Paphos, 23:15. A couple from Manchester finds your property on Google, opens your website and wants to book four nights in May. Your policy asks for a deposit. The property has a merchant agreement with JCC, like most businesses in Cyprus. Until now, though, payment meant emails, phone calls and a "we will send you an invoice".
From this month Bookmatrix.com connects directly to JCC Payment Systems. The guest pays by card on the JCC page and the payment is recorded on the booking by itself. This article explains how it works, what you need and how to connect it.
What the JCC connection does
The connection uses your own JCC e-commerce merchant account. The money goes straight to your JCC account. Bookmatrix.com never holds your money. All the details are on the JCC integration page. In short:
- Deposit on online bookings. When your booking engine asks for a deposit, the guest lands on the reservation page and pays it through JCC. The booking is confirmed when the payment is approved.
- Payment links from the reservation. On any reservation, even one taken by phone, you create a JCC payment link for the deposit or any amount you choose and send it to the guest.
- Balance links that stay current. A balance link charges what is still owed at the moment the guest opens it, even after a partial payment.
- Card details stay with JCC. The guest types the card on the JCC page with 3-D Secure. You and your staff never see the full card number.
How the guest pays
- The guest books on your website, or receives a payment link from you.
- On the reservation page the guest chooses JCC and pays on the JCC page, in their own language or in one language you choose.
- Bookmatrix.com checks the payment with JCC, records it on the reservation, confirms the booking and emails the receipt.
There is nothing for the reception to do. In the morning you see the booking confirmed, with the payment on it, and a notification that it came in.
Confirmed with JCC, not "probably paid"
One point matters a lot with payments: when a payment counts as paid. In Bookmatrix.com it is not enough that the guest came back from the JCC page. When the guest returns, and again when JCC notifies us, Bookmatrix.com asks JCC for the order status with your own API user. Only an approved order with the right amount and the right currency is recorded on the reservation.
The payment lands on the reservation with the card type, the last digits, the JCC approval code and the reference. If you ever need to find a transaction in the JCC Merchant Portal, you have the order ID in the JCC transactions list in Bookmatrix.com.
What you need
- A JCC e-commerce merchant account. You request it from JCC. Transaction fees are agreed between you and JCC.
- The API user of your account, the login that ends in -api, with its password. The test and the live gateway have separate users.
- A Bookmatrix.com plan. The JCC connection is included in every plan. We set it up with you and test it before you take real payments.
How to connect it, step by step
- In the JCC Merchant Portal, open API users and set the password of the user whose login ends in -api.
- In Bookmatrix.com open Payment options and press Set up JCC. Choose the test or the live gateway and enter the API user and password. The password is stored encrypted.
- Press Test connection, pay a test link with the JCC test cards (nothing is charged), then switch on JCC payments.
When everything works on the test gateway, switch to your live API user and you are ready.
Currencies and languages
The connection accepts euro, US dollar and British pound. The JCC payment page opens in the guest's language, which helps with guests from the UK, Israel or Germany who book direct.
Why direct bookings matter
Every booking that comes from your website instead of an OTA is a booking without a platform commission. The Bookmatrix.com booking engine reads the same calendar as your channels, so it shows only what is really available. With JCC, the payment runs on the agreement you already have. For what OTA commissions cost, read our article on commission-free bookings, and for how the engine is set up, the article on the Bookmatrix.com booking engine.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need to accept JCC payments in Bookmatrix.com?
A JCC e-commerce merchant account and its API user, the login that ends in -api, with its password.
Where does the money go?
Straight to your own JCC merchant account. Bookmatrix.com never holds your money.
Can I use JCC together with another provider, such as Stripe?
Yes. When more than one provider is switched on, the reservation page shows each one and the guest chooses. When you create a payment link, you choose the provider.
Can I refund a JCC payment from Bookmatrix.com?
Not yet. Refunds are made in the JCC Merchant Portal, with the order ID that Bookmatrix.com shows.
Can I test before taking real payments?
Yes. Connect the JCC test gateway, press Test connection and pay a link with the test cards. Nothing is charged.
Running a property in Cyprus with a JCC merchant account? Try Bookmatrix.com with a free 14-day demo, or leave your phone number at bookmatrix.com/form and we will call you on the next working day. Or call us at +30 2351 151525.