Check Services

Electronic Check

Electronic Check is an Internet Euro Credit Card Financial Systems payment service that allows online and traditional merchants to accept and process electronic check payments either directly from their Web site's storefront or through the Virtual Terminal.

Electronic Check makes it easy for online businesses to add an electronic check payment option to their Web site. Customers who wish to pay for a purchase with an electronic check can simply select the electronic check option and enter the requested bank account information. Electronic Check encrypts the data using the same SSL 3.0 encryption technology as Weblink and transmits it to the secure server for posting. Transactions are automatically settled each day. Then, the system debits the consumer's account via the Automated Clearing House (ACH)* and transfers the funds to the merchant's account. If the account numbers are entered incorrectly or the account has insufficient funds, the Electronic Check system notifies the merchant.

Traditional merchants without commerce-enabled Web sites can also use Electronic Check to handle periodic billings. Businesses such as health clubs, tanning salons, subscription services, ISPs, membership companies, and health care practitioners are typical examples of businesses that need the ability to periodically deduct funds from their customers' checking accounts. Of course, customer approval is always recommended, and merchants must sign a separate Electronic Check ACH agreement to perform these types of transactions.

* The Automated Clearing House is the electronic network, which transfers and clears funds between banking institutions on behalf of merchants and their customers. Each transaction takes approximately 48 hours to clear, and we strongly suggest that merchants wait five days from the initial transaction date before shipping any goods. This leaves two days to debit the consumer's account, two days to deposit the funds into the merchant's account, and one day for the bank to post the transaction. Because of this unavoidable delay, merchants who sell soft or digital goods that are normally downloaded immediately upon completion of the sale should not use Electronic Check.