Frequently Asked QuestionsWhy do I need a gateway?

You will need to create an account with the payment gateway, which you will use to authenticate all transactions that you send to the gateway. A payment gateway is the interface that allows an ecommerce transaction to flow from the cardholder/guest through the merchant’s website, to the payment processor/acquirer (who sends the authorization request and payment data to the issuing bank) and back.  It is the technology behind the scenes, enabling your website (or virtual terminal) to process payments.  

FAQ Topics

Other Topics in
Processing Transactions

• What is a Card Not Present (CNP) Transaction?
• What is a “MID”?
• How does payment processing work?
• What is a credit card payment or sale?
• What happens during a typical Internet credit card transaction?
• What is the difference between a payment processor and a gateway?
• Why do I need a gateway?
• Which payment gateways can Ascent work with?
• Are you integrated with my software?
• How long do payments take to process?
• What is a pre-authorization?
• Can I void a pre-authorization?
• What is the difference between voiding a sale and issuing a credit?
• What is the Address Verification Service (AVS)? Why does it matter?
• What is Card Security Code (CSC) or Card Verification Code (CVV)?
• How long does a refund take to process?
• What rate do I pay on refunds?
• Are physical signatures needed?
• What is EMV?
• What is an acquiring bank?

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