In many ways, launching in Canada is a big step for us—going from 1 to 2 is often harder than going from 2 to n—but it’s only a small piece of what we have in mind. We grew up in countries from Honduras to Kenya, and a large part of why we’re so eager to build Stripe is to help those outside the US to participate as first-class citizens in the internet economy.
I'm glad they address this before people complain about Stripe only moving to Canada.
I'm very curious to how much time they have budgeted for this - has this been consuming 50% of their time? 75%?
It's really hard for me to tell if this was a real problem for them, or if they were just working on other stuff because the competition is still non-existent.
This is great news. While working with Stripe today, I noticed something a bit unnerving. The Stripe charge method will create a charge even if the CVC and the AVS fraud checks fail. It's then up to you to monitor this and reverse the charge if you feel it's too high risk (there's no fee reversal though). There are ways to get around this with custom development, but that doesn't help for people who are using software that's already integrated with Stripe. It would be great to see a fraud setting that would allow you to prohibit charges from going through depending on what checks fail.
So, if you create a customer, Stripe will check the CVC and AVS and return the results of those checks (Ctrl-F for "CVC and Address Verification Responses" on https://stripe.com/docs/api). From there, you can make a decision whether or not to create a charge for that customer.
Edit: To clarify a bit (and because I've got a couple minutes of free time), here's more details:
1. Create a customer, giving the "card" parameter with the CVC, address_line_1, and address_zip included. This can be done with Stripe.js, or whatever.
2. The returned data from the "create customer" api method will contain a "active_card" dict, with details as shown in the "Creating a new charge" section in their API docs.
3. Given this active_card dict, check the active_card. cvc_check, active_card.address_line1_check and active_card.address_zip_check values. From this, make a decision on whether to charge the customer.
4. If you've decided to make the charge, then create a new charge with this customer.
As a brief bit of background: these charges are accepted because card brands do not always decline if the CVC fails (and AVS has no effect); instead, they're taking several signals into account. We expose as much data as possible to give you full control (https://answers.stripe.com/questions/what-controls-for-fraud...).
That said, I really appreciate the feedback. We're actively working on better fraud controls that should be ready soon!
This and the mass pay option in Paypal is what keeping us from migrating. I was/am? still working on a better fraud model for Paypal that could easily be swapped out for Stripe given the similarities between the payment provider responses.
Not that I'm promoting Paypal's fraud controls in any way. They're terrible as well.
The way I see it now, Stripe made it easy. If they could lock down the secure aspect they'll run away with the game. Integrating with something like maxmind might be a good direction for them to look.
Edit: Just noticed the Stripe Apps functionality. It might suffice for an alternative to the mass pay functionality that Paypal provides. This just got a little more interesting.
There are a couple interesting differences between the US terms and the CA terms:
1) The CA terms say "you [...] will not use the Service to accept payments ..." while the US terms has the more-broad limitation "you [...] will not accept payments ...". I wonder if Stripe in the US actually cares about payments you accept using other services (seems unlikely).
2) Only the US terms ban "personal computer technical support" or "predatory products or services".
3) The CA terms have a broad ban on "any product, service or activity prohibited by one or more Card Networks".
I don't think that bans anything Twilio-based. I'd get in touch with their (usually very responsive customer service) before engaging, but it looks more like they're trying to prevent people from engaging in activities that could allow for anonymous calling.
Which kind if makes sense, if they're looking to never have to be involved in a lawsuit where someone uses said prepaid phone card or anonymous calling service to utter threats, plan terrorist attacks, or other random illegal stuff.
I'm a bit disappointed I can't use Stripe for my online, bespoke shotgun smithing company.
More seriously, from the way that's written (quite non-legally) it's clear they don't want undesirable business. If you're on the edge, I'm betting a simple call/email would clear things up.
It seems Stripe is ideal for a partnering approach - have national established payment processors hook up to Stripes backend (after a vetting/selection process, of course). That way they can expand quickly without having to internalize the many different quirks of payment systems across the world.
If there is a stripe beta in the uk sometime soon, we'd love to take part...
Is there anywhere we can join a waiting list for a uk beta? Perhaps it would be worth keeping a list per country of companies who are interested to judge demand?
This is a great step. I'm really looking forward to being able to split transactions with the Platform so I can easily create an Apple-like App Store experience (where my customers get 90% of whatever and I get 10% of the transaction).
I don't think that's a feature anybody is pining over (with the possible exception of a very small percentage of end-customers who don't have credit cards).
Although a few web sites accept it (I think), I don't think I've ever heard of anyone actually buying stuff on-line with Interac. Anybody have any data to rebut that?
I'm currently on Beanstream with terms that were acceptable at the time (hard to get a Merchant Account) but are now completely unacceptable and am interested in a switch.
- 5% 6 month rolling reserve //
- 2 week + 5 day lag settlements //
- 2.8% blended + monthly fees.
Am I crazy to not switch, or should I present this to Beanstream and get better terms? Other than my terms, I have nothing but ecstatically positive things to say about BS.
Note: my terms are like so because of the nature of my business model. It is high risk, like a TPPA (third party payment aggregator). Think: Eventbrite.
Appreciate the feedback.
I say "High Risk" because that is how it was evaluated at the time. We have had our Beanstream account for over 6 months with zero chargebacks, a 100% clean record. If a Stripe rep appears here and makes an offer - [email protected] - you have my business.
Great News! Have couple of questions though,
1. What are the PCI implications if I were to use stripe.js in my site? Will I have to get my application and deployment stack PCI verified?
