Note: The information in this topic applies only to Sellers that are using our Automatic Payments service.

What is the Automatic Payments Service?

Automatic Payments is a service offered by Amazon Payments. It allows a buyer to authorize an Amazon Payments Seller Account holder to automatically charge a payment method that is stored in the buyer’s Amazon Payments Account. Some examples include:

• A fixed-amount recurring payment (for example, a monthly magazine subscription)
• A usage-based recurring payment for variable amounts (for example, an electricity bill)
• Payments for purchases that a buyer might make in the future (for example, purchases of mp3 songs or games)

Note: This service is only available for the Advanced Payments APIs integration of Pay with Amazon.

What is a Recurring Payment?

A recurring payment is a payment that occurs at regular or predetermined intervals over a specified time period. Recurring Payments are a type of Automatic Payment.

What are other types of Automatic Payments?

In addition to Recurring Payments, there are Automatic Payments for purchases a buyer might make in the future, where the frequency and amounts of the purchases are not predetermined, but where the aggregate purchases can be set to not exceed the total monthly amount limit for each authorization the buyer gives you.

What responsibilities does a Seller have when it charges a buyer for a Recurring Payment?

Before a buyer agrees to a Recurring Payment arrangement, you must inform the buyer of the following:

• The amount of each recurring transaction, if known
• The frequency of the charge
• The duration of the arrangement

You must provide this information in an email that is sent to the buyer after he or she authorizes the recurring payment arrangement. You must keep the buyer’s authorization for recurring transactions for the duration of such buyer’s authorization, and provide to Amazon Payments a copy of such authorization promptly upon request.

You will publish on your site (and/or provide directly to buyers who request it) the information about the cancelation procedure for the given authorization, and you will act promptly to respond to buyer requests to cancel their authorizations. You will not charge buyers for the cancelation. Upon receipt of the cancelation notice from the buyer, you must cancel the buyer’s authorization by logging in to your Seller Account.

You will comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the card associations, networks, or companies which might apply to recurring payments, including providing the buyer with the cancelation options for the recurring payments.

When can a Seller use Automatic Payments?

If you wish to use Automatic Payments to automatically charge a buyer’s Amazon Payments Account for a future purchase, without the buyer signing in to their Amazon Payments Account, you must obtain approval from Account Management prior to implementing Automatic Payments for these types of transactions. For example, unless you have received prior approval, you must present the “Pay with Amazon”, “Login with Amazon” or other Amazon button as appropriate to allow an Amazon Payments Account holder to authenticate themselves to Amazon Payments each time they make a purchase on your site.

You cannot use Automatic Payments for installment payments. Amazon Payments Europe User Agreement—Seller Account and Amazon Payments standard rates apply to the Automatic Payment service.

Are there any limits on the amount a Seller can charge the buyer?

Amazon Payments limits the total amount of Automatic Payments, including Recurring Payments, to £500 in a calendar month for a given automatic payment authorization. If your business requires a higher limit, contact Account Management.