CONNECT YOUR STORE TO STRIPE

To set up your shop and receive payouts from your sales, you will need to link a Stripe account. Stripe is our secure payment processor that handles payouts directly to your bank account. If your store is not connected to Stripe, you cannot have active listings as it can stop orders for other vendors.

Follow this step-by-step guide to complete your account integration.

Step 1: Start the Connection

Navigate to your vendor dashboard and locate the Settings>Payment tab. Click the button labeled “Add Payment Method”

You will either see a secure popup window or be temporarily redirected to Stripe’s verification portal. The top of the screen will show our marketplace logo alongside Stripe’s security branding.

Step 2: Sign In or Create Your Account

Stripe will ask for an email address and mobile phone number to begin.

• If you are new to Stripe: Enter your preferred business email and NZ mobile number. Stripe will send a security code via text message to verify your phone and set up two-factor authentication. Next, select your legal business structure (such as Individual / Sole Trader, Company, or Partnership).
• If you already have a Stripe account: Enter the email address associated with your existing Stripe profile. Enter the security code sent to your phone, then select your existing business profile from the menu to link it immediately.

Step 3: Complete Identity & Business Verification

To comply with New Zealand anti-money laundering and financial regulations, Stripe must verify your identity and business details. (Note: If you are linking an existing Stripe account, most of this information pre-fills automatically for your review).

You will be asked to provide:

• Personal Details: Full legal name, date of birth, residential address, and your personal IRD number.
• Business Details: Registered business name, New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) if applicable, GST number (if registered), business website or active social media page, and a brief description of the products you sell. For the website portion, Stripe will not take your hive store link, if you do not have your own urlURLDefinition A URL is the unique address of a specific webpage, file, or resource on the internet. It tells your web browser exactly where to find that piece of content. Explanation Think of a URL like a physical street address for a house, but on the internet. Every building has a unique address so the postman knows where to deliver mail. Similarly, every webpage has a unique URL so your computer knows exactly which page to load. When you look at the top of your web browser, you will see a bar where the URL is typed. If you want to visit a specific online shop or product page, you need its exact URL. Without it, your browser would not know which website to open., then we advise you to use one of your social media links.
• Document Verification (If Required): Stripe may occasionally ask you to upload a photo of a government-issued photo ID (a current New Zealand driver’s licence or passport) to complete identity checks.

Step 4: Add Your NZ Bank Account Details

On the payout setup screen, enter the New Zealand bank account where you want your earnings deposited. You will need your full 16-digit bank account number in the standard NZ format:

• Bank Code (2 digits)
• Branch Code (4 digits)
• Account Number (7 digits)
• Suffix (2 or 3 digits)

Step 5: Review and Submit

Review the summary screen to ensure all your personal and banking information is correct. Tick the box to accept the Stripe Connected Account Agreement and click “Submit” or “Connect”.

Step 6: Return to the Marketplace

Once submitted, Stripe automatically redirects you back to your vendor dashboard. You will now see Stripe on Settings>Payments tab as a payment method . Your store is now ready to receive payouts.

Please Note: Payment setup processes are managed directly by Stripe. While we keep this documentation as accurate and up-to-date as possible, Stripe may periodically update its interface, verification steps, or onboarding flows without prior notice. If you spot a step that looks slightly different during your setup, simply follow the on-screen prompts provided by Stripe.

Key Information & Helpful Tips for Vendors

Managing your payment settings, managing customer sales, and handling updates are straightforward once your account is live. Here are the essential details you need to know as a vendor on our marketplace.

1. Managing Payouts and Account Settings

Our marketplace handles your store setup and product listings, but Stripe directly manages your financial account and payout preferences.

• Updating Bank Details: If you change bank accounts or need to update your registered business details, log into your Stripe Dashboard. We do not store or manage your private banking details on our site.
• Payout Timing: New Stripe accounts often experience a standard initial delay (typically 7 to 14 days) for their very first payout while Stripe completes security checks. After that, payouts follow a regular rolling schedule directly into your New Zealand bank account.

2. Managing Order Notifications

When an item sells, you will receive an order confirmation email directly from our marketplace. However, you can also set up Stripe to notify you instantly whenever a transaction completes:

• Enabling Email Alerts: Log into your Stripe Dashboard, navigate to Profile Settings > Notifications, and tick the option to receive Successful Payment emails.
• Why this helps: It gives you a secondary confirmation of your sale and provides an immediate record of the underlying transaction.

3. How Refunds Work

Refunds are handled outside of your Stripe account balance.

• Direct Bank Transfer: If a refund is required (for instance, if an item is returned or unavailable), you must issue the refund directly into the customer’s bank account.
• Why Stripe is not used for refunds: Customer requests or returns typically happen well after an order is placed. By that point, the funds have already been paid out from Stripe into your New Zealand bank account and are no longer sitting in your online Stripe balance.
• Processing a Refund: Contact the customer directly via your vendor communications panel to arrange the transfer into their designated NZ bank account, then update the order status in your dashboard.

4. GST & Tax Record Keeping

• Tax Invoices: Because sales are paid to you, you are responsible for maintaining your own tax records and accounting for GST (if you are GST-registered in New Zealand).
• Exporting Reports: You can download detailed monthly financial statements, fee breakdowns, and payout summaries directly from your Stripe Dashboard under the Reports tab to make end-of-year filing simple.

5. Chargebacks & Payment Disputes

If a customer disputes a charge with their credit card provider, Stripe will notify you via email immediately. You can log into your Stripe Dashboard to view the details of the claim and upload any supporting documentation (such as proof of delivery or track-and-trace details) to resolve the dispute.

A Note on Third-Party Tools: We aim to keep all vendor guides strictly up to date, but third-party platforms like Stripe occasionally adjust their menu names, options, and workflows. The details below represent the most accurate instructions we currently have. If a setting isn’t where you expect it to be, check your Stripe Dashboard search bar or help menu.