2. I will have customers from both US and Europe, so what is the ideal approach to support multi currency so that customers end up paying the same (or close to same) price that they saw on my website?
It still does not let you charge in US Dollars (Yes I know the customer can pay in what ever currency they want). But from a Canadian business point of view where your large section of customers are from US. Stripe is still not a very attractive option.
Actually, you can choose to charge in either USD or CAD, but you can only choose one with your account. If you need to charge in both currencies, for the moment we recommend creating two separate Stripe accounts.
I often speak about Stripe here in France and nobody knows it. I hope it will come sooner than later because the market of credit card (well, debit card) charging only offer horrible tools (and the usual PayPal).
PayPal is really great. Buts it has oldish APIs and horrible documentation. Great to see promising services like stripe moving out of the US. Looking forward to see you guys all over the globe.
This is great news. We got into the beta for Canadian service and what a breath of fresh air. Goodbye, forever, Paypal, I look forward to watching your slow, sad demise.
[+] [-] kurtvarner|13 years ago|reply
I'm glad they address this before people complain about Stripe only moving to Canada.
[+] [-] batgaijin|13 years ago|reply
It's really hard for me to tell if this was a real problem for them, or if they were just working on other stuff because the competition is still non-existent.
[+] [-] xal|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] fruchtose|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] drm237|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] someone13|13 years ago|reply
Edit: To clarify a bit (and because I've got a couple minutes of free time), here's more details:
1. Create a customer, giving the "card" parameter with the CVC, address_line_1, and address_zip included. This can be done with Stripe.js, or whatever.
2. The returned data from the "create customer" api method will contain a "active_card" dict, with details as shown in the "Creating a new charge" section in their API docs.
3. Given this active_card dict, check the active_card. cvc_check, active_card.address_line1_check and active_card.address_zip_check values. From this, make a decision on whether to charge the customer.
4. If you've decided to make the charge, then create a new charge with this customer.
[+] [-] michaelschade|13 years ago|reply
That said, I really appreciate the feedback. We're actively working on better fraud controls that should be ready soon!
[+] [-] purephase|13 years ago|reply
Not that I'm promoting Paypal's fraud controls in any way. They're terrible as well.
The way I see it now, Stripe made it easy. If they could lock down the secure aspect they'll run away with the game. Integrating with something like maxmind might be a good direction for them to look.
Edit: Just noticed the Stripe Apps functionality. It might suffice for an alternative to the mass pay functionality that Paypal provides. This just got a little more interesting.
[+] [-] redstripe|13 years ago|reply
There are some legitimate business apps that not allowed. e.g. anything twilio based: (36) prepaid phone cards, phone services or cell phones
[+] [-] MarkSweep|13 years ago|reply
1) The CA terms say "you [...] will not use the Service to accept payments ..." while the US terms has the more-broad limitation "you [...] will not accept payments ...". I wonder if Stripe in the US actually cares about payments you accept using other services (seems unlikely).
2) Only the US terms ban "personal computer technical support" or "predatory products or services".
3) The CA terms have a broad ban on "any product, service or activity prohibited by one or more Card Networks".
[+] [-] DanHulton|13 years ago|reply
Which kind if makes sense, if they're looking to never have to be involved in a lawsuit where someone uses said prepaid phone card or anonymous calling service to utter threats, plan terrorist attacks, or other random illegal stuff.
[+] [-] spitfire|13 years ago|reply
More seriously, from the way that's written (quite non-legally) it's clear they don't want undesirable business. If you're on the edge, I'm betting a simple call/email would clear things up.
[+] [-] atlbeer|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|13 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] nucleardog|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] whyleyc|13 years ago|reply
We're crying out for you !
[+] [-] h2s|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mseebach|13 years ago|reply
Stripe UK - powered by [foo] Ltd.
[+] [-] grey-area|13 years ago|reply
Is there anywhere we can join a waiting list for a uk beta? Perhaps it would be worth keeping a list per country of companies who are interested to judge demand?
[+] [-] run4yourlives|13 years ago|reply
1. Listening to us :-) 2. Adding a viable resource to the Canadian marketplace.
[+] [-] tibbon|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] amfeng|13 years ago|reply
https://stripe.com/docs/apps
[+] [-] hakanito|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] wingerlang|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Dystopian|13 years ago|reply
Crossing Stripe off the list of innovative services I can't use in Canada
Will definitely use you for my next product!
[+] [-] wildmXranat|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] d0m|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] pc86|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] shyn3|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tobyjsullivan|13 years ago|reply
Although a few web sites accept it (I think), I don't think I've ever heard of anyone actually buying stuff on-line with Interac. Anybody have any data to rebut that?
[+] [-] robmclarty|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] slajax|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jblake|13 years ago|reply
- 5% 6 month rolling reserve //
- 2 week + 5 day lag settlements //
- 2.8% blended + monthly fees.
Am I crazy to not switch, or should I present this to Beanstream and get better terms? Other than my terms, I have nothing but ecstatically positive things to say about BS.
Note: my terms are like so because of the nature of my business model. It is high risk, like a TPPA (third party payment aggregator). Think: Eventbrite. Appreciate the feedback.
[+] [-] jblake|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] juzfoo|13 years ago|reply
2. I will have customers from both US and Europe, so what is the ideal approach to support multi currency so that customers end up paying the same (or close to same) price that they saw on my website?
[+] [-] 47|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] boucher|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] conradfr|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] braver|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tsieling|13 years ago|reply