Payment Gateway FAQ
Stripe vs IPPAY behavior, routing, and refund rules when switching gateways.
Quick answers
Do we need our own Stripe or IPPAY account?
No.
Stripe uses Reach-owned Stripe accounts and credentials.
IPPAY runs under the existing Reach MID.
Which gateway is used by default?
Reach natively supports both payment gateways as default, and clients have the option to choose from both.
Will existing customers be moved to new payment gateway automatically?
No. There is no forced migration of saved payment methods.
Customers move to new payment gateway naturally when they add a new payment method.
If we change gateways, what happens to refunds and credits?
Refunds and credits always run on the original gateway and original payment method.
This remains true even if that gateway is disabled for new payments.
Gateways
Can we use a gateway other than Stripe or IPPAY?
Not today. Additional gateways are on the roadmap.
Share requirements and timelines with your Account Manager.
Configuration and routing
How is gateway configuration managed?
Gateway settings are configured per brand (tenant).
This controls:
which gateways are enabled
the default gateway for new transactions
which payment methods are available
whether customers can choose a gateway at checkout (if enabled)
Can we enable multiple gateways at the same time?
Yes. A tenant can have multiple gateways enabled.
Reach can still route based on customer context and saved methods.
What are common routing scenarios?
New customer makes a first payment: New default payment gateway
Existing customer has a saved card: Old payment gateway
Existing customer adds a new card: New default payment gateway
Refund for a transaction made on an older saved card: Old payment gateway
Refund for a new transaction: New default payment gateway
ACH Direct Debit for new setups: New default payment gateway
Don’t disable a gateway expecting refunds to “move”. Refunds must reconcile to the original processor.
Payment methods
What payment methods are supported?
Credit and debit cards (default)
ACH Direct Debit (optional, enabled per tenant)
Both methods are supported on Stripe and IPPAY.
Is autopay required?
Yes. Customers must keep a payment method on file for automatic billing.
The payment method on file is charged on the bill date.
Can customers store more than one payment method?
Yes. Customers can:
add a secondary card
change the default method
Reach stores tokens only. Reach does not store raw card data.
How does ACH Direct Debit work in Reach?
ACH is optional and enabled per tenant.
ACH enablement usually involves extra operational decisions. Bring it up early during onboarding.
What safeguards exist for ACH confirmation delays?
ACH confirmation can be delayed. Reach supports controls to reduce fulfillment risk:
Delayed fulfillment (optional delay before service is provisioned)
Provisional service (allow service while confirmation is pending)
Failure protocols (failed ACH follows the same retry and suspension logic as card failures)
Permission-based overrides (agent overrides with audit logging)
Declines, retries, and customer experience
Will customers see gateway-specific messaging or branding?
No. Payment routing is designed to be invisible to end customers.
No forced migration of saved cards or bank details.
No gateway-specific branding on web or app.
Consistent handling of soft and hard declines.
What happens when a payment fails?
Reach automatically retries common declines.
Default behavior:
retry on Day 0
retry on Day 1
then follow the brand’s configured dunning schedule
Which decline codes are common?
Examples:
530(Do Not Honor): issuer declined without a reason302(Credit Floor): customer is over their credit limit521(Insufficient Funds): insufficient account balance
Reporting, descriptors, and controls
How do we identify which gateway processed a transaction in reports?
Payment reports include Payment_Gateway_Name per transaction.
Which reports are commonly impacted by gateway differences?
Common examples:
Daily Payments
Monthly Refunds
What statement descriptors are supported?
Static descriptor: fixed brand name for every transaction
Dynamic descriptor: can include transaction-level or order-level detail
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