When a Stripe account is not ready
A Stripe account is ready to receive payments when Stripe can pay the seller the money from their sales. Depending on the account, this is what your buyers can do:
| The seller’s Stripe account | By default | With the setting on |
|---|---|---|
| No account: the seller has not started signing up with Stripe | Their listings cannot be bought | Their listings can be bought. The seller creates their account to accept the order |
| Account created, but sign-up is not finished or Stripe is still checking their information | Their listings cannot be bought, as long as Stripe does not accept payments for this account | Their listings can be bought. The seller completes their account to accept the order |
| Account ready, then Stripe asks for new information | Their listings can still be bought as long as Stripe accepts payments for this account. The seller is only paid once the information is provided | Their listings can still be bought. If Stripe can no longer transfer the money to them, the seller provides the information to accept the order |
| Account rejected by Stripe | Their listings cannot be bought | Their listings still cannot be bought: Stripe will never pay this seller |
A seller whose account is ready is not concerned: their orders go as usual, whether the setting is on or not.
Turn the setting on
- In the menu, under , click , then Payment providers.
- Click Stripe Connect in the list.
- In the Seller accounts card, switch on Sell before seller account verification.
- Click Save Changes.
Listings can be bought before the seller's Stripe account is verified. The seller can only accept an order once their account is complete. An order not accepted within 7 days is canceled (6 days if the payment is authorized). Stripe fees on refunds are paid by the marketplace.
The days shown in the card’s text are the ones that apply to your marketplace.
What changes for an order
When a buyer orders from a seller whose Stripe account is not ready:
| Order | What happens at payment |
|---|---|
| One seller, paid by card | The payment is authorized on the platform’s Stripe account: the buyer’s card is only charged when the seller accepts |
| Several sellers, or paid with another payment method | The payment is captured at once on the platform’s Stripe account |
Either way, the seller’s share is transferred to them when they accept the order. The seller can only accept it once Stripe can pay them.
The acceptance deadline
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| When the order is placed | The seller receives the e-mail “Complete your payment account to accept order”, with the order number |
| Halfway to the deadline | The seller receives a reminder with the deadline |
| At the deadline | The order is canceled: the authorization is released, or the payment refunded. The buyer and the seller are notified by e-mail |
The deadline falls 7 days after payment, or 6 days if the payment is authorized: Stripe drops an authorization after 7 days. When the order’s order type cancels an authorized order automatically sooner, at the start of a booking for instance, that sooner date applies, and the reminder gives it.
As soon as the seller has completed their account, they can accept the order, and nothing is canceled any more.
Follow a waiting order
In Transactions, open the order. Its Payment history shows what Stripe recorded: a released authorization reads Authorization canceled.
If the seller declines the order, an authorization is released at once, without waiting for the deadline.
Turn the setting off
The setting is turned off with its toggle, or by setting Payment workflow to Embedded payment form (card only).
When orders are still waiting for their seller to complete their account, Save Changes first opens a confirmation dialog that says how many:
This order was paid to the marketplace's Stripe account, and its seller cannot accept it until their Stripe account is complete.
On saving, the payment goes back to the buyer, and the buyer and the seller are notified.
- Keep the setting closes the dialog without saving anything.
- Save and cancel the order, or the orders when there are several, saves your settings and cancels those orders, as their deadline would. A confirmation message says how many were canceled.
What your users see
The seller, as long as their account is not complete:
- in their space, a banner: “Your listings stay on sale, but you can only accept orders and be paid once your account is complete. An order you do not accept in time is cancelled.”;
- on the order, the message “Complete your payment account to accept this order.” and the Complete my account link. The accept button takes them to the creation of their Stripe account, or to the Stripe form that completes it;
- the two e-mails above, then the cancellation e-mail if the deadline passes.
The buyer pays as usual. The checkout text only says the order is confirmed once the seller accepts it, with no deadline. If the order is canceled, they receive the cancellation e-mail and get their money back.
Edge cases and limits
- Embedded payment form: the toggle’s value is kept, but the setting has no effect. The card shows “Requires the Stripe Checkout hosted payment page.”.
- Stripe fees on refunds: when an order is refunded, these fees are paid by the marketplace.
- Deadline shown to the buyer: none. Do not promise an acceptance deadline in your own texts: it depends on the seller and on the order type.