POS CC Reader (Non Shopify-Payments)

[AlanK]

Hello All,

I have both an online store and POS, neither use Shopify-Payments. I am using Stripe and PayPal for processing sales.  I need a credit card reader for the POS system and it seems I can not use the Shopify hardware (card reader) as I am not using the the Shopify payment system (Shopify-Payments).  Is this correct?  I contacted strip about a credit card reader and it seems they only off CC Readers for their own POS system and I need payments to still go through Shopify to track them and handle inventory.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. 

Thank you for you all for your time.

-Alan

[GLIMMER]

I have run into this same issue with a client who is trying to integrate with Authorize.Net for their 30 US stores.

The "External payment" option is a non-starter. I spoke to the people at Authorize.net and they said that they

indeed have a Canadian Integration with Shopify POS where there was an integration of their "plug-in" and that

it would simply require Shopify doing this in the US as well.

If Shopify wants to scale to larger retailers they should open things up to 3rd party processors. 

Here is the link to to Authorize.net's developer API page.   I hope Shopify will be more democratic and less rigid in what clients can use.

https://developer.authorize.net/api/reference/features/in-person.html

[Casey_Samson]

@GLIMMER 100% !!!!! I have been saying this for MONTHS. This is not a hard task. It is likely simple coding to allow it to happen or better yet, it is there already. Think about it. If I can manually enter the card details ON THE SHOPIFY POS, I should be able to use an EMV card reader. It is already working with Authorize.net. 

This HAS to change. 

[GLIMMER]

@Julie You have been very helpful in responding to all these questions, but please help us all to see this through.

What needs to take place so that Authorize.net can be certified for partial-integration with Shopify POS for the US, as it is in

Canada?   My understanding from Auth.Net is this is simply a certification to their encryption key. As Shopify grows into larger

retailers with more complex needs and established relationships, it becomes critical to expand retailers choice.

Please let us know Julie.

Thanks

Michael

[Julie]

Hello again, everyone.

I do thank you all for your feedback and suggestions and I have ensured that this has been raised with our developers. While I don't have a definitive answer as to whether Shopify POS will have a full integration with Authorize.net, your feedback has not gone unnoticed.

I fully understand how this integration would help many merchants like yourselves, so I appreciate everyone hopping into the conversation and sharing their feedback. I'll continue to pass this along to our developers. In the meantime, you can keep an eye on our changelog for future platform updates.

If you need a hand with Shopify POS in the meantime, I encourage you to reach out to our 24/7 Support team or start a new topic here in the Community Forums.

Thanks again!

[davidcastorio]

Your rates are so high it's difficult to justify using Shopify Payments.
You charge the same rates even when a debit card is used and that's
ridiculous. Most companies charge $0.30 plus maybe a small percent per
transaction. On a large transaction that is no where near 2.6% what Shopify
is charging.

[Casey_Samson]

@ScaleNorthJoe Its a monopoly. They CAN allow authorize.net to be used with their readers. They CHOOSE not to to force you into their "Shopify Payments"

[davidcastorio]

Absolutely. I agree. Which is so obvious by the fact that you can manually
enter a credit card and it would show all the details. Adding a card reader
is just a smoother and safer way than inputting a cc number. Shame on
them!!!

[tatsuya_s]

Hi @Julie 

I have a question about payment process for Shopify POS with Authrize.net.

Already, I have posted same question in another thread (here) and post here again.

Hi there,

We are planning to use Shopify POS with Authorize.net as third-party gateway.

Question:

If we setup the POS with iPad, certified Tap & Chip Reader and Authorize.net.

How does a store staff operate the POS screen like below?

 - "Credit card" section (red circle) will activate?

 - And Tap & Chip Reader will activate when "Credit card" section is clicked by store staff and the total amount has been set automatically?

 - The customer insert or tap their credit card, then payment process will start and complete automatically? 

 - The POS screen will show "The Order as Paid"?

I just want to know that when we select Authorize.net as gateway, the POS can provide us the same experience as with Shopify Payment.

Best regards,

[Casey_Samson]

@tatsuya_s  Hi there!

I am not @Julie  But can answer this. 

If you are using Authorize.net, you CANNOT use the Tap & Chip Reader. It is impossible. You can manually enter the CC information on the screen, but Shopify is stingy and will not allow Authorize.net to connect to their card readers. 

If you are using Authorize.net as your payment provider, it really hinders the Shopify POS.

Simply put, you CANNOT run credit cards with the POS unless you MANUALLY type in the info, if you are using a 3rd party payment provider. 

