Express Checkout Considerations
Express checkout often is faster and easier than traditional multi-step checkout methods, so many customers prefer it. But some shoppers can’t or don’t use express checkout, so continue supporting multi-step checkout on your sites.
The elements that make express checkout simpler also impose limitations. We don’t recommend that you try to fit all the features of your multi-step checkout into express checkout. For example, features such as coupons, gift wrapping, shopper product customization, and gift card redemption aren’t always a good fit for express checkout. Some features are compatible with Pay Now but not Buy Now. These features must be implemented by collecting information in the basket before Pay Now is tapped because the payment apps can’t be customized to contain these features.
An express checkout option like Apple Pay can increase conversion on your site but not if express checkout is made too complicated. Salesforce Payments adds express checkout buttons to SFRA sites in places where shoppers expect to find them and keeps payment app interactions simple. There’s more for you to consider if you choose to expand or customize express checkout on your site.
Follow the Apple Pay on the Web Acceptable Use Guidelines. If your site doesn’t meet acceptable use, configure your site in Business Manager to not offer Apple Pay. Apple also provides Marketing Guidelines and Human Interface Guidelines. These guidelines are important if you change the presentation of express checkout options on your site. Some guidelines for error messaging aren’t supported by the W3C Payment Request API standard and aren’t available for Salesforce Payments and Stripe.
Google Pay has Brand Guidelines and UX best practices. Many of the technical details are handled by Stripe and Salesforce Payments. Other guidelines such as acceptable gathering, and use of shopper data are applicable to your organization.
Compatibility and setup
Express checkout options can vary by device and by browser. Stripe determines what button to show, if any, for a given shopper using APIs available in the browser. We don’t recommend you try to make that determination in your own client-side code.
Apple Pay
All Apple devices and operating systems produced since 2016 support Apple Pay. To use Apple Pay on the web, shoppers must enable the feature, add a card to their Apple Wallet, and use the Safari browser. See the Apple support website for more details. After a shopper meets these criteria, Stripe shows an Apple Pay button for Commerce Payments express checkout.
Not all credit or debit cards are compatible with Apple Pay. When you add a card to your Apple Wallet, Apple communicates with your bank or credit institution to set up Apple Pay for your card. If setup fails, that card can’t be used with Apple Pay. Stripe test cards can’t be added to an Apple Wallet. When you use test mode on your site, Stripe automatically substitutes a test card for your real card. You can use any Apple ID with a real credit or debit card in your Apple Wallet, but your card isn’t charged when payments are made in test mode. There’s no need to create separate accounts or follow any other Apple sandbox testing instructions to test with Commerce Payments and Stripe.
To offer Apple Pay, complete Apple’s Complete Apple’s merchant setup steps and configuration. When you use Salesforce Payments many of these steps are automatically completed on your behalf. Stripe handles merchant identification and the certificates used to encrypt payment information after you register your domains.
Google Pay
Google Pay is available on many browsers and devices but not all combinations are supported by Stripe. Shoppers must enable the feature in their Google account, add a payment method, and use a browser with payment enabled. See the Google support website for more details on Google Pay setup and Stripe paymentRequestButton documentation for browser support. After a shopper meets these criteria, Stripe shows a Google Pay button for Salesforce Payments express checkout.
Some browsers don’t allow the Google Pay button to show if you haven’t used it before. When you complete Google Pay setup in your Google account you visit a demo site and click a Google Pay button there. For example, this demo site is known to solve the problem. This occurrence is a known issue in Chrome related to its implementation of the W3C Payment Request API standard.
To offer Google Pay, Google requires a quick start guide to be completed. When you use Salesforce Payments, these steps are automatically completed on your behalf.
W3C Payment Request
W3C is available in the latest versions of Chrome, Safari, Edge, and a few other browsers. The API provides a generic way for a browser to make shopper-saved payment cards available for use with online purchases. Setup instructions differ for each browser. See Stripe paymentRequestButton documentation for browser support. When a shopper uses a supported browser with a saved card and no branded wallet such as Apple Pay or Google Pay is available, Stripe shows a generic button for Salesforce Payments express checkout.
Because the W3C doesn’t specify button presentation standards, Stripe is responsible for the button look and feel. The Stripe paymentRequestButton options that determine the button text and style for branded buttons also work for this type of button. You can’t replace the button with your own.
Browsers like Chrome let you save any card for use with this API, such as Stripe test cards. Use a Stripe test card to verify how your site works with any payment card brand and in specific scenarios like 3DS challenges, insufficient funds, and fraud-related failures.