Platform Integration
After fully integrating the Limepay checkout using our direct API integration, it can now be modified to better serve business to business transactions alongside business to customer transactions.
If you are using Limepay in a more conventional business to customer configuration, this section is not relevant to your integration.
Terminology
For this configuration, we will use the following terminology to identify participants in this type of relationship:
- Platform: The entity setting up integration with Limepay. A platform functions as a service for other entities ( sub-merchants ) to sell products or services through. Examples of platforms include invoicing providers, trading platforms, marketplaces, digital property portals or rental services.
- Sub-merchant: An entity conducting business through the platform . A platform has a B2B relationship with a number of sub-merchants . Examples of sub-merchants include rental property owners, artists, or product re-sellers using the platform to list, advertise and sell their products or services.
- Customer: An entity buying the products or services provided by the sub-merchant .
Platform and Merchant API Keys
The platform will be issued with an API key used to make calls from its backend system to Limepay’s API for onboarding sub-merchants and performing various functions on their behalf. Each sub-merchant onboarded will be given Publishable and Secret API merchant keys to be primarily used in the checkout flow to create payments from their customers.
Sub-merchant Onboarding
Sub-merchants need to be onboarded to the platform through Limepay before they can start making payments. If the platform already has a sub-merchant onboarding process they can use Limepay’s onboarding API to add Limepay integration to their existing process.
Onboarding sub-merchants in Limepay requires the following information:
- Business name, business type, industry, tax ID, and tax country.
- Email addresses for admin and support staff.
- A custom URL to use for dashboards.
- The business name that appears on customer’s card statements.
- Title, role, name, date of birth, email, addresses, phone number and identity document scans for beneficial owners of the sub-merchant.
In some cases, generally when the business name doesn’t match the registered name for the ABN, Limepay might also require a scan of the Certificate of Registration.
Onboarding with Limepay API
we encourage using the Limepay API onboarding endpoints for platforms with their own established sub-merchant onboarding process. This will streamline the experience for the sub-merchants, keeping them on the platform’s site and avoiding asking for sub-merchant details twice.
To begin the sub-merchant onboarding process, the platform backend process will call the Platform Merchant [Create] endpoint.
On success, the API will return the Limepay internal ID for the sub-merchant account. This merchantId
will be required for subsequent calls.
Once the sub-merchant account has been created the following API endpoints must be called to complete the onboarding process:
- Merchant Onboarding File [Upload] - for partnerships a scan of a partnership agreement needs to be uploaded. For trusts a trust deed is required. Retain the file ID for the next step. For all other types of businesses, this step can be skipped.
- Platform Merchant [Update] - set general sub-merchant company details. Can be called more than once to update any details if they change.
- Merchant Onboarding File [Upload] - upload a scan of each beneficial owner’s identity document (passport or driver’s licence, front and back). Retain the returned file ID for the next step.
- Platform Merchant Person [Create] - call for each owner and enter personal details and scanned identity document file IDs from the previous step.
- Merchant Bank Account [Create] - add sub-merchant bank account details.
Customer Experience
Customers engage with the Limepay checkout within the branded environment of the platform or sub-merchants. Those who have elected to pay in instalments will receive communication directly from Limepay and can manage their payments through the Limepay customer dashboard. Both the dashboard and these communications can be customised to fit the branding of the platform or sub-merchant via the Limepay merchant dashboard.
What's next?
Platform merchants may wish to action transaction transfers between themselves and merchants.