IdeaRoom Checkout

Owned by Dan VanOrden
Last updated: Jul 16, 2024 by Andrea Keithline
3 min read

IdeaRoom Pro includes online checkout with support for multiple payment methods. IdeaRoom checkout is most effective when used as the standard sales and ordering workflow for customers, salespeople, and dealers. Some customers will design a building and checkout online before talking to a salesperson. More importantly, IdeaRoom makes working with customers easier in-person or online via chat, email, or phone. The salesperson answers questions, makes design suggestions, and commits the customer to purchase.

When using IdeaRoom for online sales, the salesperson can email a customer a final quote with a link to start the checkout process. Consumers are often more comfortable entering credit card info into a secure form than sharing it over the phone. Using a secure online checkout process also protects your business from the risks of handling credit card data (PCI Compliance). When using IdeaRoom for in-person sales, the customer can complete the checkout process in the sales office or on their mobile device.

Checkout can be used with software integrations to capture credit card payments (Stripe, Authorize.net), apply for financing (Greensky, RTO National), and calculate sales tax.

Credit Card Payment

Stripe

Website: https://stripe.com/

  • IdeaRoom recommends Stripe as the best credit card processing service for use with IdeaRoom.

  • Stripe has the best user experience that works seamlessly on desktop and mobile devices.

  • Sign up for your own Stripe account, and you are responsible for credit card processing fees.

  • Stripe simplifies your fees by charging the same amount for all cards: https://stripe.com/pricing

Authorize.net

Website: https://www.authorize.net/

  • Internet payment gateway service owned by Visa

  • Available as an add-on service with most merchant accounts

  • Contact your merchant account bank to check whether you can add Authorize.net

  • You are responsible for any fees associated with using Authorize.net

Financing & RTO

IdeaRoom supports integrations with a number of financing providers common in the shed industry, some of which also support financing a carport or steel building purchase. If your financing provider supports integration with IdeaRoom, that is the quickest way to complete a financing contract. If your provider does not integrate, checkout allows a customer to submit for purchase, select a payment method, and answer payment questions. Salespeople follow-up after submission to manually complete the financing contract.

The following financing and RTO providers support some level of integration with IdeaRoom checkout:

Sales Taxes

IdeaRoom does not automatically calculate sales tax. If you’re selling in an area of the country that requires capturing sales tax, you have the following options:

Sales Tools - Manually add Sales Tax using the Configurator

Salespeople and dealers can manually set the sales tax amount for an order using Sales Tools inside IdeaRoom. If you use Sales Tools, you’ll need to make the adjustment prior to the customer checking out.

Avalara Integration

IdeaRoom can integrate with your Avalara AvaTax service to automatically calculate sales tax based on the delivery address entered into IdeaRoom. You need your own Avalara account, and you provide IdeaRoom with the API credentials required for IdeaRoom to make a call to your AvaTax service to run the calculation.

https://www.avalara.com/us/en/products/calculations.html

Zip-Tax Integration (Recommended)

Similar to Avalara, IdeaRoom integrates with the Sales Tax service Zip-Tax to calculate sales tax based on a ZIP code or a specific address. IdeaRoom recommends Zip-Tax integration over Avalara because of Zip-Tax makes it easier for our customers to sign-up and create accounts. Please visit Zip-Tax directly to learn more about signing up with their service.

Customer Payment Processing Fees

IdeaRoom can auto-calculate line-item fees based on a percentage of the order subtotal. This capability can be set up to charge a customer a credit card processing fee when they choose to pay their deposit by credit card. It is illegal in some states to pass processing fees on to customers, and IdeaRoom does not automatically track or adjust for these laws or regulations. You are responsible for understanding and conforming to the rules of the states or other jurisdictions in which you operate.