credit card, the best option is to set up your own merchant account. We can help you do this, via a partnership with our merchant processor. For more information, see this page on our website: http://www.clubexpress.com/merchantaccount
Credit card processors and the card brands are toughening up their risk management policies. This means that all ClubExpress customers who use the ClubExpress credit card account will need pass a background check and supply a tax id (FEIN). You will be receiving IRS Form 1099 each year for all funds collected though the credit card account.
Rates
Transaction Type | Rate |
---|---|
Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express | 2.99% + $0.20 |
Chargebacks | $15.00 |
Transaction Amount | Fee |
---|---|
Up to $10.00 | $1.00 |
$10.01 - $50.00 | $2.00 |
$50.01 - $250.00 | $3.00 |
$250.01 - $500.00 | $4.00 |
$500.01 and Higher | $5.00 |
How to Apply
Navigate to Control Panel > Money > Setup > Money Options to begin your merchant account application. Select Start Application to navigate to the application screen.
In order to submit an application to our merchant processor, we need basic information about your club or association. We will pick up this information from other screens but you can edit it on this screen if you want to submit something other than your standard contact information.
Note: Editing information displayed on this screen changes the information for the application only and does not save to your club record.
The last part of the application collects the information on a “responsible party”, defined as the President or Treasurer of your club or association. All fields are required by Federal law, including the birthday and last four digits of your Social Security Number. This information is used to defend against money laundering and the funding of terrorists.
When you submit your application, we send your application to Stripe for approval. None of your information (except for your Tax ID) is retained in our database. You will be redirected to Stripe and prompted to enter any missing information, or correct anything which cannot be verified. You must also agree to Stripe's Terms of Service. When you click the Submit button on the Stripe website, you will be redirected back to your website. If more information is required, we may contact you. You'll receive an email once your account is approved.
If you need to modify the address where your 1099 will be sent, or change the representative you added in your application, you can return to the Money Options page. In the Credit Card Info panel, you'll see a button to navigate to Stripe to update your information.
For organizations that wish to use their own Stripe merchant account to process credit card payments, ClubExpress provides support for Stripe as our recommended payment processor. Before you can configure your account you must contact us to enable Stripe on your website. If you already have a Stripe account, connect your existing account by granting permission to ClubExpress to access it. If you do not have your own Stripe account you can create one.
Note: If you are currently using Authorize.net or the ClubExpress merchant account and switch to using Stripe, your existing credit card processing account will not disconnect until the Stripe connection process is complete.
Charges appear on user statements using a shortened version of your organization name which you configure during the sign-up process with Stripe.
Rates
For more information and rates, visit the Stripe website.
Transaction Type | Rate |
---|---|
Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Maestro, JCB, Diners Club, China Union Pay (we do not currently allow Apple or Google Pay on ClubExpress sites) | 2.9% + $0.30 |
International Cards | +1% |
How to Set Up Stripe
Select Configure Stripe Account in the Control Panel > Money > Money Options to navigate to the Stripe website. If you already have a Stripe account, log in and grant ClubExpress permission to access the account.
If you do not have a Stripe account, enter a username and password to begin the sign-up process. You will be taken to the ClubExpress/Stripe data entry form. Once you have filled out the required information you will be redirected to ClubExpress and shown the results of your Stripe Sign-up process.
- Your application was approved by Stripe. You can now process credit card payments on your website using your Stripe account.
- Your application with Stripe has not been completed, but your account has been connected to ClubExpress. If you are currently using another merchant account (either the ClubExpress merchant account or Authorize.net), credit card processing is still active on your website through the existing merchant account. If you are not currently using another merchant account you cannot process credit card payments until your Stripe account is complete. In each case, provide the appropriate information to Stripe to complete your account. Once your account is complete, we will be notified and switch your payment processor to Stripe.
- An error occurs in the sign-up process. We will receive an email noting an error occurred in a new sign-up.
Once you have connected your Stripe account with ClubExpress, the Money Options page will show your Stripe account status, a link to your Stripe Dashboard, and a field to enter the credit card descriptor (the organization name which will appear on user statements) you assigned during the Stripe sign-up process. Enter the same descriptor you entered on the Stripe website. This information is displayed on the payment page to notify the member of what they will see on their credit card statements.
