Configure Credit Card Verification Feature Settings

Overview of Credit Card Verification

The Credit Card Verification feature allows you to put in place a security process to check ownership of credit cards used for orders on your site. When turned on, the system will flag credit card orders over a set monetary threshold completed via guest checkout and whenever a new credit card is used by registered Users and/or Customers. Two verification methods are available - Split Charge (the older method) and Short Change (the new and recommended one). Credit Card Verification Feature Settings can be configured by your site's CMS administrators.

When Credit Card Verification is active on your site, an affected order is placed on hold ('pending') until credit card ownership has been verified. For registered users and customers, successful verification of a credit card means it can be used for subsequent orders without triggering further security checks. Also, if a registered user has multiple orders 'pending' against the same credit card, the system will release all orders upon its successful verification. Note that guest checkouts over the threshold amount will always trigger the verification process even when the credit card has been used before.

Prerequisites to using Credit Card Verification

This verification process is compatible only with the eWay Payment Provider.

add versions?

Step-by-step guide to configuring and using Credit Card Verification

In CMS, navigate to Settings → Feature Management → Payment & Checkout.

Toggle on Credit Card Verification and click Configure.

In The Credit Card Verification page, toggle on Enable Credit Card Verification.

Accept the default values or change them to match your business requirements.

Option Default Value Description Override
Enable Immediate Order Integration OFF
When turned on, the system will integrate the order to the ERP before the verification process is initiated. This allows items in the order to be reserved for this order and prevent it from being purchased in another order. It is designed to be used with the ShortChange method. Does it need CV support to set up?
When this option is OFF, the verification process begins upon submission of the order, and the order is on hold on the website only.
Role level
Attempts Allowed 3 The number of times the user or customer can attempt to verify ownership by entering one of the split amounts charged to their credit card before the order is cancelled. Role level
Percentage Split (of the order amount) 85 Applies to Split Charge only. The system will split the total amount payable by the user/customer into two charge amounts (the first split equalling this value +/- the Credit Card Verification Percentage Variant), one of which they must enter to verify credit card ownership. Role level
Threshold Order Amount 250.00 The system will hold orders over this amount until the user/customer can verify credit card ownership. Role level
Days to Hold Order 45 This value determines how long the order remains open until the user validates the credit card. Role level
Usage Type Customer Set the Credit Card Verification settings against the user's login or a customer. Note - Guest Checkout users will always trigger a verification request whenever their order is over the Threshold Order Amount. Role level
Verification Method SplitCharge
Select SplitCharge or ShortChange.
Split Charge - the system will separately charge the credit card twice in accordance with the nominated 'Percentage Split'. They appear as two charges with two cash receipts. The customer/user must be able to confirm one of the split charges to pass the verification check.
Short Change - the system will charge the credit card once and the charge appears in a single cash receipt. However, a random amount between the 'Payment Amount' and 'Payment Amount - Max Short Charge Amount' is temporarily deducted in the charge. The customer/user must be able to confirm either the 'short change' amount or the short charge amount.
Role level
Days Before Initial Reminder Email 2 Send an initial reminder email X days after the customer placed the order if they have not verified the credit card.
Days Before Subsequent Reminder Email 7 Send a follow-up reminder email X days after the initial reminder email if the customer has still not verified the credit card.
Notification Email Blank Enter the email address to which the system will send email notifications of orders pending, awaiting verification.
Online Team Email Blank Enter a team email address to which the system will send email notifications of orders pending, awaiting verification. Role level
Order Integration Order Status 17 This value represents an order that has been integrated into ERP
Short Change Settings
Max Short Change Amount
$1.00
Applies to 'ShortChange' option only. When ShortChange is selected as the verification method, then the system will deduct a random amount off the total. This is the maximum amount that can be deducted off the payment amount.

Overrides

An override allows you to specify an exception to a specific global setting. You can configure overrides at the role level for each of the marked options by clicking the Overrides option.

For instance, you may want to restrict Business2Business customers to two verification attempts and allow everyone else the default value of three.

To add an override,
Click the button.
In the Role dropdown list, select the role.
In Override Value, add the override value.
Click Confirm to save your changes. You will see that the number of overrides for the feature has increased by one.

To save your changes, click Save or Save and Exit.

Edit Order Confirmation Message widget

When Credit Card Verification is turned on, a message informing the new customer of the verification process is displayed after the order is submitted. You can customise this message in the Order Confirmation Message widget.

Navigate to Content → Pages & Templates → Checkout.

Locate the Order Confirmation Page and click Edit.

Find the Order Confirmation Message widget and click Edit.

Find the tab: 'Credit Card Validation'. Note - If the tab is not there, check that 'Credit Card Verification' is enabled in 'Settings'.

Configure the heading and message the buyer will see upon Checkout.

Save your changes.

View and manage orders awaiting credit card verification

When Credit Card Verification is turned on and active, the CMS displays the menu item Orders → Credit Card Verification. Clicking on it will take you to the list of orders and their current statuses.

Menu item - Credit Card Verification

An order awaiting credit card verification will have the status 'Pending'.

To view an order's details including the Split Charge or Short Change amounts, click on More Info.

If the user fails the first attempt, eWay

Resend credit card verification email to Customer

If the customer enquires after their order and requires the email asking them to verify the amounts, you can resend the email to them by clicking Resend Email.

Verification of credit card ownership offline

If the customer was unable to validate the credit card via the link but was able to confirm card ownership, an authorised CMS user can release the order by clicking Release against the pending order.

Enter the reason for the release and click Confirm. The order is released and the customer will receive an order confirmation email.

The Credit Card Verification process from customers/users' perspective

A first-time user or customer registers on your site and makes a purchase. At the 'Checkout' page, they must check the box to acknowledge that their credit card payment may be selected for additional security verification.
As this is the first time this customer has purchased something on the site with an unverified credit card, the system will advise them that the order is 'pending' at the confirmation screen.
The system will also send them an email, which also has the link for them to validate the order.
The verification amount(s) the customer needs will appear in their credit card's transactions. There will be two charges for a Split Charge and one for a Short Change.
When they click the link in the email (or Order Pending screen), they must enter one of the values that was charged to their card to release the order.
If the amount entered is correct, the system will release the order and send them a verification email, which shows the total amount and confirms the split or short values. The Cash Receipt below displays a successful Split Charge verified payment.

What if user fails credit card verification?

Each time the user enters an amount that does not match the splits charged or the short changes for the nominated order, the system will display a failed message. The number of times a user can attempt verification depends on the 'Attempts Allowed' setting.

2 (i) On the final failed attempt, the system will advise them the number of verification attempts have been exceeded. The user will not be able to make any more attempts.

(ii) The system will also email the address entered in 'Notification Email' (in Credit Card Verification Feature Settings) of the failed verification.

(iii) For security purposes, a CMS administrator cannot release an order that failed verification.

The credit card is charged at the time of purchase. Therefore, if verification fails, then the customer or user must engage with the credit card merchant to organise a refund to the nominated credit card if they abandon an order.

Additional Information