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Payment Methods

RTC Collector supports multiple payment methods for subscriptions and marketplace transactions. All payments are processed securely through Stripe.

Supported Payment Methods​

Credit & Debit Cards​

Accepted Cards:

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • American Express
  • Discover

Requirements:

  • Card must support recurring payments (for subscriptions)
  • Card must have sufficient funds
  • Billing address must match card details

Digital Wallets​

Apple Pay:

  • Available on Safari (Mac, iPhone, iPad)
  • Touch ID or Face ID authentication
  • Stored cards from Apple Wallet

Google Pay:

  • Available on Chrome and Android
  • Fingerprint or PIN authentication
  • Stored cards from Google account

Bank Transfers (UK Only)​

Direct Debit / Bank Transfer:

  • Available for annual subscriptions only
  • UK bank accounts only
  • Takes 3-5 business days to process
  • Setup requires bank verification

Not available for:

  • Monthly subscriptions
  • Marketplace purchases
  • One-time payments

Adding a Payment Method​

For Subscriptions​

  1. Go to Settings → Subscription
  2. Click Update Payment Method
  3. Choose payment type:
    • Card: Enter card number, expiry, CVC, billing address
    • Apple Pay: Click Apple Pay button and authenticate
    • Google Pay: Click Google Pay button and authenticate
    • Bank Transfer (annual only): Enter bank details
  4. Click Save

Your new payment method is saved and used for future billing.

For Marketplace Purchases​

Payment methods are added during checkout:

  1. Proceed to checkout
  2. Choose payment method or add a new one
  3. Complete purchase

Note: You can save payment methods during checkout for faster future purchases.

Managing Payment Methods​

Viewing Saved Methods​

Go to Settings → Billing → Payment Methods to see:

  • All saved cards (last 4 digits only)
  • Expiry dates
  • Which method is default
  • Digital wallet connections

Setting a Default Method​

  1. Go to Settings → Billing → Payment Methods
  2. Find the method you want to set as default
  3. Click Set as Default

The default method is used for:

  • Subscription renewals
  • Quick marketplace checkout
  • One-click purchases

Updating a Payment Method​

You can't edit a saved card (security reasons), but you can replace it:

  1. Go to Settings → Billing → Payment Methods
  2. Click Add Payment Method
  3. Enter new card details
  4. Click Save
  5. Optionally, set as default
  6. Delete old card if no longer needed

Removing a Payment Method​

  1. Go to Settings → Billing → Payment Methods
  2. Find the method to remove
  3. Click Remove
  4. Confirm deletion

Important: You can't remove your only payment method if you have an active subscription. Add a new one first.

Payment Security​

PCI DSS Compliance​

All payments are processed by Stripe, which is PCI DSS Level 1 certified (the highest level of security in the payments industry).

What We Store​

  • We DO store:

    • Last 4 digits of card
    • Card brand (Visa, Mastercard, etc.)
    • Expiry month and year
    • Billing country

  • We DON'T store:

    • Full card numbers
    • CVC/CVV codes
    • PIN numbers
    • Full billing addresses (Stripe stores this)

3D Secure Authentication​

For added security, some card transactions require 3D Secure authentication:

  • Visa: Verified by Visa
  • Mastercard: Mastercard SecureCode
  • Amex: American Express SafeKey

You'll be redirected to your bank's authentication page to:

  • Enter a one-time code sent by SMS
  • Use your banking app to approve
  • Enter your bank password

This is required for:

  • High-value transactions (typically £30+)
  • First-time purchases
  • International payments
  • Transactions flagged by your bank

Tokenization​

When you add a card:

  1. Card details are sent directly to Stripe (not our servers)
  2. Stripe creates a secure token
  3. We store only the token
  4. Token is used for future charges

This means your actual card number never touches our servers.

SSL/TLS Encryption​

All payment pages use TLS 1.3 encryption:

  • 256-bit encryption
  • Perfect forward secrecy
  • Secure connections only (HTTPS)

Look for the padlock icon in your browser before entering payment details.

Billing Address​

Why We Need It​

  • Card verification
  • Tax calculation
  • Fraud prevention
  • Regulatory compliance

Updating Your Billing Address​

  1. Go to Settings → Billing → Billing Address
  2. Update address fields
  3. Click Save

Note: Billing address must match your card's registered address, or payments may be declined.

Multiple Currencies​

RTC Collector supports multiple currencies for display, but:

  • Subscriptions are charged in GBP (£)
  • Marketplace transactions are charged in the listing's currency
  • Your bank converts to your home currency
  • Bank exchange rates and fees may apply

See Currency & Localization for details.

