Accepting SNAP/EBT Payments for qualified goods

[ryanhalst]

Hello,

I am interested finding ways for small farms to sell their food online to SNAP/EBT customers. Does Shopify or Amazon Pay offer methods of accepting SNAP payments so that customer transactions can be handled online?

Thank you for your time,

Ryan

[StrategyBMan1]

Hi, can you send me the information as well please blake@strategymanagementllc.com

[StrategyBMan1]

@N_Abey 

can you please send me the information regarding EBT please to blake@strategymanagementllc.com

[Chrischurch1]

I want to implement EBT cards for a new client's site. Can you email me at chris@advancedtargeting.agency to get a quote? 

[N_Abey]

Dear Chris/Blake,  @Chrischurch1 @StrategyBMan1 

I have drop you an email with further details. Feel free to get back to me if you require further details.

[tgauss]

@N_Abey  Also looking for this information. Please send me details to tgaussoin @gmail.com. Thank you! 

[N_Abey]

Dear @tgauss 

We have drop you an email with further details.

[AnasaKai]

hey I would like to accept eat at my store 
can you email me on how to honeyhivecoffeco@gmail.com

[myhealthywoe]

Hello,

Can you please send me the information to my email: hello@myhealthywoe.com

I am super interested to have this implemented in my store.

Looking forward to your email.

Thanks!

[circle-c-farm]

was reading you ?, we are looking for that option as well, did you have any luck getting it set up so that you can accept EBT SNAP on your shopify website?

thanks, Nicole 

[myhealthywoe]

It's a long process.

You need to be registered with the USDA as a business approved under their requirements among other things.

So right now I am in the process of getting things ready.

[AnasaKai]

No I haven’t 😞 I was looking for the plug in on the App Store but no luck yet.
Once I do I will post it

[circle-c-farm]

Ok, great, thanks, me too!!!

[circle-c-farm]

We are already approved, we accept at our store, but want to be able to accept on our online store too, but there is no plug / play for any of us, just Walmart and amazon ☹

Thank you for sharing!!!!

[myhealthywoe]

How long does the approval process takes?

[circle-c-farm]

It was about 3-4 weeks, if you sent in your info, give them like 2 weeks and then call, they were helpful when I did it a few years ago 😊
312-353-6609 is a EBT help number, not sure if you have that or not, but here ya go 😊

[N_Abey]

Dear All, 

We are happy to assist you integrating SNAP/EBT enabled payment gateway with your Shopify store.

Please note ability accept SNAP/EBT payments through qualified goods, merchant  must have USDA approval. 

How to Get Started Submit Your Letter of Intent to the USDA

If you’re a SNAP retailer in a participating state who is willing and able to comply with SNAP’s Online requirements, you are eligible to join the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot. Well over half of U.S. states are now participating in the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot, with more states joining all the time.

To confirm that you can meet all of the SNAP Online requirements, you will need to submit a Letter of Intent to the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). Click here for more information

Once you complete the above process, you will be able to sign up with participating merchant provider for an online merchant facility ability to accept EBT/SNAP cards. (If required, We are happy to assist you finding a participating merchant provider too)

[Chrischurch1]

Update - We are collaborating with a 3rd party payment provider that is
integrated with the SNAP/EBT system. The EBT's are unique because they need
more of a conversation with the banking system through the API. First, it
needs to verify the funds are in the account. Second, it needs to parse what
products are being purchased in real-time and sort out the items witch are
eligible. Third, it need to split payment between eligible and non eligible,
plus, taxes. Fourth, it needs the person who owns the card to put in a PIN.
Finally, it needs to record all of this and send it to a various Federal,
State, County, and City (if they are collecting the information).

Fees - The card processor we are working with is charging 3.4% for all the
above, but it depends on the volume, and manual key-ins, etc, etc. Shopify
is saying they add 2% on top of the 3.4% making the total 5.4%. I know,
right? So, we are looking into Woo Commerce as a potential solution. I
brought it up with Shopify and they are escalating the ticket - maybe they
will come down on their 2% for EBT because it services low income families.

If not, the perception is that banks are gouging the poor. From Shopify's
prersepective, it part of their business model, but its still a gouge to low
income families.

[circle-c-farm]

If Amazon and Walmart can do it, then there's a way w/o gauging anyone, but who knows...
Ty for info

[N_Abey]

Dear All, 

In regards to @Chrischurch1 update. 

Yes, true Shopify will have a 2% fee on top of merchant fees/card processors fees. It would be an excellent achievement If Shopify can come down at 2% 😊

With our solution, we have managed to overcome other challenges mentioned by @Chrischurch1 ; through our application, Shopify merchants will be able to categorise products as EBT eligible and non-eligible. hence at the point of the checkout, based on product type they created our application can control what can be go through EBT enabled gateway or through normal payment gateway. 

[EgalitarianCo]

Hmm. This is very interesting - thanks for posting this. Which 3rd party payment provider are you working with?

Thanks!

Steve