Understand how payment methods protect your shop from negative balances and blocked transactions
Adding a payment method to your Fourthwall account gives you more flexibility and control over your shop. When you run promotions, discounts, or giveaway links, certain transactions may result in a temporary negative profit. Adding a credit card or PayPal account ensures that transactions can be processed smoothly, rather than being blocked due to an insufficient balance.
To learn more about how to add and manage your payment methods, refer to this guide.
FAQs
When will I be charged?
Your default payment method will only be charged if a transaction would cause your shop balance to fall below zero. For instance, if a promotion or giveaway link is claimed and your current shop balance is insufficient to cover the full amount without going negative, your default payment method will be used.
Can I control whether I'm charged?
Yes. When adding a payment method, you can set a monthly charge limit. This is the maximum amount your shop can be charged within a calendar month.
If a transaction would exceed your monthly limit, the transaction will be blocked to protect you against accruing a significant negative balance.
What if I don’t have a credit card (or don’t want to add one to my account)?
You are not required to add a credit card. Instead, you can add a PayPal account.
Note: If you choose not to add any payment method, transactions that would cause your balance to go negative will be blocked, so you never need to worry about going negative.
What types of transactions will be blocked?
If no payment method is added, transactions that exceed your negative balance limit will be blocked.
If a payment method is added with a monthly charge limit, only transactions that would exceed your set monthly charge limit will be blocked.
Why can’t you use the account I have linked for payouts?
To maintain the highest levels of security and keep you in control, the account information you used to set up payouts is only authorized to pay out your shop balance monthly. For charges, we require a separate form of payment authorized for covering transactions that incur a negative account balance.
How frequently will I be charged?
You will only be charged when a transaction would result in a negative account balance.
Note: If the negative amount is below $1.00, the system will charge you $1.00. This is the minimum amount we can charge. Any amount over the negative amount will be added to your shop balance.
What payment methods are accepted?
We accept all major credit cards (Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover) and debit cards issued by major credit card companies (i.e., debit cards with a Visa logo). We also accept PayPal as the payment method, if you prefer.
Is it safe to add my credit card?
Yes. All payment information is securely stored and processed via Stripe. Stripe is a certified PCI Service Provider Level 1, the highest level of certification in the payments industry. Fourthwall does not store or share your credit card information.
How will I know if I’ve been charged?
In addition to seeing it on your Fourthwall dashboard and in your credit card statement (labeled as “Fourthwall”), we will email you anytime you’re charged or a transaction is blocked.
What should I do if my payment method is rejected or fails?
If your payment method is rejected:
- Confirm the card details are correct
- Contact your card issuer to ensure the charge was not blocked
- Update your payment details in your dashboard if necessary
If the issue continues, contact support@fourthwall.com for assistance.
If your payment method fails:
- Certain transactions may be temporarily blocked
- You will receive an email with instructions to update your payment method
- Transactions will resume once a valid method is added