Select the Disconnect Stripe Account button to remove the link between your ClubExpress website and your Stripe account. You will no longer be able to accept credit cards on your website until you contact us to use another method. To reconnect your Stripe account, select the Configure Stripe Account button and begin the process at the start of this section to connect your account.
Note: If you disconnect from ClubExpress using your Stripe Dashboard, we receive a notification and turn off credit card processing on your website.
For organizations that wish to use their own merchant account to process credit card payments, ClubExpress provides support for Authorize.net.
Charges appear on user statements using a shortened version of your organization name which you configure in Control Panel > Money > Setup > Money Options.
Rates
For more information and rates, visit the Authorize.net website.
Transaction Type | Rate |
---|---|
Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover | 2.9% + $0.30 |
How to Set Up Authorize.net
Configure your account in ClubExpress
Create an account on the Authorize.net website. Once you have your own account, we require three (3) pieces of information from you. The information can be found on the Authorize.net website, under Settings > Security Settings - API Login and Transaction Key. Once you generate new values, send them to us and we'll configure them in the system for you.
We also require a PDF to verify your back account information (a bank statement or canceled check).
- API Login
- Transaction Key
- Name as if appears on cardholder statements (up to 22 characters). We will display this information on the payment page, so users know what to look for on credit card statements.
Transaction Format Settings
ClubExpress submits transactions through the Authorize.Net API in a specific format. You need to configure the API to accept this format.
On the Authorize.Net website, go to the Settings page. Under Transaction Format Settings, click Payment Form then click Form Fields. Be sure that all of the checkboxes in the “Required” column are blank (unchecked). Also be sure that the Security Code checkbox at the bottom of the page is not checked. Then click the Submit button.
ClubExpress ensures that transactions are correctly formatted, with all required information, before submitting them to Authorize.Net. So you don’t need Authorize.Net to enforce these required fields.
CCV Settings
Administrators: ClubExpress does not support the "Authorize and Hold for Review" option; you may use only "Allow" or Decline".
Card Code Verification (CCV) is the three or four digit code on the back or front of your credit card. For your (and our!) protection, ClubExpress requires users to enter the correct code in order to process a transaction.
On the Settings page, in the Security Settings section, select Card Code Verification. This page allows you to configure how the gateway should accept or reject transactions when the card code does not match.
We recommend the following settings id Card Code value:
- Decline – N (Does NOT Match)
- Allow – P (Is NOT Processed)
- Allow – S (Should be on card, but is not indicated)
- Allow – U (Issuer is not certified or has not provided encryption key)
Click Submit to save your changes.
AVS Settings
Administrators: ClubExpress does not support the "Authorize and Hold for Review" option; you may use only "Allow" or Decline".
The Address Verification Service checks the address entered by the user against the address registered with the credit card to ensure they are the same. Specifically, the system verifies the street number component only of the main address field (not the street name!) and the zip code.
On the Settings page, in the Security Settings section, select Address Verification Service. This page allows you to configure how the gateway should accept or reject transactions when the address does not match.
In the General AVS Responses section, we recommend checking the following options:
- Decline – B (Transaction was submitted without a billing address)
- Decline – E (AVS data provided is invalid or AVS is not allowed for the card type that was used)
- Decline – R (The AVS system was unavailable at the time of processing)
- Allow – G (The card issuing bank is of non-US origin and does not support AVS)
- Allow – U (The address information for the cardholder is unavailable)
- Allow – S (the U.S. card issuing bank does not support AVS)
In the Address and ZIP Code Responses section, we recommend the following settings:
- Decline – N (None of the address components match)
- Allow – A
- Allow – Z
- Allow – W
- Allow – Y
Click Submit to save your changes.
Test Mode
When your account is first set up, it will be in test mode, allowing you to run tests to ensure that everything is working correctly. In test mode, it looks as though transactions are completed but in actuality, cards are not charged.
