Cardknox Rolls Out New Option For Processing Online SNAP Payments

Grocery stores and other retailers looking to process SNAP EBT payments online just got another tech option as the pandemic reshapes shopping habits.

Cardknox on Tuesday (Oct. 20) announced that its payment gateway integration for eCommerce platforms now supports SNAP EBT payments made online.

The move comes amid a major expansion of a USDA pilot program that has opened the door for people receiving federal SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits to order and pay for their groceries remotely on their smartphones or other devices.

In order to process SNAP EBT card payments online, grocery stores and other retailers, per USDA regulations, must build a digital PIN pad into their online storefront, Cardknox noted.

The digital PIN pad, in turn, ensures that customers can securely enter their card’s PIN number when they are ready to checkout online, the same way they would if they were in the checkout line in the store.

The new offering by the Howell, N.J.-based payment gateway and payment process company could open the door to wider participation in the USDA SNAP online purchasing pilot by grocery stores and other retailers.

With a few exceptions, Walmart and Amazon are the only two retailers taking part in most states. The SNAP online purchasing pilot program is now available in 47 states.

“At a time when more and more people prefer to order groceries online, Cardknox is pleased to give merchants the ability to accept SNAP EBT cards online,” said Yanky Weiss, Cardknox CTO, in a press release. “Our e-commerce integration will enable online retailers to create a secure online grocery ordering experience that’s accessible to consumers at every income level.”

In order to meet the USDA’s requirements, Cardknox developed a digital PIN pad that can be integrated by Cardknox with the merchant’s online shopping cart.

In order to protect the transaction from fraud, the PIN pad is fully PCI-compliant, the company noted.