API Reference

Online & Offline collection channels

Vendy provides a new payment gateway that debits customer accounts and accepts payments both offline and online.

Request to pay (R2p) Mobile and web app

A merchant can request payment from its customers on a recurring basis or at the point of sale or purchase for goods and services through the Request to Pay service on either the mobile or web application. Using the customer's GSM phone number (also known as an MSISDN), Vendy collects all available payment providers (bank, mobile money, etc.) to which the consumer is subscribed, and uses the phone number to allow debit on the user's money account; this is the Vendy Direct payment method. There are however other Payment Methods by which a customer can be debited on Vendy, both offline and online.

Offline payments

Vendy has relationships with a number of telecommunications companies throughout Africa. Offline transactions on Vendy are enabled by USSD or SimToolkit channels pushed by merchants to customers end-to-end.

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Note

When a merchant initiates a payment request to a customer and selects USSD as the payment method, the customer will receive this request in a USSD format on their phone. All that the customer needs to do is to respond to the USSD pop-up messages on the phone screen to pay for goods/services.

Online payment

Vendy has integrated with platforms such as WhatsApp to ensure that customers receive a merchant-initiated "Request to Pay" message for online payments.

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Note

Web Platform to register as a merchant or customer click here.

Overview of the Checkout Process using The Merchant Application

  1. Open the home screen of the merchant application
  2. Enter amount to be paid by customer
  3. Choose checkout channel, USSD or WhatsApp
  4. The request is processed by Vendy and sent to the customer's phone number
  5. Next, the customer authorizes the request
  6. After successful authorization, the customer is debited using whatever payment method is chosen
  7. Payment is completed and transaction ends

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Other Transaction Checkout Options

Overview of the Customer’s Offline Transaction Process

  1. Customers can pay with Vendy Payment Gateway via USSD or STK push.

  2. The Vendy Payment gateway sends an interactable USSD push message when a merchant initiates a "Request To Pay" via the Web, Mobile app, or WEB API.

  3. To complete a transaction, the customer does not require an internet connection.

  4. Customer will receive a notification with a list of all available payment options available to the phone number.

  5. Upon successful payment, the customer will be debited, and the merchant's Vendy wallet will be credited.

Overview of the Customer’s WhatsApp Online Transaction process

  1. Customers can pay with Vendy Payment Gateway via social media platforms such as WhatsApp.

  2. When a merchant submits a "Request To Pay" through the Web application, Mobile application or WEB API, the Vendy Payment gateway sends an interactable message via social media platforms.

  3. Completing a transaction requires internet connection.

  4. Customer will receive a notification with a list of all available payment options available to the phone number.

  5. Upon successful payment, the customer will be debited, and the merchant's Vendy wallet will be credited.