When you give us the API Login and Transaction Key, and we install these for your website, we are assuming from that point forward that this is your merchant account.
So it is essential that you switch the account from Test Mode into Active Mode before providing this information to us.
Which Credit Cards are Enabled
Be sure to tell us whether you enabled or disabled Discover Card and/or American Express (Amex in particular requires a separate contract with your merchant processor.) If Discover and Amex are not enabled, we need to hide them on your ClubExpress website.
Searching in Authorize.Net
If you need to search for transactions, there are two lists maintained with Authorize.Net.
Unsettled transactions are those that have occurred within the past few hours (sometimes as long as 24 hours.) Settlement occurs at a time that you designate; transactions which take place before then can be found on the Unsettled Transactions list.
Once transactions have settled, they can be found by clicking the “Search by Batch” option. To search by card number, enter the last four digits only. You can also search by First Name and Last Name.
Once
Note: The PayPal account you connect must be a business account, not a personal account. You also must be the primary user in order to authorize ClubExpress.
ClubExpress allows you to configure PayPal as a payment method for member and non-member transactions.
When this option is available, users will select PayPal as their payment method. They will then see a PayPal popup window to allow them to login to their PayPal account. They can then pick the source of funds (a bank account, a credit card, or even a PayPal balance.) The funds then flow into your club’s or association’s PayPal account. Once the transaction is complete, users are returned to your ClubExpress website and to the payment summary page.
Note: Users do NOT need a PayPal account in order to pay using PayPal. They can pay with a credit card as a “guest”.
Administrators: PayPal is not available as a payment method for administrators to use to apply payments on behalf of a member. Only users can choose to make a payment using their personal PayPal account.
If your club or association has formal non-profit status with the IRS or your state Treasury department, be sure to let PayPal know when you create your account. Their per-transaction rates should be lower for non-profits.
How to Set Up PayPal
To setup PayPal as an available payment method, your club or association must have its own PayPal account. The setup process involves authorizing ClubExpress to allow members and non-members to initiate transfers from their PayPal accounts into your organization’s PayPal account.
Navigate to the Control Panel > Money > Setup > Money Options and select PayPal Configuration. You will see the following screen:
Click the Start PayPal Process button to begin the setup process. You will be taken over to the PayPal website where you can login to an existing PayPal account or create a new one.
Enter the email address linked to the PayPal account and your country. Click Next then enter your password on the next screen.
You will next see a screen asking if you want to connect your website to your PayPal account. Click Agree and connect.
If everything is in order, the next screen will confirm that you’ve successfully authorized your club’s website on ClubExpress to use that PayPal account. Click the Go back… button to return to your ClubExpress website.
The PayPal Account Confirmation screen will now look as follows:
Click Activate PayPal Account to activate PayPal as an available payment method. Click Cancel PayPal Account to cancel the process and remove PayPal from your website. You will be prompted to confirm this action.
When you activate PayPal, the screen will change as follows:
Click the Temporarily Deactivate PayPal Account button to leave the configuration and link in place but temporarily block this as a payment method. If you select this option, the button changes to Reactivate…
Click the Remove PayPal Account to stop accepting PayPal and remove the configuration completely. You will be prompted to confirm this operation. Once this is done, you can easily reactivate the previously-configured PayPal Account, or restart the linking process to configure a new PayPal Account.
Click the Change PayPal Account to start using a different account. This restarts the linking process by taking you back to the PayPal site.
How to Use PayPal
Administrators: PayPal is not available as a payment method for administrators to use to apply payments on behalf of a member. Only users can choose to make a payment using their personal PayPal account.
When PayPal has been enabled, users will see PayPal as an available option on the Pending Payment page.
Clicking the PayPal Checkout button displays a popup form to login to your PayPal account:
Once you have logged in, you are taken to a page where you can pick the source of funds:
In the above example, the use as a PayPal Balance, a bank account, and a Visa credit card all configured. Select one option, then scroll down to click the Pay Now button at the bottom of the dialog.
The funds will be transferred and the dialog will close. You will be returned to your ClubExpress website.
PayPal will send you a receipt to show that the funds have arrived in your PayPal account.