India billing FAQ
This guide answers the most common questions related to paying your Shopify bills in Indian Rupees (INR) when you're based in India.
On this page
- Why am I receiving short message service (SMS) text messages or push notifications asking me to authorize the payment of my Shopify bills?
- Why do I have to complete this authorization?
- Why do I need to authorize the payment of some, but not all, of my Shopify bills?
- I didn't receive an SMS message or push notification, what should I do?
- Can I pay multiple bills at one time?
- Can I switch between UPI and credit card payments?
- How can I check if my payment mandate is active?
- Why did my card suddenly stop working after I paid last month's bill automatically?
- Can I change the payment method of a bill during payment processing?
- Can Shopify Support re-send the pre-debit authorization?
- Do I have to contact my bank to reset my recurring payment mandate every time I pay a bill?
Why am I receiving short message service (SMS) text messages or push notifications asking me to authorize the payment of my Shopify bills?
If a payment requires authorization before it can be debited, then you receive an SMS text message from your bank with information about the payment and how to authorize it. The SMS text message typically includes a link that you can visit to confirm a short code between 4 and 6 digits long and authorize the payment.
If you have your bank’s app installed on your device, then you can also receive push notifications when a payment requires pre-debit authorization.
The SMS text message or push notification you receive is sent by your bank and isn’t sent by Shopify.
Why do I have to complete this authorization?
In 2021, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) implemented new regulations for automatic, recurring payments. To pay for recurring bills, you must set up a recurring payment mandate with your bank. If your Shopify bill exceeds a certain amount, then you must complete an additional authentication step before the payment can be processed.
You need to authorize payments only if they exceed certain amounts. If your Shopify bill is higher than the following amounts, then you receive an SMS text message or a push notification from your bank with information on how to authorize the payment:
- For credit cards, the payment threshold is ₹15,000 INR.
- For Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments, the payment threshold is ₹5,000 INR.
Payments for your bill can't be processed until the pre-debit authorization has been completed.
Why do I need to authorize the payment of some, but not all, of my Shopify bills?
You need to authorize only charges that are above the specified payment thresholds. If you pay a Shopify bill and you don't have to provide authorization, then it's' due to the total amount of the bill being less than the relevant threshold.
I didn't receive an SMS message or push notification, what should I do?
If you don’t receive a pre-debit authorization request, and your payment fails, then you must contact your bank directly. The pre-debit authorization request is sent by your bank, and they can help you troubleshoot payment authorization issues.
Can I pay multiple bills at one time?
No. You must pay your bills individually. Your bank might also limit the number of recurring payments you can make daily for a specific service such as Shopify. If you experience payment failures, then resolve the failed bills individually, and then contact your bank.
Can I switch between UPI and credit card payments?
Yes, you can switch between UPI payments and credit card payments when paying your Shopify bills. Learn more about changing your billing payment method.
How can I check if my payment mandate is active?
You can verify the status of your Shopify mandate by logging into the relevant bank's website or app. Your recurring payment mandate is activated and held with your bank.
Why did my card suddenly stop working after I paid last month's bill automatically?
If a previous payment was processed without the need to complete a pre-debit authorization, but your current payment has failed, then review the following information for possible causes:
- Compare the successful payments to the failed payment. If the failed payment is over ₹15,000 INR, then you need to complete pre-debit authorization by responding to the SMS text message or push notification from your bank. The successful payment is possibly below the threshold and therefore doesn't require pre-debit authorization.
- In your bank account dashboard, ensure that the recurring payment mandate you set up is still active.
- If you switch from UPI payments to credit card payments to pay for your bills, then you must contact your bank to raise your card limit and inform the bank of your approved recurring payment mandate.
- Ensure that your bank's card type is still supported by checking Supported cards for India billing.
Can I change the payment method of a bill during payment processing?
It isn't possible to change the payment method of a bill during payment processing. You must wait until the payment fails, and then attempt to pay it using the new payment method. Learn more about changing your billing payment method.
Can Shopify Support re-send the pre-debit authorization?
No. Shopify doesn't control the recurring payment mandate that you set up with your bank. If a payment fails, then your recurring payment mandate is stopped and you must contact your bank to reset it. After your bank has reset your recurring payment mandate, you can contact Shopify Support to retry the payment.
Do I have to contact my bank to reset my recurring payment mandate every time I pay a bill?
You only have to set up a recurring payment mandate with your bank one time, but if regulations change, then you might have to set up a new recurring payment mandate to adhere to the new legal requirements of your bank.