The seller on the receipt is us.
When a buyer pays on your store, the sale is made by Zonipay on your behalf. We take the payment, issue the receipt, answer refunds and chargebacks, keep the records, and pay the proceeds out to your own connected account every two business days. You keep the product, the stock and the shipping.
- Seller
- Zonipay, on behalf of Northfield Reference Labs
- Charged by
- Zonipay
- Statement
- ZONIPAY* NORTHFIELD
- Ships from
- Northfield Reference Labs
- Attestation
- Research use only, 21+, recorded
- Proceeds
- Northfield connected account, paid out every 2 business days
Example order. Card payments are processed by Stripe.
A merchant of record is the business legally responsible for the sale: the one the buyer pays, the one the card networks hold to account.
On most online stores the store itself is the merchant. It holds a merchant account, its name is on the card statement, and every refund, chargeback and compliance question lands on its desk.
With Zonipay that role moves to us. Each transaction runs under our merchant relationship, with your store named alongside ours so the buyer always knows who they bought from. We screen you before the first sale, we watch the storefront after it, and we answer for the payment from start to finish.
The trade is simple. You get a checkout that works for a category most providers will not touch. We get the right to set rules for what can be sold and how, and to check that they are followed.
Three parties, clear lines.
Every order involves your customer, Zonipay and you. This is who carries each part of it.
Where the money goes, and when.
The buyer pays Zonipay as merchant of record. We deduct our fee and the reserve, then transfer the rest to your own connected payout account, opened in your business's name, which pays out to your bank automatically every two business days. Card payments are processed by Stripe.
Authorization
The buyer's bank approves the charge, with 3-D Secure where the issuer asks for it. The attestation is saved with the order.
Recorded to you
The order amount, our fee and the reserve appear as separate lines in your reporting.
Adjustments
Refunds and disputes are recorded against the same order, so every balance can be traced.
Payout
The net amount is paid out from your connected account to your bank, automatically. A payout.paid webhook confirms it.
Fees and the rolling reserve, set according to your volume, are agreed at review and written into your merchant agreement before you sign. Payouts run every two business days. How payouts work
Two names, no surprises.
A buyer who does not recognize a charge is a buyer who files a dispute. So both names travel together: ours as the seller of record, yours as the store they chose.
- The receipt comes from Zonipay and names your store, its contact details and the attestation they gave.
- The card statement reads ZONIPAY* STORENAME, with your store name after the asterisk.
- Our buyer help page explains the charge and routes questions about an order to you, and questions about a payment to us.
$105.00 paid
Northfield Reference Labs · Order #10482
A minimum standard every buyer can count on.
As merchant of record we set a floor for refunds across every store. You may offer more. You may not offer less.
- Covered
- Wrong, damaged or undelivered items are refunded or replaced.
- Window
- Requests within 30 days of delivery.
- Not returnable
- Opened or reconstituted materials.
- Where it goes
- Back to the original payment method, usually visible in 5 to 10 business days.
Full text: refund policy.
Chargebacks come to us. You bring the evidence.
- Card network → Zonipay
Dispute received
The issuer opens a chargeback against Zonipay as the seller of record. You get a
dispute.openedwebhook and an email. - You, within 5 business days
Evidence supplied
Tracking, proof of delivery and anything else relevant to the order, uploaded from your dashboard.
- Zonipay
Response filed
We assemble the case and attach the buyer's attestation record from checkout, then submit it to the network.
- Card network
Decision
The outcome is recorded against the order and in your reporting. A
dispute.closedwebhook follows.
Questions about a case: disputes@zonipay.com. Process in full: dispute policy.
Merchant of record, gateway, or your own account.
Three ways to take card payments online. They differ in who holds the merchant relationship, and so in who carries the work and the risk.
| Zonipay (merchant of record) | Payment gateway | Your own merchant account | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seller of record | Zonipay, on behalf of your store | Your business | Your business |
| Merchant relationship | Held by Zonipay | Usually yours, through an acquirer the gateway connects to | Yours, directly with an acquiring bank |
| Underwriting | Our review of your business and storefront | The acquirer's review of your business | The bank's review of your business |
| Chargebacks | We respond; you supply evidence | You respond | You respond |
| Receipts and records | Issued and kept by Zonipay | Your responsibility | Your responsibility |
| Storefront monitoring | Scan before the first sale and every 8 hours | Varies | Varies, often at onboarding only |
| Card statement | ZONIPAY* STORENAME | Your descriptor | Your descriptor |
| What you integrate | WooCommerce plugin or API, hosted checkout on your subdomain | Gateway API, plus the acquirer account | A gateway, plus the account itself |
General comparison. Terms with any specific gateway or bank vary.
Do I still need my own merchant account?
No. Payments run under Zonipay's merchant relationship. During onboarding we open a connected payout account in your business's name and link your bank account; net proceeds are paid out there automatically.
Is my business still the one my customers deal with?
Yes for everything about the product: questions, shipping and support. Your store name appears on the receipt and the card statement. We handle questions about the payment itself.
Why do you scan my storefront?
Because as merchant of record we answer for every sale processed through your store. The scan checks that the catalog sits behind a login, that products are presented for research use only, and that nothing on the site makes claims we cannot accept. See compliance.
Who pays for a chargeback I lose?
The disputed amount and any related fee are recorded against your account, as set out in your merchant agreement. Good evidence sent on time is the best way to avoid it.
Who is responsible for sales tax?
You are. Sales tax, VAT and similar taxes on your sales, including registration and filing where they apply, remain your responsibility. Zonipay issues the receipt and gives you order-level reporting and monthly statements for your accountant.
Can I leave?
Yes. Notice periods and how any reserve is released when an account closes are written into your merchant agreement before you sign.
Let us carry the payment.
Apply in about ten minutes. Most complete applications get an answer within a few business days.