Shopify knows this, and has known for a long time, and refuses to make this simple change. 

[ayrity]

This is absolutely, 100% true. Good reply.

[Casey_Samson]

@ayrity It is stupidly annoying. It also makes "pop up" markets and vendor shows a complete nightmare. We have been actively looking for a better solution, but sadly there is not a better option right now. I am disgusted on how difficult they INTENTIONALLY are making this system. 

[Julie]

Hi, @tatsuya_s!

Thanks for joining the conversation. 

The Tap and Chip card reader requires merchants to be using Shopify Payments. This is outlined in the Requirements section here. 

In the chart located in this help doc, you'll see which payment gateways are supported for each card reader. If you are in Canada, you can purchase the Swipe (audio-jack) card reader, which is compatible with both Shopify Payments and Authorize.net. It can be purchased from Shopify's Canadian Hardware Store here.

Otherwise, I suggest sourcing a card reader from Authorize.net directly. You can learn more about using external card readers with Shopify POS here. 

I hope this clears things up!

[ayrity]

@Julie     What you said is all true as well, however, by being focused on the work arounds and implying the limitation is no big deal, your reply could be misleading to someone unfamiliar with the issue here.

The clear way to understand is:

If you use Shopify Payments you get full functionality of the POS system

If you DO NOT use Shopify Payments, you do not have access to the full functionality of the POS system. The lacking functionality being there is zero communication between whatever you use to process a credit card and the POS system which is a core concept of what a POS is supposed to do.*

*(There existes a small exception if you happen to have a store in Canada and somehow find an ipad with a headphone jack and are happy using old hardware that is no longer supported)

[Casey_Samson]

@ayrity EXACTLY!!! Isn't funny how we are forced to use old hardware when the new technology is there but they are too money-hungry to support a third-party processor on a POS!? Kind of along the lines of what some would call a monopoly... Or the old song, " Sixteen Tons", "I owe my soul to the company store" 

Company stores - A company store is a retail store selling a limited range of food, clothing, and daily necessities to employees of a company. It is typical of a company town in a remote area where virtually everyone is employed by one firm,

Basically, use all our hardware and our services or you can't be an efficient merchant. 

[tatsuya_s]

@Julie 

Oh, Okay.

Our store is located in U.S.

So it means that there is NO way to integrate Shopify POS with a Card Reader when we select the third-party payment gateway.

Thank you @Casey_Samson and @ayrity .

Yes, I request Shopify team strongly to unlock this integration issue for your loyal customers.

Best regards,

[Casey_Samson]

@tatsuya_s 

I want to make sure you get the information correct. 

What @Julie is referring to end the end of her last post is misleading at best. Using a Reader from Authorize.net WILL NOT integrate with the POS. So it is really not a solution at all. It would be a standalone system and there is no way to display the transaction ID and other information required to be on credit card receipts from the Shopify POS terminal. 

The receipt would simply show a payment method that you name, and paid. Essentially you would have to give the customer 2 (TWO!) Receipts so that they would have the required information, one from Shopify listing what they bought, and one from the CC terminal showing that you actually charged their card on another device/terminal. 

The Swipe reader is an option, BUT not if you bought the expensive Shopify POS system made by Shopify. What is infuriating is it is clearly available, since you can swipe the dang card using an audio jack reader, but they refuse to integrate into the more secure and more reliable readers. ?

@Julie  DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PLEASE!

[Georgeaga]

You mentioned “Authorize.net is a payment gateway compatible with the Shopify POS, you could use one of our own card readers.”

Does this mean that i can use “Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader ” on shopify pos and use Authorize.Net.net as my payment gateway?

i

[Casey_Samson]

One would think. But no, they control the payment gateway and they do not want you using their readers if you are not using Shopify Payments. Of course you can't call and ask for help either because they have zero support right now.

[Julie]

Hey, @Georgeaga!

While it is possible to use Authorize.net with Shopify POS, you will need to ensure that you are using a card reader that's compatible with this particular gateway. Currently, the only card readers compatible with Authorize.net include: 

• Swipe (audio-jack) card reader (available in Canada only)
• Swipe (Lightning) card reader (available in Canada only)
• Swipe (30 pin) card reader (discontinued)

Unfortunately, it is not possible to use Authorize.net with the Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader, as this particular card reader is only compatible with Shopify Payments. If you are using Authorize.net, then you will need to source a card reader from them and enable External Terminal as a payment option in the POS app. Once that's done, you can then select External terminal as a payment method when processing a transaction. 

