CC Offline VS CEON...?

[mbridges]

Which is better to use for collecting credit cards for offline processing?

Does CC work for AMEX, Diners and JCB?

I'm also a little confused by the way CC works, because I've done a few test orders with varying results...

If I enter my own credit card details for a test order, it processes fine and I get the emails related to the numbers. Same if I use any other of my (or my wife's) credit cards.

But if I do a test order with some random credit card number and hit submit, it just refreshes the payment page with the credit card details blank again.

But if I make up a fake person and order, and use my own credit card number (even with the wrong expiry date) the order goes through fine.

Then I assumed that maybe CC uses common credit card number sequences to verify if it's an actual card or not. So if I enter 4444333322221111, then obviously that's not a real card, but if I enter 4239XXXXXXXXXXXX, then it's recognised as being a Visa?

But then I tried a fake number like 4239111122223333 and it also failed.

If this is how it works, what is CC checking the numbers against? A third party -- or a file within Zen Cart?

Just curious, because I'd hate to go with this option only to have customers be stuck constantly refreshing the payment page when placing a credit card order.

(My merchant provider is fine with offline processing if a valid SSL is present)

[kuroi]

CC is checking against some complex algorithms for determining both the type of card and its validity. That's why if you use real card numbers they work, but if you make one up, it will normally fail.

[stevesh]

(My merchant provider is fine with offline processing if a valid SSL is present)

But your customers may not be comfortable with you having their CC information. I know I wouldn't be, which is why I think Zenners who use offline CC processing should make a point of informing visitors of that fact before checkout.

As kuroi said, the function built into Zencart only checks to see if the number entered could be a legitimate CC number. The address and expiration date matching would be done when you process it with your offline terminal.

[mbridges]

Actually, a good majority of our customers prefer to call our support number and give us their details directly over the phone, because they don't trust online shopping whatsoever.

We also have a high incidence of returning website customers who call or email us with an order and say "Just charge the same card on file", and we have had to tell them we don't receive the details (with our old cart).

I would, at least in our instance, go as far as saying that the average joe six pack on the street (who uses online shopping occasionally) assumes that the store they buy with has a record of their credit card details.

That's why majority percentages of people polled always say they don't trust online shopping -- they have no idea how it works. They assume you are getting their card details and trusting you not to screw them over.

Heck, I've been shopping online since 1997, and I have to admit that I assumed the same thing until I actually had to set up my own cc processing facilities in 2005.

[mbridges]

Also, what does CC actually check/reference against?

I did a developer search in Admin for common credit card strings and have not found a file it would be using. Is this done offsite?

[stevesh]

It appears to be includes/classes/cc_validation.php.