How much is CVS Payment fee? How to decide who pays it

CVS Payment generally incur a handling fee for each transaction, depending on the payment amount. Whether merchants or the customer will bear CVS Payment handling fee can be decided when introducing CVS Payment. Please make a careful decision, taking into account factors such as cost and convenience.

In this article, we will explain how much the fees for CVS Payment are. We will also take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of introducing CVS Payment merchants, how to determine who will bear the fees, and the process for introducing CVS Payment.

CVS Payment payment fees

CVS Payment is a payment service that allows customers to pay for products at major convenience stores nationwide using a specific number issued when they make a purchase on an e-commerce site.
CVS Payment is the fourth most popular payment method for purchasing goods on e-commerce sites, and is frequently used by approximately 10% of customers.

Payment methods often used in online shops (multiple answers)

Source: SB Payment Service, "Fifth Survey Results on E-Commerce Usage of payment methods (2024 Edition) Released" (July 2024)

When merchants introduces CVS Payment, it will incur certain fees. The fees required when merchants introduces CVS Payment are as follows:
Please note that each cost will vary depending on the industry and PSP company, so we recommend checking before implementing the service.

• ・Initial cost
• ・Monthly cost
• ・Fees per payment

The fee per transaction is determined by the amount of each transaction. The upper limit for a single transaction is less than 300,000 yen, and a transaction fee of around 100 to 600 yen is required.

For reference, unlike CVS Payment, many payment methods, such as Credit Card Payment, charge a fee of a few percent of the product price per transaction. For example, if you sell a product worth 10,000 yen via Credit Card Payment, a fee of around 1-10% will be required, so the amount paid to merchants will be around 100-1,000 yen.

For more information on CVS Payment, please see the following article:
What is CVS Payment? Explaining the system and benefits | SB Payment Service

Considerations when deciding who should bear CVS Payment payment fee

When introducing CVS Payment, merchants merchants their customers. When deciding who will bear the fees for CVS Payment, it is important to consider the cost burden.

If the entire fee is borne by merchants there will be no burden on the customer, but care must be taken as there will be a cost for each payment. On the other hand, the higher the proportion of fees paid by the customer, the merchants 's cost burden will be reduced, but there is a risk that some customers will be reluctant to make a purchase.
Carefully consider who will pay the fees, taking into account the advantages and disadvantages.

CVS Payment payment fees vary depending on the business.

CVS Payment fees vary depending on the business that provides the product or service. For example, if you purchase a product from Amazon and pay for it at CVS Payment, there are no fees for the customer. There are other services that do not charge fees for CVS Payment, so please check the business's website for details.

If CVS Payment fee is charged, customers will need to pay the fee set by that convenience store. The exact amount varies depending on the convenience store, but for payments under 10,000 yen, it will be around 110 yen. For more details, please check the convenience store's website.

Payment methods for convenience store payments and fees borne by businesses

There are generally two types of payment methods for CVS Payment: "payment slip type" and "payment number type," and the fees borne by merchants vary depending on the payment method.

Payment slip type

With the payment slip type, merchants send customers a payment slip with a barcode, product price, and payment due date printed on it, and customers then present the payment slip at the convenience store register to pay for the product.
Although it requires merchants to do some administrative work such as printing and sending out bank transfer slips, it is a payment method that is familiar to customers of all ages and can be used without hesitation.

Example of usage amount, fees, and expenses for payment slip type (to be borne by business operator)

Payment number type (online payment number issuing method)

The payment number type (online payment number issuance method) is a method in which customers make a purchase on an e-commerce site by either providing the various numbers required for payment displayed on the e-commerce site at the convenience store cash register, or by entering the numbers into a dedicated terminal installed and then presenting the generated payment slip at the cash register.
The benefit is that merchants do not need to send payment slips to customers, eliminating the administrative burden.

Example of usage amount, fees, and expenses for payment number type (online payment number issuance method) (to be borne by business operator)

SB Payment Service offers the latter payment number type (online payment number issuance method).

▼ Click here to find out more about SB Payment Service's CVS Payment service

SB Payment Service for introduction of CVS Payment payment agency service

A payment methods that anyone can use by paying at major convenience stores nationwide

Benefits merchants introducing CVS Payment

CVS Payment offer many benefits to merchants. Here we will introduce four major benefits.

Expected to improve sales

The biggest advantage of convenience store payments is that you can expect to increase sales. Convenience store payment, which allows payments 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, is a convenient payment method for customers and is expected to have a sales promotion effect.
It can be said that this payment method can be used by a wide range of customers to suit their lifestyles, such as stopping by a convenience store to make a payment on their way to work or school.

