Direct debits · SEPA Direct Debit
Take SEPA Direct Debit payments across the euro area
SEPA Direct Debit takes payments straight from a customer’s euro bank account using their IBAN. It suits monthly plans and regular deliveries, and Cornerrr’s Stripe checkout collects the mandate for you, for subscriptions and one-time orders alike.
- Free to build and preview
- Payments by Stripe
- No transaction fees from Cornerrr
SEPA Direct Debit
- Type
- Direct debits
- Customers in
- Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland and more
- Currencies
- EUR
- Subscriptions
- Yes, through Stripe Checkout
- Fees
- Stripe’s; none added by Cornerrr
- Checkout
- Stripe Checkout, built in
Direct debits
What is SEPA Direct Debit?
SEPA Direct Debit lets you collect euros from a customer’s bank account anywhere in the Single Euro Payments Area. At checkout the customer gives their name and IBAN and accepts a mandate, which authorizes you to debit the account, now and for later payments. It is a delayed payment: Stripe learns whether it succeeded after about six business days, not straight away.
How your customers pay
Choose SEPA Direct Debit
At your Stripe checkout, for an order or a plan in euros, the customer picks SEPA Direct Debit.
Enter name and IBAN
They type the account holder’s name and their IBAN. No bank login is needed.
Accept the mandate
Stripe shows the mandate text and records the customer’s agreement. By default Stripe also emails the customer about each debit, as the SEPA rules require.
Wait for the debit
The payment goes to their bank and is confirmed after about six business days. Cornerrr then marks the order paid, lowers stock and sends the confirmation.
Why offer it
Why businesses take SEPA Direct Debit
Made for recurring payments
One mandate covers every renewal of a subscription on the Growth plan, so a weekly box or a monthly membership is collected without the customer doing anything.
No card to expire
Bank accounts don’t have expiry dates, so a plan that runs for years isn’t interrupted when a card runs out.
One method for the euro area
Customers in Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the rest of the euro area can all pay the same way, without a local app or a card.
Retries when the balance is low
In Stripe you can have a subscription debit that failed for insufficient funds retried automatically, up to twice within 30 days.
Set up
Turn on SEPA Direct Debit in three steps.
Connect your Stripe account
Link the Stripe account you already have, or create one in a few minutes from Cornerrr. Payments go straight to it; Cornerrr adds no transaction fee.
Turn the method on in Stripe
In your Stripe Dashboard, open the payment method settings and turn it on. Stripe may ask a few questions about your business first.
It shows at checkout
Your Cornerrr checkout is Stripe Checkout, so customers who can use the method see it automatically when their country and your currency match.
Questions
Good to know
How do I turn on SEPA Direct Debit with Cornerrr?
Connect your Stripe account, request SEPA Direct Debit in your Stripe Dashboard’s payment method settings and complete the extra identity checks Stripe asks for. After that, Cornerrr’s Stripe Checkout offers it automatically to eligible customers paying in euros, for orders and subscriptions.
When is an order paid by SEPA Direct Debit confirmed?
Only when the debit succeeds, usually about six business days after checkout. Until then the order shows as pending in Cornerrr; stock goes down and the confirmation email goes out once Stripe confirms. If the debit fails, the order is marked unpaid and you get an email, so wait for the paid status before you ship.
Does SEPA Direct Debit work for subscriptions?
Yes, and it suits them well. On the Growth plan the customer accepts one mandate at the first checkout, and Stripe Billing debits every renewal from the same account.
Can customers get their money back from a SEPA debit?
Yes. For eight weeks after a debit, customers can ask their bank for it back with no questions asked, and for up to 13 months if they say it wasn’t authorized. These disputes are final. You can refund for up to 180 days; tell the customer when you do, so they don’t also ask their bank and get paid twice.
Whose name appears on the customer’s bank statement?
Your business name or the statement descriptor from your Stripe account. Businesses based in the EU can set up their own SEPA Creditor ID in Stripe so debits are easier to recognize, but only before taking live SEPA payments.
Do I need any technical skills?
No. You describe your business in your own words and Cornerrr builds the website. Afterwards you change things by clicking, or by asking the assistant in plain words.
How much does it cost?
Building and previewing your website is free, with no card needed. To go live and take payments, choose a plan from $19 a month. Every paid plan starts with a 14-day free trial; a card is needed to start it.
SEPA Direct Debit works well for
- Water delivery business website builder
- Gym website builder
- Bookkeeper website builder
- Milk delivery website builder
- Yoga studio website builder
- Coffee subscription website builder
Countries where people pay with SEPA Direct Debit
Take SEPA Direct Debit on your own website.
Describe your business, connect Stripe and start taking payments. It’s free to build and preview.