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NMI vs Authorize.net — Choosing Your Provider

NMI vs Authorize.net — Choosing Your Provider

CloudFFL supports two payment providersgateways: for processing credit cardsNMI and otherAuthorize.net. paymentsYou throughcan use one or both, depending on how your Odoodealership system.operates. This page explainsbreaks down what each one does, how they differ,does and helps you decide which oneto isset right for your dealership.up.

NMI

NMI (Network Merchants Inc.)

NMI is theintegrated payment gateway that mostinto CloudFFL dealers use for their day-to-day operations. CloudFFL connects to NMI through a custom-built module. designedIt's specificallythe most full-featured option for firearmsdealers retailers.

who

Whatsell NMIat letsa youphysical do:counter.

  • Physical terminalcard payments (CloudPOS)terminals — Connect an EMV chip reader to your counterPOS. andCustomers accepttap, chip-insert, tap-to-pay, andor swipe transactions.their Thiscard isright at your bread-and-butter for walk-in customers buying firearms, ammo, and accessories.counter.
  • ManualKey-in card entry (key-in)mode — ForManually type a card number into the POS using a secure Collect.js popup. Great for phone orders or situations wherewhen the cardterminal isn'tis present, a secure card entry form (called a Collect.js lightbox) pops up right inside Odoo. You type in the card number without it ever touching your system directly.down.
  • Website payments — Accept cardscard payments on your CloudFFL webshopwebsite forusing online orders, with the samea secure card entryinline form.
  • Partial and full refunds — NeedRefund topart refund $50 offof a $200transaction order because(e.g., one box of ammo was damaged? NMI supports partial refunds directlyitem from Odoo.a Youmulti-item canorder) alsoor processthe full refunds when needed.amount.

What is CloudPOS? CloudPOS is the physical card terminal (chip reader) that connects to NMI and works with your CloudFFL system. It sits on your counter just like any other card reader — customers insert or tap their card, and the payment flows directly into Odoo.

Best for: Dealers with a physical retail counter or showroom. If customers walk into your store and pay in person, NMI is your primary gateway.

Authorize.net

Authorize.net is one of the most widely-widely used payment gateways in the country.US. CloudFFLIt's connects to it usinga Odoo's built-in paymentOdoo module — no custom development needed.

What Authorize.net lets you do:

  • Online card payments — Accept Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Discover on invoices and your website forusing onlinea orders.secure Accept.js form.
  • ACH / eCheck payments — Let customers pay directly from their bank account. This is usefulUseful for large transactions (like a $3,000 rifle order)orders where credit card processing fees would eatbe into your margin, or for B2B sales to other dealers.significant.
  • Full refunds — Process complete refunds back to the original payment method from within Odoo.

What Authorize.net does NOT do:

  • No physical terminal supportterminals — Authorize.net is a gateway-only service in CloudFFL. There is no chip reader or countertop terminal.solution. It handlesdoes onlinenot andconnect keyed-into paymentscard only.readers at the counter.
  • NoFull refunds only — You can refund the entire transaction amount, but partial refunds —are Ifnot a customer paid $200 and you need to refund $50, you cannot do a partial refundsupported through Authorize.net in Odoo. You would need to process a full refund and re-charge the correctedCloudFFL amount, or handle the partial refund outside of Odoo.integration.

Best for: Online-only dealers, dealers who want to accept ACH/eCheck bank transfers, or as a secondary gateway alongside NMI.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature NMI Authorize.net
Physical card terminal at POSYes (EMV chip reader)Yes (CloudPOS) No
ManualKey-in (manual card entryentry) (key-in)at POS Yes (Collect.js)js popup) YesNo
Website / online payments Yes (Collect.js form) Yes (Accept.js form)
ACH / eCheck (bank transfer) No Yes
Partial refunds Yes No
Full refunds Yes Yes
Odoo moduleModule type Custom (CloudFFL)CloudFFL module Built-in (Odoo)Odoo module
Best for In-Retail counters, POS, in-store + onlinesales Online-onlyonly, orACH, ACHsecondary gateway

Which One Should You Choose?

Our recommendation: Most CloudFFL dealers use NMI as their primary payment provider.processor. It handles everything you need at the— counter (chipsales reader,with tap-to-pay)a and online (website payments,terminal, phone orders with manualkey-in, entry).and website payments. If you alsoonly set up one provider, NMI is the one to pick.

Here are some common scenarios:

  • Retail store with a counter → NMI (you need the physical terminal)
  • Online-only dealer → Either works, but Authorize.net adds ACH/eCheck
    • payments
  • Retail store + online sales → NMI for everything, or wantNMI for POS + Authorize.net for website/ACH
  • Need to accept bank transfers (ACH) → Add Authorize.net
  • Want a backup gateway for→ yourSet onlineup store,both add— Authorize.netif asone agoes secondarydown, provider.

    you
have the other

You can use both providers at the same time. This is not an either/or decision. Many dealers runuse NMI for their POS terminal and in-store card payments, whileand also usingadd Authorize.net for website orders or ACH bank transfers.payments. Talk to your CloudFFL repsupport representative about the best setup for your dealership.

Quick Decision Guide

  • "I have a retail store and customers pay at the counter." — You need NMI. The CloudPOS terminal is the only way to accept chip and tap payments in person through CloudFFL.
  • "I only sell online and don't have a physical store." — Either provider works. Authorize.net is simpler to set up since it uses the built-in Odoo module. NMI works too if you want partial refund capability.
  • "I want customers to pay by bank transfer (ACH)." — You need Authorize.net. NMI does not support ACH/eCheck.
  • "I want to do both — POS at the counter and ACH online." — Use both. NMI for your in-store terminal and card payments, Authorize.net for ACH/eCheck.
  • "I need to issue partial refunds regularly." — Make sure NMI is handling those transactions. Authorize.net only supports full refunds through Odoo.
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