In this article, we'll guide you through how the Pay by Bank experience works for customers on your Flowhub Ecommerce site, from order placement through payment confirmation.
Note: Pay by Bank is only available on ecommerce sites where the dispensary has enabled prepayment through Aeropay. Customers can also choose "I'll pay when I arrive" to send their order without prepaying.
Watch the video below to learn about paying by bank
Select a Payment Method
When a customer places an order on your Flowhub Ecommerce site, they fill out their customer information (name, state, phone number, date of birth, email, and medical ID/expiration if applicable). After entering their details, they choose how to pay.
The customer selects Pay by Bank from the available payment options.
If the customer schedules pickup more than 2 days in advance, Pay by Bank is unavailable for that order. The option is disabled, and the customer can still place the order by selecting I'll pay when I arrive.
💡 Tip: Aeropay creates or links a customer account using the information provided in the order form — specifically first name, last name, phone number, and email. The phone number is the unique identifier for each Aeropay user.
✏️ Tip: Aeropay preauthorizations expire after 3 days. Flowhub limits Pay by Bank to orders scheduled for pickup within 2 days so a preauthorization does not expire before the customer arrives.
Verify the Phone Number
Flowhub must verify that the phone number on the order can receive SMS messages. This is required to create valid Aeropay accounts for new users.
If the customer is not logged in or is a guest: A "Check your phone" modal displays, prompting the customer to enter the 6-digit code sent to their phone via SMS.
If the phone number cannot receive SMS messages: An error message displays, and the customer cannot proceed with Pay by Bank.
If the customer is logged in with an Ecommerce account and their phone number was already verified during account creation, they are not prompted to verify again.
💡 Tip: If Flowhub recognizes a previously validated phone number on an order, the customer will not be prompted to verify their number again.
Connect a Bank Account
After phone verification, the Aeropay Aerosync widget opens for the customer to connect their bank account.
New Aeropay users: Flowhub uses the customer's details (phone number, email, and name) to create their Aeropay account automatically. The customer is then guided through the Aerosync widget to log in to their bank and link their account.
Returning Aeropay users: Aeropay recognizes the customer by their phone number and sends a verification code. The customer can then select from their previously linked bank accounts.
💡 Tip: If a customer needs to update the phone number associated with their Aeropay account, they must contact Aeropay support at support@aeropay.com. Phone numbers cannot be changed through the Flowhub Ecommerce flow.
Review and Place the Order
Once the bank account is connected, the customer is returned to the ecommerce order form with their selected bank account displayed.
The customer's bank account name, account number, and name display on the order form.
If fee messaging is enabled by the dispensary, the customer will see the prepayment fee and flat rate before placing the order.
If the customer wants to change their bank account, they can select Change on the "Pay by Bank" section to return to the Aerosync widget.
The customer selects Place Order to submit their prepaid order.
💡 Tip: When the customer places the order, Aeropay preauthorizes the amount based on the order total. Funds are not removed from the customer's account until the budtender finalizes the transaction at the dispensary. If the order is never completed or is canceled, no funds are taken from the customer's account.
Understand Preauthorization and Fund Timing
Preauthorization: When a customer places a prepaid order, Aeropay preauthorizes the total amount. This is a hold, not an actual charge. No funds move until the budtender finalizes the transaction.
Fund settlement: After the transaction is finalized, funds are pulled from the customer's bank account within 1-3 business days.
Expired preauthorizations: If a preauthorized transaction is never finalized, it automatically expires after 3 days (72 hours). The customer will see no change in their bank account balance.
Advance order limit: Because preauthorizations expire after 3 days, Pay by Bank is available only on orders scheduled for pickup within 2 days. This prevents a preauthorization from expiring before the customer arrives to pick up the order. Orders scheduled further in advance can still be placed using I'll pay when I arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if a customer has sufficient funds but Aeropay declines the payment?
Aeropay's system evaluates the customer's bank balance and transaction history to determine authorization risk. In some cases, Aeropay may decline a transaction even if the customer has sufficient funds to avoid the risk of nonpayment when the charge settles. The customer will see an error message directing them to add more funds or contact support@aeropay.com.
Can a customer use multiple bank accounts?
Yes. If a customer has multiple bank accounts linked to their Aeropay account, they can select which one to use for each order.
What happens if the customer's cart total changes after they place a prepaid order?
If the total decreases (items removed, discounts added), the customer is only charged the new, lower amount.
If the total increases (items added, discounts removed), the budtender collects the difference using another payment method. The customer's bank account is only charged the original preauthorized amount.
If the order is not picked up or is cancelled, no funds are taken from the customer's account.
How does a customer update their phone number with Aeropay?
Phone numbers are the unique identifier for Aeropay users and cannot be updated through Flowhub. The customer must contact support@aeropay.com to update their phone number.
Why is Pay by Bank unavailable at checkout?
The most common reason is the pickup timeframe. Pay by Bank is disabled when a customer schedules pickup more than 2 days in advance, because Aeropay preauthorizations expire after 3 days. The customer can select an earlier pickup time to prepay, or place the order using I'll pay when I arrive. Pay by Bank is also unavailable if the dispensary has not enabled prepayment through Aeropay, or if the phone number on the order cannot receive SMS messages.
Can a customer schedule a pickup more than 2 days out and still prepay?
No. The order can be placed, but I'll pay when I arrive is the available option. To prepay with Pay by Bank, the customer needs to choose a pickup time within 2 days.
Great work! 🥳 You now understand how the Pay by Bank experience works for customers on your Flowhub Ecommerce site. Customers can securely prepay for their orders using Aeropay, and your team can confidently support them through the process.