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How-to

Runbook: Connect a Payment Gateway

Use when: Setting up credit/debit card payment processing for a new merchant.
Time estimate: 20–30 min (plus time to gather gateway credentials)
Prerequisites: Merchant has a payment gateway account (Stripe recommended for new merchants).

Choosing a Gateway​

For new DTC merchants, Stripe is the recommended starting point:

  • Instant approval (no underwriting wait)

  • No monthly fees on basic plan

  • Strong fraud tools built in

  • Easy test mode for pre-launch verification

For merchants with an existing gateway relationship, use their preferred gateway from the list of 31 supported options.

PayPal is the wizard's primary recommended payment option and covers PayPal, Venmo, PayPal Pay Later, and credit cards via PayPal's processing.

Steps:

  1. Navigate to the Getting Started wizard → Payments step, OR go to Configuration → Payment Methods → PayPal.

  2. Click the Connect button.

  3. You will be redirected to PayPal's OAuth authorization page.

  4. Log in to the merchant's PayPal Business account.

  5. Authorize UltraCart to connect.

  6. You will be redirected back to UltraCart — PayPal should now show as connected.

  7. Return to the wizard Payments review to confirm.

PayPal Pay Later (formerly Pay in 4 / Pay Monthly) is automatically available once PayPal is connected if the merchant's PayPal account supports it.

Before you start, gather from the Stripe dashboard:

  • Stripe Secret Key (sk_live_...)

  • Stripe Publishable Key (pk_live_...)

  • (For testing: sk_test_... and pk_test_...)

Steps:

  1. In the Getting Started wizard → Payments → click Configure Other Payment Methods.

  2. Under "Credit and Debit Cards", click the Payment Gateway dropdown.

  3. Select Stripe.

  4. A configuration form appears with the following fields:

| Field | Value |

GatewayKey Fields Needed
http://Authorize.Net JSONAPI Login ID, Transaction Key
Braintree (Blue)Merchant ID, Public Key, Private Key
CyberSourceMerchant ID, Transaction Key
ProblemSolution
"Payment declined" on testVerify you're using test credentials with test card numbers, OR live credentials with a real card
Gateway not savingCheck for required fields missing — Stripe requires both Secret Key and Publishable Key
PayPal Connect failsEnsure you're logging into a Business PayPal account, not a personal account
Amazon Pay not availableAmazon Pay has restricted new merchant availability; skip and use Stripe + PayPal instead

Amazon Pay — Current Status​

⚠️ The Getting Started wizard shows Amazon Payments as a payment option. Amazon Pay has significantly changed its merchant onboarding requirements since the wizard was written. Many small/new merchants are unable to obtain Amazon Pay accounts.

Do not guide a merchant to configure Amazon Pay unless they already have an approved Amazon Pay merchant account. If they want to offer Amazon Pay in the future, they should apply directly through Amazon Pay and return to configure it after approval.

After Payment Gateway Setup​

  • [ ] Test transaction completed successfully

  • [ ] Refund test verified

  • [ ] Switch to live credentials before going live (if you used test credentials)

  • [ ] Enable fraud screening (Configuration → Fraud) — recommended before first real orders

  • [ ] Configure PayPal Pay Later messaging on product pages if PayPal is connected

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