Shopify · store payments
The checkout is Shopify's. The payment is your provider's.
On Shopify you don't build a checkout; you choose which payment options appear in it. Understanding the handoff between the store and the provider is what lets you choose well, test properly and fix orders stuck in “pending”.
What the customer sees
- Store checkoutCart, address, shipping
- Chooses to paySelects the provider's option
- Provider's pagePays by UPI, card or another method
- Back at the storeSees 'Thank you, order confirmed'
What the systems tell each other
- Store → providerOrder ID and amount
- Provider → bankPayment authorised
- Provider → storeServer notice: order paid
How providers plug in
Shopify runs the checkout for every store on the platform, which is why you can't simply paste a provider's code into it. External providers connect through payment apps that Shopify reviews before listing. The merchant installs the app, links their account with the provider, and turns the method on in payment settings.
That review step is also why a provider's availability on Shopify can't be assumed from its website alone. Look for the app in Shopify's own listings, and check which countries and currencies it supports.
- 1Open an account with the providerIncluding its checks on your business.
- 2Install the provider's appFrom Shopify's listings, not from a file someone sends you.
- 3Connect and activateLink the accounts; switch the method on in payment settings.
- 4TestReal small payments, failures and refunds, before announcing it.
Order status: where most problems live
Almost every “the customer paid but the order says pending” ticket comes down to how the payment result reaches the store. Know what each status means before you have to explain one to a customer.
| What happened | What the store should show | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Paid, notice received | Paid | Fulfil |
| Paid, customer closed the tab | Paid, once the provider's notice arrives | Nothing, if notices work; check if it stays pending |
| Payment pending at the bank (common with UPI) | Pending | Wait for the final status; don't ask the customer to pay again yet |
| Failed or abandoned | Not paid; cart may be recoverable | Follow up if you use abandoned-checkout messages |
| Paid twice | Two payments on one order | Refund the duplicate through the provider |
Why UPI payments can sit in pending: UPI QR guide. Refund mechanics: refunds guide.
What to test before launch
A payment option that works for the happy path and breaks on the first failure costs more than it saves. Test these, with real small amounts where the provider allows.
A successful UPI payment
Order moves to paid; confirmation email goes out.
A successful card payment
Including one that asks for OTP.
A failed payment
Customer can try again without creating a second order.
Closing the tab after paying
Order still becomes paid from the provider's notice.
A full and a partial refund
Customer receives it; order and provider agree.
Mobile checkout
Most customers will pay on a phone; test there first.
Payment methods Indian shoppers expect
A provider's app decides which methods appear at your checkout. Before choosing, check it covers how your customers actually pay, on the device they actually use. For most Indian stores that means UPI first, on a phone.
| Method | Why customers use it | What to check with the provider |
|---|---|---|
| UPI | Fast, familiar, no card details | Opens the customer's UPI app on mobile; QR on desktop; how pending payments resolve |
| Debit and credit cards | Rewards, EMI on credit cards, larger orders | Authentication flow, saved cards through tokens, international cards if you need them |
| Net banking | Customers without UPI or cards for the amount | Which banks are covered |
| Wallets | Balances customers already hold | Which wallets, and whether customers use them |
| Card EMI and pay-later options | Spreading larger purchases | Who offers the credit, and what the customer is shown |
Availability differs by provider and changes over time; list what's offered from the provider's current documentation.
Matching Shopify orders to settlements
Shopify tells you what each order was worth. The provider tells you what it paid you, usually as a batch covering many orders, net of its charges, refunds and any chargebacks. The two only agree when you can tie each settlement line back to an order.
Check that the provider's settlement report includes the Shopify order number or a reference you can map to it. Then reconcile weekly at least: every paid order should appear in a settlement, and every settlement line should belong to an order.
| Difference | Usual reason |
|---|---|
| Settlement lower than order totals | Provider charges and taxes on them deducted |
| An order missing from settlements | Still in the settlement cycle, or paid by another method |
| A negative line | A refund or chargeback taken from the payout |
| Two lines for one order | A duplicate payment, which should be refunded |
Selling to customers abroad
A Shopify store is visible worldwide the day it launches, but accepting payment from abroad is a separate decision. International cards, other currencies and payments from overseas customers depend on what your provider supports for your business, and on India's rules for receiving payments from abroad.
If you plan to sell abroad, ask the provider specifically: which international cards it accepts for your category, in which currencies customers can pay, how conversion works, and when funds reach you. Expect more documentation than for domestic sales.