I also wanted to follow up regarding @Casey_Samson's concerns about our phone support. Due to an extremely high volume of support requests as of late, we are currently offering callbacks as a method of phone support. All of our other contact methods, including live chat, can be found here. If callbacks are available, you'll see an option to request one directly from that page. If you are ever needing support with Shopify POS specifically, you can also find the contact information for our Retail team, as well as their dedicated phone number directly in the POS app, under Store > Support.

I hope this clears things up!

[astaraquestions]

HI Julie,

I appreciate all of the information you are sharing here. I need some help and don't know exactly where to go for it. But it is definitely related to this thread.

We have a Shopify Pro subscription and have just discovered we cannot use Shopify Payments because we need the gateway/merchant services to accept donations. We have just recently purchased the POS option and are utilizing that for a whole new set of inventory that has just gone online. We have also purchased the Shopify chip and swipe readers from Shopify as well as the Socket mobile.

In this current climate we are not selling much in person, but we hope to not too long from now. So, almost all of our purchases occur online and the current gateway is Authorize.net.

We want to switch to a gateway/merchant services provider that can accept donations, integrate with Shopify and Shopify POS, will allow for monthly subscription plans, will process with card-present and not card-present transactions, have good customer service, and also understand what our hardware (card readers, etc) requirements are, and ideally integrate with Quickbooks online.

I see the whole list of payment providers at Shopify's site (all 50 or so of them). How do I whittle this down with you all so that I am not in the situation of the others in this thread? Who can help me answer all of these questions without having to talk to 6 different people and getting information that is integrated?

Please help! If I get a callback from Shopify, will they be able to help me?

Kellie 

[Julie]

No problem, Kellie.

I can definitely appreciate the situation that you're in at the moment. Are you a registered charity? If so, then you will be able to accept donations using Shopify Payments.

If you are not a registered charity, then you will need to continue using Authorize.net. They are a very reputable gateway and many merchants use Authorize.net as an alternative to Shopify Payments. While I am not entirely certain whether they will allow you to accept donations, this is definitely something you can check in with them on. Is there a reason why you are wanting to look at other options aside from Authorize.net? 

Regardless as to the payment gateway you choose, you will need to use an external card reader with Shopify POS, as the Chip and Swipe card reader is only compatible with Shopify Payments. When did you purchase your hardware from Shopify? If it has been less than 30 days since the card readers were shipped to you, then you may be able to request a return from our Retail Hardware team. 

To touch on your comment about integrating with Quickbooks, this is actually something that can be setup directly through Shopify. In fact, we have quite a few apps that will sync Shopify with Quickbooks here. The payment gateway you choose should have no impact on whether you can use one of these apps; any order that is placed through your online store or Shopify POS (even if you use an external card reader) will be recorded as a transaction and will be synced with Quickbooks.

If you request a callback, you can most definitely discuss this further with our Support team. Alternatively, there should be a phone number you can access directly in the Shopify POS app's Support section, which will allow you to connect with the Retail team directly. 

Please let me know when your hardware was purchased and I'd be happy to explore some options with you. If you have any further questions, feel free to follow up here!

[JessBarfield]

Julie,

I have a question for you with regard to Authorize.net and the POS. 

Currently, if our business uses Square it allows us to accept payments via the POS and all of the sales data, , order and inventory information will be in Shopify while the payment data remains in Square's database

I want to know if the same would be true if we chose to use a card reader supported by Authorize.net.

[Julie]

Hey, @JessBarfield!

Thanks for joining in on the conversation. To clarify, are you currently using the Shopify POS with a Square card reader? If so, are you using the "External terminal" option when processing payments? 

You can use whichever payment gateway you like with the Shopify POS. However, if it's a third-party payment gateway, then you will always need to select the "External terminal" option. Doing so will record the sale on Shopify's end, meaning that your sales data, order, and inventory levels will all be up-to-date.

Are you able to elaborate on what you mean when you say "the same would be true" if you choose to use a card reader supported by Authorize.net? Are you referring to one of Authorize.net's own card readers or a Shopify card reader? As mentioned above, the only Shopify card readers compatible with Authorize.net include: 

• Swipe (audio-jack) card reader (available in Canada only)
• Swipe (Lightning) card reader (available in Canada only)
• Swipe (30 pin) card reader (discontinued)

If you would like to use Authorize.net but do not have one of the supported card readers listed above, then you will just need to purchase a card reader from Authorize.net directly. 

If I've misunderstood your question, please respond here and let me know! I'd be glad to offer some further insight. 

