eMarket FAQ

Typically, it takes 2-3 weeks from the final meeting with the eMarket team for the store to be ready for departmental review. However, the timeline may vary depending on the complexity of the requested store.

eMarket storefronts may be used for a variety of products, services, or fees such as:

Event Tickets
Symposium Tickets
Transcript Fees
Testing Fees
Workshops Fees
Applications/Deposits
Physical Goods
Conferences

eMarkets can not accept payment for:

Tuition and Fees
Course Fees on a Student Account
Lab Fees

Once your eMarket store is established, you will have a specific URL for it. Customers can access the store through that direct URL with any device with internet connectivity.

Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express.

Yes, as long as it does not exceed the University approved fee.

Transactions that have occurred on your eMarket site will be processed and deposited to the revenue account(s) that you specified on your eMarket Request Form. The money is deposited immediately.

Departments initiate a refund request with a General Refund Voucher. The refund is made directly to the credit card used and partial refunds are allowed.

Please reach out to the eMarket team at eMarket@wwu.edu.

No. While Square™ and similar devices are PCI compliant, the devices they are attached to are not! PCI complianceopen_in_new(opens in new window) is required for accepting all credit cards on campus. Stay tuned! We are working on providing a safe and secure mobile credit card payment processing option.

Consequences for improper use: Account data breaches can lead to catastrophic loss of sales, relationships, and standing in your community. Possible negative consequences also include:

Lawsuits
Insurance claims
Cancelled accounts
Payment card issuer fines
Government fines

No. Any type of deposit is considered a fee and must be approved by the University. All checks and any other type of payment, no matter the method, must be deposited with the Student Business Office Cashiers within 24 hours of receipt. See University Policy, POL-U5351.01 Billing and Receiving Payment for Tuition, Fees, Goods and Servicesopen_in_new(opens in new window).

Because these types of deposits are essentially a prepayment for an item and are kept as a security deposit (for loss or damage), the university still considers them a fee and must approve them before charging students/staff.

Accepting credit card information over the phone, by mail, and by walk-in are all approved methods for receiving credit card information. Before taking these payments, there are several policies and procedures that must be followed to ensure safe acceptance and processing. Why not create an eMarket site instead?

No. If you enter into an agreement on your own, written or verbal communication, and Western or its employees become responsible for the goods and money generated, whether implied or explicit, then you cannot do this.

Consequences: If the 3rd party isn’t present and entrusts all of the goods and money generated from the event, the University is open to becoming liable for lost, stolen, or damaged goods, whether at fault or not. If the 3rd party is present and allows Western students, faculty, or staff to handle the sales, the University is still open to liability on the part of the cash received.

Solution: Contact Contract Administrationopen_in_new(opens in new window) x-7731 to discuss the requirements and write a contract that protects all parties. They might even be able to create a contract that can be modified for use for your other events. Contact Treasury Services x3720 to determine what is needed to take money and learn the simple steps to reduce the risk of becoming liable for lost, stolen, or damaged goods. Be sure you plan ahead!

No. Use of these types of payment services violates POL-U5351.14 Accepting, Processing, and Securing Payments Through the Internet – 1. Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs Approves University Standard Internet Payment System(s). While the type of payment services are usually PCI compliant and safely stored, customer data accounts are set up for individuals, not the University. Funds must be kept by an individual and then transferred/deposited to the University. In the past, some areas were allowed to use these types of services because there were no other cost-effective solutions – with the introduction of the Transact eMarket, that is no longer an issue.

Consequences: The money received through these sites could be directed to private, non-Western bank accounts, and since individuals set up the accounts, there is no University oversight. Abuse could damage Western’s reputation and could be costly to the University to resolve issues.

Solution: Contact Treasury Services to set up an eMarket site! Each site is tailored to its customers and gathers all transaction information. Best of all, payments are posted in real time to your fund!