Can target people who do not have a credit card

One of the benefits of CVS Payment is that they allow e-commerce sites to target people who do not have credit cards. According to a survey conducted by our company in 2024, approximately 10% of customers choose to CVS Payment when purchasing products online. The main reasons for choosing CVS Payment are "I don't have a credit card" and "There are many convenience stores, so it's convenient." Introducing CVS Payment will allow you to attract these customers.
By attracting new customers who were previously hesitant to purchase products on e-commerce sites because of Credit Card Payment, you may be able to expand your target demographic.

Payment confirmation can be done quickly

One of the benefits of introducing convenience store payment is the ability to quickly confirm deposits in real time. In the case of financial institutions, if you have not opened an online account, the only option is to confirm the deposit during the counter's business hours.
On the other hand, if you pay at a convenience store, you can check the payment status on the management screen within a few minutes to an hour after the payment. The ability to quickly confirm payments is a major benefit for businesses of introducing convenience store payments.

Non-payment can be prevented

Another important benefit of introducing CVS Payment is that it helps prevent non-payment. By using a prepayment system where products are shipped only after payment via CVS Payment payment has been confirmed, the risk of non-payment can be reduced.
Additionally, some PSP agencies offer non-payment guarantees for deferred CVS Payment. By using such PSP agency, merchants generally not incur any losses even if a payment goes unpaid. Introducing CVS Payment is a meaningful measure to prevent non-payment and ensure the collection of payments.

The benefits of CVS Payment are explained in detail in the article below.
What is CVS Payment? Explaining the system and benefits | SB Payment Service

Disadvantages of introducing CVS Payment merchants

Convenience store payment has both advantages and disadvantages. Let's check the points you want to keep in mind when introducing convenience store payment.

If you do not use a payment agency, the contract and screening procedures are complicated

The disadvantage of introducing convenience store payment is that procedures related to contracts and screening tend to be complicated. If you want to implement convenience store payments without using a payment agency, you will need to negotiate, contract, and coordinate systems with each convenience store company individually.
Additionally, you must pass an examination by each convenience store company, and these procedures are extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive. Therefore, many businesses use payment processing companies.

If the payment slip is lost, it must be reissued (for payment slip type)

Another disadvantage is that customers may lose their payment slips. If you are using the payment slip type where you mail the payment slip to the customer, you will need to reissue the payment slip if it is lost. Since it is costly and time-consuming, we recommend using a payment number type that can be checked immediately.

Cancellation may occur without payment

Another disadvantage of convenience store payment is that there is a risk of cancellation with unpaid status. Payment deadlines are set for convenience store payments. Some customers cancel their transactions if the deadline has passed. You will need to take measures such as using a prepayment system that ships the product after payment is confirmed, or using a payment agency that guarantees that deferred payments will not be missed.

CVS Payment mechanism and system connection method

CVS Payment flow involves not only the customer, merchants (merchants), and the convenience store, but also collection companies and PSP companies. We will explain the payment flow of CVS Payment using a PSP company using the SB Payment Service system as an example.

CVS payment mechanisms

1. (1) A customer selects CVS Payment on merchants 's e-commerce site and purchases a product, etc.
2. (2)-(3) Execution of payment processing at the storage company through our company
3. (4) merchants provide payment information to customers
4. (5) Customers pay the price at convenience stores based on the payment information.
5. (6) merchants provide products to customers
6. (7)-(8) Payment from the storage company to the merchants through our company

CVS Payment fee is offset when we make the payment to merchants.
Please note that the timing of when the payment is finally made to merchants will differ depending on the convenience store. This is because the timing of recording sales differs depending on the system of each convenience store.

There are two types of system connection methods, "Link Type" and "API type".

To introduce CVS Payment as a payment method on your e-commerce site, you will need to connect your e-commerce site to the system of PSP company.
SB Payment Services offers two types of system connection methods: the "Link Type," which requires minimal development, and the "API type," which allows for flexible system connection.

The "Link Type" is a connection method in which customers are redirected to our payment screen when purchasing a product, and payment processing is carried out. This has the advantage of reducing development time as merchants payment screens.

Link type connection image

▼The link-type connection method is explained in detail on the following page.

On the other hand, with the "API type," merchants payment processing screen, and payment is processed by transmitting necessary payment information such as product price and quantity to our server. Although it requires more development time than the "Link Type," the advantages are that the payment screen can be freely designed and customers can complete the purchase procedure within the e-commerce site.

API type connection image

▼The API type connection method is explained in detail on the following page.

Points to compare PSP

If you use a payment agency company to introduce convenience store payment, let's compare the features of each company. Points to compare include:

timing of payment

One of the important comparison points is whether there is a difference in the timing of deposits between convenience store payments and existing payment methods. The smaller the delay in the timing of deposits, the faster the deposit cycle will be, which will lead to improved operational efficiency for business operators.
On the other hand, if the timing of deposits is inconsistent, it may take a lot of time to reconcile the deposits.

