Will online stores ever accept ACH payment?

I need to be able to accept ACH payments through my Squarespace online store. Stripe does process ACH payments, but it doesn't currently interface with the Squarespace checkout process. 3% is just too much to take out of the large transactions we routinely process.

Barring ACH payments, I would be happy if the checkout process instead generated a purchase order sent to me, instead of requiring payment from the customer to check out. I could then follow up and process an ACH payment through our other processor.

Squarespace is great, and easy to work with, but funneling everyone through credit card processors and their big fees cuts way into our bottom line. We'll end up finding another platform unless a solution is found.

Doesn't sound like too hard of a fix. Any plans to implement either of these features? (ACH processing or purchase order generation at checkout instead of required payment)

Thanks...

Can you share the site url so we can see the context?

Sure Paul. niftyhoops.com

Thanks. I think it is extremely unlikely that Squarespace will introduce bank payments on their platform. Here are two options to try.

1) You can replace the cart-button and checkout with a manual form that takes users to a form that they complete. When they make payment (using an offsite method) you can manually create the order and show it as paid.

2) Shopify already offers manual payments, allowing customers to create the order themselves, and when you receive the payment (using an offsite method) you can mark the existing order as paid.

Let me know if you need more advice.

Paul, its very generous of you to spend your time like this. Thank you.

I'm curious whether there might be a way to send the shopping cart data to me or another application using a custom button... or is this data all hosted at the ivory tower and inaccessible?

We might migrate to Shopify. I'll check it out.

Thanks again.

No problem. I wrote a guide about doing this with Shopify. You'll find it here: https://sf.digital/squarespace-solutions/how-to-take-manual-payments-on-squarespace

That is a workable solution, it seems. If Squarespace doesn't, and likely never will, support ACH or order generation for off-platform payment thru their checkout process, I don't mind spending a small yearly fee to host my store at Shopify, so long as I can integrate it into my Squarespace site.

Squarespace should get it together. There are many small businesses billing relatively few, but larger, transactions that would benefit from lower ACH fees, but want Squarespace's design capabilities. Plaid is already integrated with Stripe. Seems a no-brainer.

Thanks again

That is a workable solution, it seems. If Squarespace doesn't, and likely never will, support ACH or order generation for off-platform payment thru their checkout process, I don't mind spending a small yearly fee to host my store at Shopify, so long as I can integrate it into my Squarespace site.

Squarespace should get it together. There are many small businesses billing relatively few, but larger, transactions that would benefit from lower ACH fees, but want Squarespace's design capabilities. Plaid is already integrated with Stripe. Seems a no-brainer.

Thanks again

Update - I did as Paul2009 suggested and its working great. Its simple enough to make these "buy buttons", and easy enough to lay them out in Squarespace to create a good looking product page or store. I didn't even bother using the Squarespace product listings at all in the end, because it seems easier and better to set up variations, photos, etc on the Shopify side.

$9/month for Shopify Lite is totally reasonable for this service.

To clarify, I used Paul2009's guide at https://sf.digital/squarespace-solutions/how-to-take-manual-payments-on-squarespace

I rebuilt my product listing on the Shopify side, and used "buy buttons" embedded on my squarespace site. It works great.

Thanks again.

Thanks for reporting back. I'm pleased it worked for you.