What is a payment processor?
A payment processor is a company that safely handles card payments for you. Examples are PayPal and Stripe. CS-Cart is shop software. You tell CS-Cart which processor to use, and then it passes payments to it.
First, create an account with the processor you want. They will give you details such as a key or an account email. Keep them private.
Steps
- Log in to the CS-Cart admin panel.
- Go to Administration, then Payment methods.
- Click the + button to add a new payment method.
- Type a name in the Name box. Customers see this name at checkout.
- Open the Processor list and choose your payment company. If you cannot find it, install its add-on first under Add-ons, then Manage add-ons.
- Set the Status to Active.
- Click the Configure tab.
- Enter the details your processor gave you. Check each one for typing mistakes.
- Choose the currency, if asked. It must be one the processor accepts.
- Click Create or Save.
- Place a test order on your shop. Many processors have a test mode for this, so no real money is taken.
Tip: Turn test mode off when you are ready to take real orders. Many shop owners forget this step.
If payments fail
- Check that your keys are copied in full, with no spaces.
- Make sure your shop has SSL. Many processors need it. Ask Hostvento support if you need help with SSL.
- Check that the payment method is set to Active.
- Read your processor's help pages. They explain their error codes.
Quick recap
- Get an account and keys from the payment company.
- Go to Administration, Payment methods, and add a new method.
- Choose the processor and fill in your details.
- Test with a sample order before going live.