Installation Guide — PayGate

1. Introduction

Welcome to PayGate! This installation guide will walk you through setting up PayGate on your BigCommerce store to control payment method visibility based on customer groups.

PayGate is a powerful BigCommerce app that allows you to configure which payment methods are visible to different customer groups on your checkout page. Control payment options for VIP customers, restrict certain methods for guest checkout, or customize payment availability based on customer segments.

This guide covers everything from installation to configuring your first payment visibility rules, including checkout script installation. Follow the steps sequentially for the best experience.

2. Prerequisites

a) Store Requirements

Before installing PayGate, ensure you have:

• An active BigCommerce store
• Administrator access to your BigCommerce account
• A valid BigCommerce API token with appropriate permissions
• Store theme compatibility (Stencil-based themes recommended)
• Payment methods configured in BigCommerce (Settings > Payments)

b) Account Setup

You'll need:

• A PayGate account (created during installation)
• Email access for account verification
• Access to BigCommerce Script Manager for checkout script installation

c) Browser Requirements

For the best installation experience, use:

• Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge (latest versions)
• JavaScript enabled
• Cookies enabled for session management

3. Installation Steps

Step 1: Access BigCommerce App Marketplace

Log into your BigCommerce admin panel and navigate to Apps > Marketplace. Search for "PayGate" in the search bar.

Step 2: Install PayGate

Click on the PayGate app card, review the app details, and click the "Install" button. You'll be redirected to the PayGate authorization page.

Step 3: Authorize Permissions

PayGate requires the following permissions to function properly:

• Read customer group information
• Read payment method configuration
• Read store information and settings
• Access customer information (for group identification)

Click "Authorize" to grant these permissions. This is a secure, one-time authorization process.

Step 4: Complete Account Setup

After authorization, you'll be redirected to complete your PayGate account setup:

• Enter your email address for account management
• Confirm store connection
• Verify store URL and configuration

4. Selecting Your Plan

a) Understanding PayGate Features

PayGate provides payment method visibility control for your BigCommerce store:

• <strong>Customer Group-Based Filtering:</strong> Configure payment methods visible to specific customer groups
• <strong>Real-Time Filtering:</strong> Payment methods are filtered dynamically on checkout based on customer group
• <strong>Easy Configuration:</strong> Simple dashboard interface to manage payment visibility rules
• <strong>Checkout Script Integration:</strong> JavaScript script filters payment methods on your checkout page

b) Planning Your Payment Strategy

Before configuring rules, plan your payment visibility strategy:

• Identify which customer groups you want to configure (VIP, Wholesale, Guest, etc.)
• Determine which payment methods should be available to each group
• Ensure at least one payment method is available to each group for checkout completion
• Consider security and fraud prevention when restricting payment methods

c) Subscription Plans (if applicable)

If PayGate offers subscription plans, you can manage them from your dashboard. Check the PayGate pricing page or app description for current plan options and features.

5. Initial Setup

a) Dashboard Overview

Once installed, you'll be redirected to the PayGate dashboard. Here you can:

• Select customer groups to configure payment methods
• View all available payment methods from your BigCommerce store
• Configure payment visibility rules for each customer group
• Review and manage all configured rules
• Access installation instructions for the checkout script

b) Store Verification

Verify that your store is correctly connected by checking:

• Store name matches your BigCommerce store
• Store URL is correct
• Customer groups are loading in the dropdown
• Payment methods are displaying from your BigCommerce configuration

c) Initial Configuration

Before configuring payment rules, ensure:

• Customer groups are created in BigCommerce (Customers &gt; Customer Groups)
• Payment methods are configured and enabled in BigCommerce (Settings &gt; Payments)
• You understand which payment methods you want to show/hide for each group

6. Configuring Your First Payment Rules

a) Selecting a Customer Group

Navigate to the PayGate dashboard and select a customer group:

• Use the &quot;Select Customer Group&quot; dropdown
• Choose the group you want to configure (e.g., Default, VIP, Wholesale)
• Groups are synced from your BigCommerce store automatically
• The default group is marked with &quot;(Default)&quot;

b) Configuring Payment Methods

To configure payment visibility for a group:

• Check the boxes next to payment methods you want visible to this group
• Uncheck payment methods you want to hide from this group
• Use &quot;Select All&quot; to show all methods, or &quot;Deselect All&quot; to hide all
• Ensure at least one payment method is selected
• Click &quot;Save Settings&quot; to save your configuration

c) Testing Your Configuration

After saving, test your configuration:

