What a payment intermediary (gateway) is and what it charges
Photo: Avila Ops Tecnologia
A payment intermediary (gateway) connects your store to banks and card networks. It receives checkout details, requests authorization, holds funds, and deposits into your account, charging a fee per sale.
It enables cards and Pix without five separate contracts. Mercado Pago, PagSeguro, Pagar.me, and Stripe perform this role. Your choice changes what remains per sale and when funds arrive.
What does the intermediary do?
Photo: Avila Ops Tecnologia
It handles unseen tasks:
- Fraud analysis: compares orders with suspicious patterns before approval.
- Card data storage without your store storing it.
- Installments: customers’ banks pay in installments; intermediaries settle all at once, with early-payment cost embedded, or installment by installment under contract.
- Chargebacks: responds to banks when customers dispute.
- Settlement: combines sales and deposits on schedule.
A stationery store receiving 60 February orders checks no cards. The intermediary approved them, blocked suspicious ones, and will deposit on time. Fees pay for that.
What does it charge and how do I compare?
Three charges may coexist:
- Transaction percentages differing for Pix, boleto, debit, single-payment and installment credit.
- Fixed transaction charges, common for boleto.
- Early-settlement fees for receiving card money before the standard deadline.
Check each provider’s public rates. Compare Pix fees, single-payment credit fees, settlement time, and early-settlement cost. Low fees with long delays may cost more than higher fees with two-day funds, depending on cash.
This is one online-selling cost line. See the true total cost of selling online and who is who in payments.
What to do now
Divide last month’s fees by sales for its real percentage cost. Avila Ops charges no platform sales commission; only intermediary fees apply. Plans: avilaops.com/loja-virtual or WhatsApp: wa.me/5517997811471.
Frequently asked questions
Are gateways and payment facilitators the same?
Practically for small stores, yes. Technically gateways transport data while facilitators also hold and settle funds. Mercado Pago and PagSeguro do both.
Can one store use two intermediaries?
Yes, but reconciliation grows. One suffices initially.
Do customers see the fee?
No. Customers pay the product price; fees are deducted from your deposit.
Turn what you learned into your next step.
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