Ask HN: Help? Problem taking credit card info before start of 30 day free trial.

8 points by arthurdent 15 years ago | 6 comments

I am using Authorize.net and they recommended Cybersource for my Merchant Service Provider. I thought I was good to go, then today I got this email:

"On your web site you offer a 30 day trial period. No credit card information can be taken before a trial period is over. You will need to remove the 30 day trial period or not take any credit card information until the 30 day trial period is over."

It seems like a common web app practice to take credit card information then not charge until the 30 day trial is over, but the MSP isn't letting me. What do I need to do in order to make this happen?

arthurdent 15 years ago |

Talked to my vendors and I'm just updating this thread in case someone runs into the same problem and finds it.

1. Its NOT an Authorize vs Braintree issue. Your gateway doesn't care at all. It has everything to do with your Merchant Service Provider.

2. Different merchant service providers have different rules. For reference, Cybersource (a Merchant Service Provider, and Authorize.net's parent company) does not allow you to take a credit card payment at the beginning of a software trial period. They require you to give the trial, THEN ask for the cc info and begin the recurring payments immediately after taking the information.

Cybersource claims that this is what they are supposed to do: when you take cc info online to charge, you pass that information to visa/mastercard/whatever credit card company, who then authorizes the transaction. There is an auth code associated with this transaction, and the auth code expires eventually.

They've told me that the rules from visa/mastercard are fairly clear that you're supposed to charge once you take the info, but some Merchant Service Providers aren't very strict on that.

tldr: Cybersource won't let you take credit card info until you charge the card. You'll have to find a different MSP.

amccloud 15 years ago |

Switch to Braintree

arthurdent 15 years ago | |

my understanding is that braintree is a gateway, and replacable by authorize. either way, its independent of my merchant service provider, which is the problem here.

if you think this is incorrect and switching to braintree solves this problem, please explain further.

tyrelb 15 years ago | | |

If you go to Braintree, you see this on the web site:

http://www.braintreepaymentsolutions.com/services/merchant-a... Bundled Services – Merchant Account, Payment Gateway, Credit Card Storage and Recurring Billing

Meaning they do offer some competitive, wrapped merchant account. I haven't used Braintree - anyone have comments on these guys being good vs. bad?

pinksoda 15 years ago |

Switch to a different merchant service provider. They probably won't give you an exception unless you already have a history with them, and high volume.

arthurdent 15 years ago | |

any recommendations for a merchant service provider?