The problem
Online retail aggregators that use upstream merchants instead of keeping an inventory of goods need to provide a single-cart checkout experience with a single payment for the consumer, while paying multiple merchant vendors to fulfil the order.
The solution
In drop shipment, real-time issuing of virtual cards enables multiple supplier payments within a single transaction. This ensures faster order fulfilment and a better customer experience. It also eliminates the need to lock up capital to pay merchants, supporting volume sales at seasonal peaks.
Real world: online marketplaces
Purchase of goods from an online marketplace that uses multiple suppliers
Purchase made
Your customers fill their shopping carts and check out.
Payments sent
A virtual card is created to securely pay each marketplace supplier.
Cards charged
Suppliers accept payments via virtual card just as they would any other Mastercard or Visa card.
Spend evaluated
Managed or gateway spend controls minimise fraud and custom metadata eases reconciliation.
Auth requested
Marqeta’s platform is contacted by the appropriate network for authorisation.
Notification received
Marqeta webhooks allow real-time notifications upon transaction completion.
Funds released
Just-in-Time (JIT) Funding releases funds to the card on approval and in real time to complete the transaction.
Transaction complete
Authorisation is successful and the payment is confirmed.
Purchase made
Your customers fill their shopping carts and check out.
Payments sent
A virtual card is created to securely pay each marketplace supplier.
Cards charged
Suppliers accept payments via virtual card just as they would any other Mastercard or Visa card.
Spend evaluated
Managed or gateway spend controls minimise fraud and custom metadata eases reconciliation.
Auth requested
Marqeta’s platform is contacted by the appropriate network for authorisation.
Notification received
Marqeta webhooks allow real-time notifications upon transaction completion.
Funds released
Just-in-Time (JIT) Funding releases funds to the card on approval and in real time to complete the transaction.
Transaction complete
Authorisation is successful and the payment is confirmed.
Key benefits for online marketplaces
Creation of multiple virtual cards at once
Enable a single checkout model per customer order while paying multiple suppliers in one transaction.
Instant issuance at scale
Avoid order delays, improve the overall fulfilment days, and create a great customer experience. Quickly grow your supplier network without the need for merchant integration.
Dynamic spend controls
Avoid overpayments and optimise cash flow by limiting authorisations to a specific amount.
JIT (Just-in-Time) Funding
Fund an account based on activity and manage peak transaction volumes without exceeding credit limits.
Webhooks
Receive notifications on card activity as events happen (e.g., alerts on returns and refunds to help apply credit on the account).
Inject metadata into each transaction record
Automate reconciliations and reduce errors (e.g., ensure order numbers match in transaction records and your order system).