• Go to your store checkout page
• Log in as a customer in the configured group (or test as guest for default group)
• Verify that only selected payment methods are visible
• Check browser console for PayGate filtering messages
• Test checkout completion to ensure it works correctly

7. Installing the Checkout Script

a) Script Overview

PayGate requires a JavaScript script installed in your BigCommerce theme to filter payment methods on checkout:

• The script runs on your checkout page
• It identifies customer email and group membership
• It communicates with PayGate API to get payment visibility rules
• Payment methods are filtered dynamically before checkout completion

b) Installation Steps

Install the checkout script in BigCommerce:

• Navigate to BigCommerce admin &gt; Storefront &gt; Script Manager
• Click &quot;Create a Script&quot;
• Name your script (e.g., &quot;PayGate Payment Filter&quot;)
• Set location to &quot;Checkout&quot; or &quot;Footer&quot;
• Copy the checkout-payment-filter.js script code
• Paste it into the script editor
• Update the storeUrl variable with your store domain
• Save and publish the script

c) Verifying Script Installation

Verify the script is working:

• Go to your store checkout page
• Open browser developer tools (F12)
• Check Console tab for PayGate messages
• Look for successful API calls and filtering messages
• Test payment method visibility with different customer groups

8. Testing Your Setup

a) Test Payment Method Filtering

To verify payment filtering is working correctly:

• Configure payment rules for a specific customer group
• Log in as a customer in that group on your store
• Add items to cart and proceed to checkout
• Verify only selected payment methods are visible
• Check that hidden payment methods are not shown
• Complete a test order to ensure checkout works

b) Test Different Customer Groups

Test with multiple customer groups:

• Configure different payment rules for different groups
• Test checkout as a guest (default group)
• Test checkout as customers in different groups
• Verify each group sees only their assigned payment methods
• Ensure at least one payment method is available per group

c) Test Script Functionality

Verify the checkout script is working:

• Open checkout page and browser console (F12)
• Look for PayGate console messages indicating script is running
• Check for API calls to PayGate endpoint
• Verify payment methods are being filtered
• Test with different browsers and devices if possible

9. Troubleshooting

a) Payment Methods Not Filtering

If payment methods aren't being filtered on checkout:

• Verify the checkout script is installed and enabled
• Check browser console for JavaScript errors
• Ensure customer email is being captured on checkout
• Verify customer group assignment in BigCommerce
• Check that payment rules are saved in PayGate dashboard
• Verify store URL in script matches your actual store domain

b) Script Not Loading

If the checkout script isn't loading:

• Verify script is published in BigCommerce Script Manager
• Check script status is &quot;Enabled&quot;
• Verify script location is set to Checkout or Footer
• Review script code for syntax errors
• Check that your theme supports script injection
• Try clearing browser cache and testing again

c) Customer Group Not Detected

If customer group isn't being detected:

• Ensure customer is logged in to their account
• Verify customer email matches their BigCommerce account
• Check that customer is assigned to a group in BigCommerce
• Test with a known customer group membership
• Verify API connection to PayGate is working
• Check browser console for API error messages

d) Getting Additional Help

If you continue to experience issues, contact our support team with:

• Store URL and description of the issue
• Screenshots of the problem
• Browser console error messages (if any)
• Steps to reproduce the problem
• Your subscription plan details

10. Best Practices

a) Payment Rule Configuration

For optimal payment method filtering:

• Always ensure at least one payment method is available to each group
• Start with simple rules and test before complex configurations
• Document your payment rules for team reference
• Test thoroughly with different customer groups
• Keep rules organized and easy to manage

b) Security Best Practices

Maintain security when configuring payment rules:

• Ensure rules comply with payment processor terms
• Don&apos;t use rules to discriminate against protected classes
• Follow card network rules and regulations
• Review rules for compliance with changing regulations
• Monitor checkout completion rates after implementing rules

c) Maintenance & Updates

Keep your payment rules current:

• Review rules when adding new payment methods
• Update rules when customer groups change
• Test rules after BigCommerce platform updates
• Monitor checkout analytics to optimize payment availability
• Keep backup of your payment rule configurations

11. Support & Resources

a) Getting Help

Need assistance? We're here to help:

• Email support: bigcommerce@finten.space
• Check our user guide and documentation
• Review FAQ section in your dashboard
• Access priority support (Pro plans)

b) Additional Resources

Explore more resources:

• Product documentation and guides
• User guide with detailed feature explanations
• Installation guide for setup instructions
• Release notes and update announcements

c) Feedback & Suggestions

We value your feedback! Share your suggestions, report bugs, or request new features through our support channels.

Support Email: bigcommerce@finten.space