Bancontact via Checkout.com

Bancontact is a popular card-based payment method in Belgium and the market leader for both online and in-store transactions.

This documentation explains how to configure Bancontact using Checkout.com. Chargebee allows you to configure and process Bancontact payments with Checkout.com seamlessly.

To configure Bancontact via Checkout.com, you must have an account with Checkout.com and have configured SEPA via Checkout.com. Bancontact is generally used for one-time payments. In a subscription business, you charge your customers repeatedly. Therefore, Chargebee handles recurring scenarios by converting the Bancontact payment method to the Direct Debit (SEPA) payment method, where the first payment happens via Bancontact and all future recurring payments happen via Direct Debit (SEPA).

Prerequisites

Before configuring Bancontact via Checkout.com in your Chargebee site:

• Configure the Checkout.com Payment Gateway. Learn more
• Enable Bancontact in your Checkout.com account. Learn more

Configuring Bancontact via Checkout.com

Follow these steps to configure Bancontact via Checkout.com in your Chargebee site:

1. Log in to your Chargebee site.
2. Go to Settings > Configure Chargebee > Payment Gateway > Checkout.com.
3. Enable Direct Debit (SEPA). Refer to this document to learn how.
4. Enable Bancontact (Recurring Via SEPA Direct Debit). You have now enabled Checkout.com Bancontact.

5. Configure webhooks using the Notification URL to get the status of SEPA payments. It is mandatory to set this up in Checkout.com for the integration to work.
   Learn more about configuring the Notification URL

Handling Recurring Payments

The first payment will happen via Bancontact, and all future recurring payments will happen via Direct Debit SEPA. Therefore, it is important to inform your customers about this process.

Checkout Flow

Here is the checkout flow for your customer using Bancontact:

1. The customer initiates checkout.
2. During checkout, the customer selects Bancontact as the payment method.
   
3. Upon confirmation, they are redirected to the bank's page for authentication.
4. Once authentication is complete, they are redirected back to Chargebee's checkout. The first payment is processed via Bancontact, and the subscription is created. The payment method is then converted to SEPA for all future renewals.

Limitations

• Bancontact via Checkout.com can be used only for the first payment. Recurring payments are processed via SEPA Direct Debit.
• The Notification URL configuration in Checkout.com is mandatory for SEPA status updates.
• Bancontact via Checkout.com will not work with in-app browsers.

Important Notes

Chargebee allows you to send mandate creation notifications and payment pre-notifications directly from Chargebee.

To use this feature, ensure that you collect your customers' email addresses during checkout.