Selling on Campus
Treasury Services is here to make it easy for departments to safely accept credit card payments for approved sales.
If your department is planning to sell goods or services, this page will guide you through what you need to know—from understanding tax responsibilities to choosing the right payment services to support your business needs.
Getting Started with Sales
Departments interested in accepting payments should begin by reviewing all available payment options outlined on this site. In many cases, tools such as eMarket or Short-Term Event solutions may meet your needs without requiring long-term in-person payment handling.
If your department determines there is a business need to accept in-person payments on an ongoing basis, please review the payment devices and solutions outlined below.
Once you have identified a potential solution, contact Treasury Services at treasury.services@wwu.edu to discuss department’s needs, anticipated transaction activity, and next steps!
Payment Options
The university offers three primary options for departments to accept payments. The right solution depends on how and where you plan to collect funds, as well as the duration of your need.
eMarkets (Online Payments)
Best for departments that want to collect payments online without handling funds in-person.
- Use Case: Temporary or ongoing
- Department Cost: Credit card processing fees
- Equipment Needed: None
- Additional Info: WWU eMarkets
Short-Term Events (Temporary In-Person Payments)
Ideal for one-time or occasional events where payments are collected face-to-face.
- Use Case: Temporary (events, conferences, short-term activities)
- Department Cost: None
- Equipment Needed: Devices provided/loaned by the Student Business Office
- Additional Info: WWU Short-Term Events
Long-Term In-Person Payments (Ongoing Operations)
Designed for departments with a sustained need to accept payments in-person.
- Use Case: Long-term or permanent operations
- Department Cost: Payment devices and credit card processing fees
- Equipment Needed: Department-owned payment devices
- Available Devices: Clover or Ingenico
**NOTE: Mobile point-of-sale tools (Square, Venmo, Paypal, etc.) are currently NOT APPROVED for accepting payments. Please contact Treasury Services at treasury.services@wwu.edu with any questions on this restriction.
Available Devices
Clover Flex
A handheld, all-in-one device for long-term, in-person payments. Departments can accept payments and view transactions and reports through the Clover portal.
Ingenico Lane
A countertop terminal for long-term, in-person payments. It securely processes transactions, with reporting available through the Illumia/Transact portal.
Ingenico Link
A mobile device for short-term, in-person events. It is loaned by the Student Business Office at no cost to the department.
Tax Considerations
Sales made by the University may be subject to Washington State sales tax. Departments are responsible for being aware that the sale of certain goods and services may be subject to sales tax. Tax liability costs will be expensed to the department conducting the business activity. Accounting Services is responsible for remitting any sales tax due to the State.
As a not-for-profit educational institution, Western Washington University is exempt from income tax for activities that are substantially related to its educational and research missions. However, if Western were to carry out a trade or business activity that is not substantially related to its exempt purposes, generating what is called Unrelated Business Income, it would be subject to tax on the net income generated.