[chobza94]

Hi Julie,

I am currently trying to set up a reader for this specific issue. Authorize.net is successfully set up, however, I am not able to connect a card reader. Are you saying the Shopify Chip Reader will support running the payments via Auth? If so, how do I set that up? Since adding Auth the Shopify chip reader has not been working and I have had to manually enter the card number. Support informed me I could use the BB POS chip reader from Auth, so I bought one, but it will not sync with Shopify POS. 

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[GLIMMER]

@Julie You have been very helpful in responding to all these questions, but please help us all to see this through.

What needs to take place so that Authorize.net can be certified for partial-integration with Shopify POS for the US?

Will Shopify only allow integrated card swipe if retailers use Shopify Payments?  That seems very restrictive when many

of our retail clients have existing processing/banking relationships that want to keep in place.

Can you please see if there is a path to fully certifying with Authorize.net or another gateway?

Michael

[Julie]

Hi, @GLIMMER. 

I'm glad to know that you've found this thread helpful and I appreciate your feedback.

I completely understand how useful it would be for merchants in the US to have a direct integration between Shopify's card readers and Authorize.net. At the general support level, however, I do not have any insight into how this can be implemented, nor do I have access to any information on if or when this will be supported. 

That being said, what I can do is submit your feedback to our developers; the more feedback we get, the better. As previously mentioned, we have a system in place for submitting feature requests, so I'll make sure this gets added to the list. Hopefully, we can work with Authorize.net to make our card readers compatible with their gateway sometime in the near future. 

In the meantime, please keep an eye out on our changelog for future platform updates.

Thanks again!

[Julie]

Hi, @chobza94!

Thanks for joining in on the conversation. To clarify, third-party card readers, including those from Authorize.net, cannot be directly synced with Shopify POS. As mentioned here: 

It is possible to use Authorize.net with Shopify POS, however, you will need to ensure that you are using a card reader that's compatible with this particular gateway. Currently, the only Shopify card readers compatible with Authorize.net include: 

• Swipe (audio-jack) card reader (available in Canada only)
• Swipe (Lightning) card reader (available in Canada only)
• Swipe (30 pin) card reader (discontinued)

However, you can still use your Authorize.net card reader to process transactions while using Shopify POS at the same time. You'll just need to enable a custom payment method in the Shopify POS app for that particular card reader. Once that's done, you'll be able to select that payment method when processing in-person transactions. This will tell Shopify that the payment was accepted through a third-party device and Shopify will record the transaction as such. 

I hope this clears things up! 

[GLIMMER]

Hi @Julie,

That really does not help because it becomes a manual double entry process. If it’s available in Canada with authorize.net, why can’t they also make it available in the United States. There is so much business I can bring to Shopify, larger accounts, If they allowed integration with other processors besides Shopify Payments aka Stripe.

Can you talk to your development team, and see if they are open to allowing this? The system is far too limited And really only works for small mom and pops that I don’t have existing processing/banking relationships.

Michael

[Casey_Samson]

Ha! I am not surprised this is the response from Shopify!

Good luck! I have been on this for a year. Such a simple thing. They do not care how many clients you could “bring”. It’s not happening. Mark my words, Shopify has zero intention or interest in allowing POS users to use authorize.net

[chobza94]

Can the audio jack and lightning swipers still work in the US if I got one?

[Casey_Samson]

Yes, but only if you are using your own stand. Not the Shopify stand.

[davidcastorio]

What do you mean by own stand?

[PedroMotocross]

Hey,

I see your comment and I'm in the same boat. I have authorize.net online for my Shopify Store. However, I can't use the card reader. I see that you posted an answer for another user regarding this issue and you mentioned getting the lighting swipe card reader (Canada). Did you try and it works here in the USA? If so please let me know, also let me know where to get them. It's frustrating that Shopify doesn't allow to use of the lighting card reader in the USA but it does in CANADA. Please advise.

[ashleystell]

I never truly found a solution as to why I cannot use Shopify’s equipment,
but I did find something that works me. I’ve kept Shopify/Authorize.net
for my online processor and use square in store. While it doesn’t work
fluently together, I’m able to process everything via Shopify in store and
if they’re using a card to pay I just switch over to Square and process the
payment and mark it paid on Shopify. It’s pretty seamless as far as a
transaction goes, so that’s a plus.

I hope this helps. (:

[Casey_Samson]

And just like that, Shopify gives us small businesses the middle finger and says "Join Us or Starve"

Starting on January 31, 2022, your swipe card reader(s) will no longer be able to process transactions because we are ending support for third-party payment processing on Shopify hardware. Please know that you will still be able to process payments through Black Friday Cyber Monday and the holiday season.

Absolutely disgusting; greed is all it is.