Best practices for downloadable items

Will · Post by **Will** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 12:21 pm

Right now we've got AC7 set to authorize only at checkout, then we capture later when we process the order.

We've got a downloadable item that I'm trying to figure out how to configure.

I want people to be able to download it right after they check out. I've set up AC7 to allow this, even if the payment has not been captured.

Is there any downside to this? Is there a scenario where someone could download the item and then not allow us to capture the payment?

Thanks.

AbleMods · Post by **AbleMods** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 2:59 pm

I get a failed authorize+capture every other day. In that situation, the order is created and stored. Thus in your case, the downloadable would be available despite invalid payment information.

AC7 accepts the order even if the payment information fails to validate. Now, I'm set to authorize+capture, not just authorize. But I don't think that changes anything in AC7.

So I think the answer is "Yes", people would be able to provide incorrect payment information and be able to download. I guess the bigger question is why you'd want to allow your products out-the-door without complete payment verification?

In my system, I made a custom order delivery page for my electronic product. It limits the gridview display to only include orders that have been paid. Thus why I use authorize+capture.

Intelliflex · Post by **Intelliflex** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 3:01 pm

Will

We are an Authorize.Net reseller and I don't think you would run into a problem. Once you receive an "Authorization", as long as you capture the funds in the allowed timeframe (usually 30 days) it should capture successfully. Check with Authorize.NET customer support to make sure.

I wonder if there is a way in AC7 to authorize on some products and authorize & capture on others (like software that is downloaded). Ask Logan or Mike, they could shed some light on that possibility.

Dave

Intelliflex Corporation

Intelliflex · Post by **Intelliflex** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 3:07 pm

Joe has a good point.

What is the situation with those selling downloadable products and AC7 accepting all orders whether authorized or not?

This would be a good reason to have that an option in a AC7 future release. It would be great if the option could be at the item/group level. This way downloadable products would require an "authorization" and other products could be accepted in an order that could be authorized later. Another option might be to not allow download until payment confirmation.

Dave

Intelliflex Corporation

Will · Post by **Will** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 4:02 pm

Joe, if I am understanding you correctly:

If we have AC7 set to authorize only at checkout, if the authorization is rejected, AC7 still lets the transaction go through?

If we have AC7 set to authorize and capture at checkout, if the authorization or capture is rejected, AC7 still lets the transaction go through?

That would mean if you have a digital product set to activate immediately, there's no way to prevent someone from putting in bogus credit card info and getting the download.

So it seems like we would have to set the download to activate on full payment (instead of immediately) and need to set our site to auth and capture at checkout if we want people to be able to get the download immediately.

Mike or Logan -- am I understanding this correctly?

Thanks.

Will · Post by **Will** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:21 pm

Based on this information, we've decided to go with Authorize and Capture at checkout.

We then set the downloadable item to "activate on full payment".

That way if the cc info is bad, the download doesn't activate.

It would be helpful if there was an "activate on cc authorization" option.

It would be nice to have the flexibility from Auth only, but we have to be able to do some sort of validation before people get their download.

AbleMods · Post by **AbleMods** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:33 pm

From what I understand, you're technically ok to do an immediate capture since the deliverable is available for immediate shipment i.e. downloadable.

I, on the other hand, have to do authorizations and then capture when tracking info gets posted

Will · Post by **Will** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:42 pm

So you changed from your previous workflow? In your previous post you said you were doing Auth and Capture instead of Auth only. Is that because of backorders?

Will · Post by **Will** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:50 pm

Just saw your other post -- answered my question...

viewtopic.php?t=6670

AbleMods · Post by **AbleMods** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:55 pm

Correct.

Authorize/Capture is not considered "Best Practice" but not technically "illegal" so far as I know. It's was rather grey in the material I could find on it. What I found said if you are certain you can ship within 24-hours, capture now. Otherwise authorize and capture later.

In the end, some customers don't like being charged for something that hasn't shipped. Most didn't have a problem with it because their order shipped in 3-5 days.

But other orders backordered badly, like 3+ weeks. By then the customer got their statement and I couldn't undo the capture and redo it as an authorize-only. They were already displeased with the delay and now I've taken their money too.

So, I switched to authorize-only and changed my procedure for posting shipment information to include the capture step prior to posting the shipment.

You don't want to post the capture after you ship an item, or AC7 will reset your order status from Shipped back to Unshipped. I complained to Able about it but didn't get a real warm response to my concern.

jmestep · Post by **jmestep** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 10:12 am

my two cents from the other post:

What if you capture the funds and then if there's a problem issue a refund? I guess that's not quite as good because then they still get hit with transactions on their statement.

That is the most efficient way to do it if there is no automatic capture after the product is shipped. It isn't the "law" that you can only authorize and then capture later. Like you said, you shouldn't have problems if your products are all in stock.
When you do an "authorize" only, it puts a hold on the funds in the customer's account anyway, so they don't have access to the funds just the way they don't have access if you capture. So there is really no difference to them for a few days. Where you will run into problems with them is if you capture and don't ship timely and a refund takes a few days to get back to their account. (I think that's one way the card companies make money- you refund and they hold the funds for a few days before they refund the customer.)