Card reader based payment transactions from a web browser
This disclosure relates to systems and methods for processing electronic payments for customer purchases. In some implementations, a mobile computing device receives a payment request identifying a sales transaction between a merchant and a customer. The payment request indicates a purchase amount owed by the customer to the merchant, and carries a set of instructions. The mobile computing device activates a card reader based at least in part on the set of instructions, receives customer authorization for electronic payment of the purchase amount, instructs the card reader to process a credit card for the purchase amount based on receiving the customer authorization, and receives confirmation of payment of the purchase amount from the card reader.
1. A method performed by one or more processors of a mobile computing device associated with a customer, the method comprising:
receiving, from an online system over a wireless communication network, a push notification including a payment request and a set of instructions for activating a card reader using a mobile payment app residing on the mobile computing device, the payment request identifying a purchase from a merchant and a purchase amount owed by the customer to the merchant;
launching the mobile payment app using the one or more processors in response to receiving the set of instructions included in the push notification;
activating the card reader using the mobile payment app based at least in part on the set of instructions;
receiving, on a touch-sensitive display of the mobile computing device, customer authorization for electronic payment of the purchase amount by the card reader;
instructing the card reader using the mobile payment app to process a credit card for the purchase amount based on receiving the customer authorization; and
receiving a payment confirmation of the purchase amount from the card reader using the mobile payment app.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the payment request originates from a web browser operating on a computing device associated with the merchant.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending the payment confirmation to the online system over the wireless communication network.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prompting the customer to insert the credit card into the card reader by presenting an alert or notification on the touch-sensitive display of the mobile computing device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein activating the card reader comprises:
transmitting an activation signal and the payment amount to the card reader using one or more transceivers of the mobile computing device.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the customer authorization comprises:
presenting, on the touch-sensitive display of the mobile computing device associated with the customer, a notification of the purchase amount to the customer; and
receiving, via the touch-sensitive display, customer input indicating acceptance of the purchase amount.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the notification includes one or more of a selectable icon to accept the purchase amount, a selectable icon to decline the purchase amount, or a selectable icon to edit the purchase amount.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
instructing the card reader to not process the credit card based on a customer selection or interaction with the selectable icon to decline the purchase amount.
9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
instructing the card reader to modify the purchase amount based on a customer selection or interaction with the selectable icon to edit the purchase amount.
10. A mobile computing device associated with a customer, the mobile computing device comprising:
a touch-sensitive display;
one or more transceivers;
one or more processors coupled to the one or more transceivers and the touch-sensitive display; and
a memory coupled to the one or more processors and the touch-sensitive display, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the mobile computing device to:
receive, from an online system over a wireless communication network, a push notification including a payment request and a set of instructions for activating a card reader using a mobile payment app residing on the mobile computing device, the payment request identifying a purchase from a merchant and a purchase amount owed by the customer to the merchant;
launch the mobile payment app using the one or more processors in response to receiving the set of instructions included in the push notification;
activate the card reader using the mobile payment app based at least in part on the set of instructions included in the push notification;
receive, on the touch-sensitive display of the mobile computing device, customer authorization for electronic payment of the purchase amount via the card reader;
instruct the card reader using the mobile payment app to process a credit card for the purchase amount based on receiving the customer authorization; and
receive a payment confirmation of the purchase amount from the card reader using the mobile payment app.
11. The mobile computing device of claim 10 , wherein the payment request originates from a web browser operating on a computing device associated with the merchant.
12. The mobile computing device of claim 10 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the mobile computing device to:
send the payment confirmation to the online system over the wireless communication network.
13. The mobile computing device of claim 10 , wherein execution of the set of instructions causes the mobile payment app to:
prompt the customer to insert the credit card into the card reader by presenting an alert or notification on the touch-sensitive display of the mobile computing device.
14. The mobile computing device of claim 10 , wherein execution of the set of instructions causes the mobile payment app to:
transmit an activation signal and the payment amount to the card reader using the one or more transceivers.
15. The mobile computing device of claim 10 , wherein execution of the set of instructions causes the mobile payment app to:
present, on the touch-sensitive display of the mobile computing device associated with the customer, a notification of the purchase amount to the customer; and
receive, via the touch-sensitive display, customer input indicating acceptance of the purchase amount.
16. The mobile computing device of claim 15 , wherein the notification includes one or more of a selectable icon to accept the purchase amount, a selectable icon to decline the purchase amount, or a selectable icon to edit the purchase amount.
17. The mobile computing device of claim 16 , wherein execution of the set of instructions causes the mobile payment app to:
instruct the card reader to not process the credit card based on a customer selection or interaction with the selectable icon to decline the purchase amount.
18. The mobile computing device of claim 16 , wherein execution of the set of instructions causes the mobile payment app to:
instruct the card reader to modify the purchase amount based on a customer selection or interaction with the selectable icon to edit the purchase amount.