How it works in short
Zip is a buy now, pay later payment method: shoppers pay for their order in installments. The app adds Zip to your checkout as a payment method. Shoppers who choose it finish the payment with Zip and come back to your store with a paid order.
- Price widgets: a small Zip message under the price on product pages and under the total in the cart, and an optional strip banner on all pages.
- Capture now or later: charge the payment right away, or only authorize it and capture it when you ship the order.
- Refunds and cancellations from your orders: change the order's payment status and the app tells Zip.
Zip is available for merchants based in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States.
1. Get a Zip merchant account
If you are new to Zip, first create a Zip merchant account. When you create the business account and Zip asks for your platform, choose Custom API.
Then add the Zip Payments app to your store and open it. The Get Zip Payments live steps at the top tick themselves off as you go: connect your Zip account, turn Zip on at checkout, switch to live payments.
2. Copy your keys from the Zip merchant dashboard
- Log in to your Zip merchant dashboard.
- Open Settings - Integrations - Website Integrations details.
- Copy the Merchant ID, the Public key (Client ID) and the Private key (the API key).
3. Paste them into the app and save
In the app, fill in:
- Merchant ID
- Public key (Client ID): needed for the price widgets.
- API Key (Private Key): required. This is the key that takes the payments.
- Sandbox Mode: on for Zip sandbox keys, off for live keys.
Click Save. The app checks your private key with Zip right away and tells you the result under the form: "Saved. Zip accepted your key.", or that it is a sandbox key while Sandbox Mode is off (or a live key while it is on), or that Zip refused the key. In the last case, copy it again from the Zip merchant dashboard.
4. Capture the payment now, or when you ship
Directly capture (immediately) the payment decides when Zip charges the shopper:
- Yes (the default): the payment is captured right away and the order is paid.
- No: the payment is only authorized. The order waits as awaiting payment, and the app captures the payment when you change the order's fulfillment status to Shipped or Ready for pickup.
5. Choose the countries and the widgets
- Allowed countries: pick one or more countries where Zip should be available.
- Display marketing widget on product page: the Zip message under the product price.
- Display marketing widget on cart page: the Zip message under the cart total. It updates when the cart changes.
- Display marketing strip banner on all pages: a Zip strip at the top of every page of your store. Off by default.
- Payment method name at checkout: the name shoppers see at the payment step (Zip Pay by default). The Zip logo is shown next to it.
- Custom CSS: your own styles for the Zip widget.
The widgets need the Public key, and they show when your store's currency is one Zip works with. Save again after changing these options.
6. Turn on Zip at checkout
In your store admin, open the Payment settings and switch Zip on, so shoppers can choose it. The app's Open payment settings button takes you there.
For stores in the United States and Canada, Zip shows at checkout for orders of $35 or more; below that it is hidden.
7. Make a test order, then go live
With Sandbox Mode on and your sandbox key saved, place an order and pay with Zip. Check that the order shows up in your store with the payment status you expect (paid, or awaiting payment if you don't capture right away). Then save your live key with Sandbox Mode off, and real payments can come in.
Common setups
Charge when the order ships
Set Directly capture (immediately) the payment to No. Mark the order as Shipped (or Ready for pickup) when it leaves, and the app captures the payment then.
A store in the United States only
Choose only United States under Allowed countries. Keep the product page and cart widgets on, so shoppers see the installment price before they reach checkout.
Tell every visitor you take Zip
Switch on Display marketing strip banner on all pages for a Zip strip at the top of the store, next to the product and cart widgets.
A clear name at checkout
Change Payment method name at checkout to something like "Buy now, pay later with Zip".
Questions
How do I refund a Zip order?
Change the paid order's payment status to Refunded. The app asks Zip to refund it, so you don't need to log in to the Zip dashboard.
How do I cancel an order I haven't captured yet?
Change its payment status from awaiting payment to Cancelled. The app cancels the Zip payment.
Is there a minimum order value?
For merchants in the United States and Canada, $35 per order.
I'm a new merchant in the US or Canada and Zip doesn't work. What now?
First check that every key is copied exactly from the Zip merchant dashboard. If it still doesn't work, ask Zip support to issue a new API key for your account and activate it, then paste the new key into API Key (Private Key). In the US, write to Partner Support or use the contact form; in Canada, see how to contact Zip in Canada.
Is Zip the same as Quadpay?
Yes. Zip was previously called Quadpay.