Before switching on international sales
- Confirm the provider supports it for your business
- Decide which currencies to show and charge
- Check shipping, duties and returns for each country
- Read the international payments handbook
Subscriptions and repeat orders
Subscription boxes, refills and memberships need a payment that repeats without the customer checking out each time. On Shopify that means a subscription app working with a provider that supports recurring payments. In India, recurring card and UPI payments run under RBI's e-mandate rules: the customer registers a mandate with authentication and is notified before debits.
Not every provider that handles one-off payments supports recurring ones on Shopify. Check before promising subscriptions to customers, and read the subscription payments guide for how mandates work.
Changing providers without losing refunds
Stores change providers for rates, methods or support. The trap is the orders already paid through the old one: refunds and chargebacks on them still go through the old provider, sometimes for months.
Keep the old account open and its app installed (disabled at checkout) until the refund window for your last orders has passed. Tell your support team which orders belong to which provider.
- 1Set up and test the new providerAlongside the old, before switching.
- 2Switch checkout on a quiet dayEnable the new, disable the old.
- 3Keep the old for refundsUntil your return window has passed.
- 4Close it properlyAfter the last settlement and refunds are done.
Costs to add up
On Shopify, two sets of charges can apply to the same payment: the provider's, and possibly Shopify's own, depending on your plan and which provider you use. Both change over time, so work from the current terms rather than a blog post.
Provider charges. Per-transaction rates by payment method, and any fixed fees.
Platform terms. Any fee Shopify's plan terms apply to external providers.
App charges. Whether the provider's app has its own subscription.
Refund and chargeback costs. Whether fees are returned on refunds.
Questions for any provider on Shopify
- 01Is your app listed by Shopify for stores in India, and for our currency?
- 02Does the customer leave the checkout, or pay inside it?
- 03How does the order learn it's paid if the customer closes the tab?
- 04Can refunds be issued from the Shopify order, and do they sync back?
- 05Which payment methods are available through the app?
- 06When is money settled to us, and how do we match it to orders?
Where Peneu fits
This page doesn't say a Peneu app for Shopify exists or is listed, and no payment method, fee or settlement cycle is claimed. Whether Peneu can be used with a Shopify store, and how, is confirmed during onboarding. For how online payments work more broadly, see the payment gateway handbook.
Shopify payment questions
How does a payment provider connect to a Shopify store?
Through an app. Shopify controls its checkout, so external payment providers connect through payment apps that Shopify reviews and lists. You install the provider's app, connect your provider account, and switch it on in the store's payment settings. Check Shopify's current documentation for the steps.
Does the customer leave my store to pay?
It depends on how the provider's app works. Many hand the customer to the provider's payment page and back; some present the payment inside the checkout. Either way, the order should be confirmed by a notice from the provider, not by the customer returning.
Are there extra Shopify fees for using an outside provider?
Shopify's own terms and your plan decide that, and they change. Check your plan's current terms for any fee on transactions through external providers, alongside the provider's own charges.
Can refunds be issued from the Shopify admin?
Often, if the provider's app supports it: a refund started on the order is passed to the provider. If it doesn't, refunds are issued in the provider's dashboard and must be recorded on the order separately. Ask before choosing.
Can my store save customers' cards?
In India, merchants and their payment aggregators can't store full card numbers; saved cards work through tokens issued by card networks or issuers. See the card tokenisation guide for how that works.
Why does a UPI payment show as pending on my Shopify order?
UPI payments sometimes take a while to reach a final status at the bank. The order should stay pending until the provider reports success or failure. Asking the customer to pay again too early can lead to a double payment.
Can I offer cash on delivery alongside online payment?
Shopify lets stores add manual payment methods such as cash on delivery next to online providers. COD brings its own costs: refused deliveries and cash to reconcile with the courier.
What should I check on launch day?
Place one real small order with each payment method, confirm it shows as paid in Shopify and in the provider's dashboard, refund it, and make sure the confirmation email reached you. Then watch the first real orders closely for anything stuck in pending.
Who do I contact when a payment fails?
Start with the provider's dashboard, which shows why a payment failed. Problems with the payment itself go to the provider's support; problems with the checkout or order status can involve Shopify's support too. Have the order number and payment reference ready.
Does Peneu have a Shopify app?
This page doesn't say a Peneu Shopify app exists or is listed. Whether Peneu can be used with a Shopify store, and how, is confirmed during onboarding.
Last reviewed . Examples, amounts and screens marked illustrative are not Peneu figures.