Failed Payments​

Why Payments Fail​

Common reasons:

  • Insufficient funds
  • Expired card
  • Incorrect card details
  • Card issuer declined
  • 3D Secure authentication failed
  • Card doesn't support recurring payments

What Happens​

For subscriptions:

  1. Email notification sent immediately
  2. We retry after 3 days
  3. We retry again after 7 days
  4. If all retries fail, subscription is cancelled
  5. You have a 7-day grace period to update payment method

For marketplace:

  • Payment must succeed before order is placed
  • If payment fails, you can try again with a different method
  • Transaction is not created until payment succeeds

Fixing Failed Payments​

  1. Check the email we sent for the specific reason
  2. Go to Settings → Subscription or Billing
  3. Click Update Payment Method
  4. Add a new method or fix the issue
  5. Click Retry Payment (for subscriptions)

Common fixes:

  • Insufficient funds: Add funds to your account
  • Expired card: Add a new card
  • Card declined: Contact your card issuer
  • 3D Secure failed: Complete authentication correctly

Refunds​

Refunds are processed back to the original payment method.

Timeline:

  • Credit/debit cards: 5-10 business days
  • Apple Pay/Google Pay: 5-10 business days
  • Bank transfer: 3-5 business days

See Cancellation & Refunds for refund policy.

Invoices & Receipts​

Accessing Invoices​

  1. Go to Settings → Billing → Billing History
  2. Find the payment
  3. Click Download Invoice

Invoices include:

  • Date and time
  • Amount charged
  • Payment method used
  • VAT breakdown (UK)
  • Subscription period
  • Invoice number

Email Receipts​

You automatically receive an email receipt for every payment:

  • Sent to your account email
  • Includes invoice PDF attachment
  • Immediate delivery after successful payment

VAT Information​

UK users:

  • VAT (20%) is included in all prices
  • VAT number shown on invoices
  • Provide your VAT registration number to reverse charge (business accounts)

EU users with VAT number:

  • Provide VAT number in Settings → Billing
  • Reverse charge applies (no VAT charged)
  • Must be valid VAT number

Subscription Billing​

When You're Charged​

Monthly Subscriptions:

  • Same day each month (e.g., if you subscribe on the 15th, you're charged on the 15th of each month)
  • If day doesn't exist (e.g., 31st), charged on last day of month

Annual Subscriptions:

  • Same date each year
  • Renewal email sent 7 days before

Pro-Rated Charges​

When upgrading mid-billing period:

  • You're charged immediately for the price difference
  • Calculated based on remaining days in current period
  • Full new price applied from next billing date

Example:

  • You're on Collector (£5/mo) on day 10 of 30
  • You upgrade to Enthusiast (£15/mo)
  • Pro-rated charge: (£15 - £5) × (20/30) = £6.67
  • Next month: full £15 charge

Marketplace Payments​

For Buyers​

When You're Charged:

  • Immediately upon accepting an offer or completing checkout
  • Funds are held by Stripe until:
    • Seller ships the item (for sales)
    • Both parties confirm shipment (for trades)

Buyer Protection:

  • Funds held until delivery confirmed
  • Full refund if item not as described
  • Dispute process available

See Marketplace for transaction details.

For Sellers​

Sellers need Stripe Connect to receive payouts.

See Stripe Connect for full details.

Payment Security Best Practices​

Keep Your Account Secure​

  • Enable 2FA (two-factor authentication)
  • Use a strong, unique password
  • Don't share your login details
  • Log out on shared devices
  • Review active sessions regularly

Monitor Your Payments​

  • Check email receipts match your activity
  • Review billing history monthly
  • Set up payment alerts with your bank
  • Report suspicious charges immediately

If You Suspect Fraud​

  1. Change your password immediately
  2. Enable 2FA if not already enabled
  3. Review recent transactions in Settings → Billing
  4. Contact support: [email protected]
  5. Contact your card issuer if unauthorized charges appear

Common Issues​

"Payment Declined" Error​

Try:

  1. Check card details are correct
  2. Ensure sufficient funds
  3. Try a different card
  4. Contact your card issuer
  5. Complete 3D Secure if prompted

"Invalid Billing Address" Error​

Try:

  1. Ensure address matches card exactly
  2. Use the address your card issuer has on file
  3. Check for typos
  4. Try the address format your bank uses

"This Card Cannot Be Used" Error​

Reasons:

  • Card doesn't support recurring payments
  • Card is restricted by issuer
  • Card is not activated
  • Card is reported lost/stolen

Try:

  • Use a different card
  • Contact your card issuer

Apple Pay/Google Pay Not Showing​

Requirements:

  • Must use Safari (Apple Pay) or Chrome (Google Pay)
  • Must have supported device
  • Must have cards added to wallet
  • Must be on a secure page (HTTPS)

Questions?​

Where can I see my payment history? Settings → Billing → Billing History

Can I use PayPal? Not currently. We may add PayPal in the future.

Can I use crypto? No, we don't accept cryptocurrency.

Do you store my card details? No, full card numbers are stored by Stripe, not us. We only see the last 4 digits.

Is it safe to save my card? Yes, your card is tokenized and encrypted by Stripe, a PCI DSS Level 1 certified payment processor.

Can I use someone else's card? You can, but the card owner should be aware and consent. For business/educational accounts, using a company card is fine.

For more questions, see Billing FAQ or email [email protected].