Generating 60,000 CIM profiles. Are there transaction charges for this process?

[jbschwartz]

Hello,

I am part way through the process of generatiing 60,000 Customer Profiles as I convert a client from AIM to CIM.  I just noted a passage in the CIM XML Guide (August 2012) that suggests that there might be charges for these transactions. Yikes!

On Page 11, in the discussion of "LiveMode", which I believe is required to successfully generate tokens using the "createCustomerProfileRequest" CIM Function, 

"liveMode generates a transaction to the processor in the amount of $0.01 or $0.00. If successful, the transaction is immediately voided. Visa authorization transactions are changing from $0.01 to $0.00 for all processors. All other credit card types use $0.01. Standard gateway and merchant account fees may apply to the authorization transactions."

My concern is the last sentence (I added the emphasis).

It's not going to be a good day if the client gets a bill for 60,000 transactions just to get this subsystem started.

Thanks in advance for your response.

J

[RaynorC1emen7]

Yes, there will be charge for livemode. Should have use testmode.

[jbschwartz]

Thanks for the answer.  Not what I was hoping for. ;-)

I was under the mistaken impression that testMode could not generate tokens.  It can.

If I attempt to plead innocence and get charges reversed, which organization is it that applies charges: Auth.net, the Merchant Processor or the Bank?

Thanks

[RaynorC1emen7 · Accepted solution]

I was under the mistaken impression that testMode could not generate tokens.  It can.

yep, it just won't test the credit card info before saving.

If I attempt to plead innocence and get charges reversed, which organization is it that applies charges: Auth.net, the Merchant Processor or the Bank?

I think is both the auth.net and merchant processor.

[jbschwartz]

Back to this same project: generating 60,000 Tokens for existing customer records....

The client is VERY sensitive to what customers will see on their statement, either online or printed.

When I performed 10,000 createCustomerProfileRequest in LIVEMODE, dual $0.01/ -$0.01 transactions were generated. It was visible on Auth.net unsetteled Transactions, showing as a single VOID. It was also viisble on the Customer's online credit card account under "Temporary Authorizations" (I checked my own MasterCard account), but the entry is gone 24 hours later.

Question:  Will these show up on Customer's printed monthly statements?

I have already advised the client not to send out a "heads up" email to Customers, warning of the validation transaction because it appeared to fall off the online statement within 24 hours.  I just want to know for sure if the transaction will appear 30 days from now when Customers receive their monthly statement.

For the life of me, I can't imagine why the Guide doesn't include a discussion on how to migrate Customers into CIM, reviewing some of these potential "gotchas".

Jonathan

[RichardH]

Jonathan,

That's a good suggestion for our documentation team to look at regarding bulk-loading CIM profiles.  I've passed the information on to them.

Richard

[jbschwartz]

RichardH,

Glad I could help Authorize.net. 

Just so you know....This "gotcha" cost me $700 out of my own pocket, as I stepped up to reimburse the Client for 10,000 LiveMode transactions at $0.07 each.  I called Auth.net Customer Service and they declined to help me out with a refund for the Client.

Still need an answer to the question above: Will the LIVE MODE validation transaction show up on the Customer's monthly credit card bill?  If so, the "heads-up" email to the Customer might be warranted.

Jonathan

[Trevor]

Hi Jonathan,

Unfortunately, I can't give you a simple answer to your question. Ultimately, it is completely up to each individual card issuing bank what they choose to print on the customers statement and what they don't. I can tell you that my general experience is that most banks do not print these transactions, but I don't have any kind of hard numbers that I can give you. One additional thing to be aware of is that "livemode" validation for Visa transactions are processed differently then other card types. Visa cards are validated using what's called an "AVS Only" transaction for which no amount is authorized and the card is only validated. This type of transaction is even less likely to show up on a statement.

[jbschwartz · Accepted solution]

Trevor,

Fair answer.  It depends on the individual Bank, so there is no blanket policy.

That explains why I saw my own test Mastercard validation transaction show up online, but never saw my test Visa validation transaction at all.

As a follow up to the original post, I have resumed my bulk generation of tokens using 'testMode'....a funny choice of labels since it is indeed producing Tokens in a live enviroment.  I considered the 3rd option, 'none', but there doesn't seem to be an upside to eliminating all data validation altogether.

Thanks for your support.

Jonathan

[mgtcomputer1989]

i can't believe Authorize.Net is hanging you out to dry for $700

i'm new here but with news like this i might be old (ie, gone) here soon.

probably not the place to discuss this but is this typical of how Authorize.Net treats developers in the field?