Settlement fee

Check the fees per transaction and compare them to see if they are the same as the payment agency you are considering. However, the payment fees remain the same for most payment processing companies, so it may be difficult to compare fees alone.

Monthly cost

When comparing monthly fees, be sure to check the minimum monthly fee. However, just because a monthly fee is low does not necessarily mean it's a good deal. If there is a large difference in the timing of deposits between CVS Payment and existing payment methods, operational work will increase, and even if the monthly fee is low, labor and time costs may become high. We recommend comparing payment timing and payment fees as well, and making a comprehensive decision.
When comparing PSP companies, in addition to the above, it is important to pay attention to the number of convenience store brands they support and whether they offer services that are compatible with CVS Payment. By doing so, you will be able to introduce a PSP company that best suits your company's needs.

Comparison example of payment processing companies

In the example above, when comparing the payment fees and monthly costs, it appears that Company B has an advantage in implementing it. However, it is important to check that the timing of deposits is aligned with your existing payment method.
For example, if the deposit timing of your existing payment method is 50 days, if you choose Company B, there will be a 10-day delay in deposit. As a result, the timing of applying the deposit may be delayed, which can make the process more complicated. With Company A, the timing of deposits is aligned with existing payment methods, so even if the monthly fee is 500 yen higher than with Company B, the benefits are considered to be significant.
In this way, it is important to carefully check not only the costs but also the timing of deposits, and consider the practical burden when choosing a payment agency.

Why SB Payment Service is chosen

Our three strengths in convenience store payments are "compatibility with major convenience stores," "payment agency service," and "NP deferred payment." We will introduce the contents of each.

"Compatible with major convenience stores"

Our CVS Payment is supported at major convenience stores nationwide, which is one of the reasons why it is chosen by many merchants. Supported at Seven-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart, Ministop, and SeicoMart, merchants can accept payments at each convenience store by simply applying to our company.

"POBO Service (Payment be half of)" for smooth refunds

CVS Payment do not allow refunds to customers, so if a refund is required, merchants must refund the customer directly. Generally, refunds are made to the customer's bank account. This incurs costs for merchants, such as transfer fees and the transfer process. While this may not be a significant burden for a few refunds, if you have more than 10 refunds per month, you may want to consider ways to streamline your process. Our company offers POBO Service (Payment be half of) that can be used to handle even these cumbersome refund processes. We will transfer the necessary amount to the customer on merchants behalf. merchants can easily complete the transfer process by instructing us.
*A separate contract is required for CVS Payment.

"NP postpaid" that allows you to receive the product first

As mentioned above, CVS Payment is the second most popular payment method after Credit Card Payment, but recently NP postpaid which allows you to pay at a convenience store after receiving the product, has also become popular.
We offer NP postpaid, which has been introduced in over 200,000 stores and accounts for an overwhelming share of BNPL（Buy now pay later）service market. If you are considering introducing CVS Payment, please consider NP postpaid as well. As mentioned above, we offer many services to support business expansion for merchants. merchants considering introducing our services, please feel free to contact us.

Flow until introduction of CVS Payment

If you apply for SB Payment Service's Credit Card Payment agency service, the procedure until you can start using it will be carried out according to the following flow.

*Please note that if the required documents are missing, you will not be able to undergo the screening process.
*The required documents will be provided by an SB Payment Services sales representative at the time of application.

Please see the following page for detailed installation procedures and costs.
Flow and steps for introducing Online Payment Service

FAQ

Q.

What kind of CVS Payment is there?

A.

There are generally two types of CVS payments, payment slips and payment numbers.

Q.

What are the costs (fees) for convenience store payments?

A.

The costs for e-commerce businesses include "initial costs," "monthly costs," and "fees per transaction." Initial costs range from 0 to 50,000 yen, monthly costs range from free to 10,000 yen, and fees per transaction often range from 100 to 600 yen.
On the other hand, the fees paid by the customer range from 0 to 200 yen per transaction. The fees borne by the customer will vary depending on the extent to which the e-commerce site operator bears the fees. The reason why there are cases where the customer's fee is 0 yen is because the e-commerce site operator pays the entire fee.

Q.

Who pays CVS Payment fee?

A.

When introducing CVS Payment, merchants can choose who will cover the CVS Payment fees. If merchants pays the fees, it will be more convenient for customers, but the costs for merchants will be higher. If the customer pays the fees, the burden on merchants will be lighter, but the rate of CVS Payment usage will decrease, which may lead to opportunity losses, so please consider this carefully.

If you have any other questions, please check the FAQ.