Payment Gateway Method
This section defines the payment infrastructure for kno.today, covering supported payment methods, gateway configuration, Cash on Delivery (COD) management, and refund handling.
2.1 Payment Method Architecture
KNO serves a Pakistani consumer base where COD remains the dominant purchase behaviour. The payment stack must support both prepaid digital payments and COD without friction.
Prepaid (Online) — Priority for D2C Margin
• Credit / Debit Card — Visa, Mastercard, and domestic PayPak cards processed via PayPak gateway (settled in PKR)
• JazzCash Wallet / API — most widely used mobile wallet in Pakistan
• Easypaisa Wallet / API — second-largest mobile wallet
• Bank Transfer / IBFT — manual; relevant for institutional / bulk orders
Cash on Delivery (COD)
• Supported via PostEx or Leopards COD service integration
• COD available in Phase 1 to Lahore only; expanded nationally in Phase 2
• COD surcharge: PKR 100 flat added to order total (transparently displayed at checkout)
• Expected COD return rate: 20–30%; factored into unit economics
• COD cap: Maximum PKR 15,000 per order to limit return risk
2.2 Recommended Gateway Configuration
Primary Gateway: PayPak (Pakistan’s domestic payment scheme operated by 1LINK)
• Supports Visa, Mastercard, and PayPak domestic debit / credit cards with 3DS / OTP authentication
• Integrated with Shopify via PayPak Shopify plugin or custom checkout integration
• Settlement in PKR directly to Pakistani bank account
• PCI-DSS compliant — no card data stored on kno.today
Mobile Wallets: JazzCash + Easypaisa
• Integrate via official Shopify plugins or API
• JazzCash: Developer portal at developer.jazzcash.com.pk
• Easypaisa: Integration via Telenor Microfinance Bank API
• Both support redirect and inline checkout flows
2.3 COD-Specific Implementation Notes
COD orders require special handling on the Shopify side. The following must be implemented:
• Custom checkout step: ‘Cash on Delivery’ option with PKR 100 surcharge clearly labeled
• COD confirmation SMS sent immediately upon order placement
• Order flagged as ‘Pending Payment’ in Shopify until courier confirms cash collection
• PostEx or Leopards marks order as paid in their system fi webhook updates Shopify order to ‘Paid’
• COD Addendum accepted by customer at checkout (checkbox + text): ‘I understand this is a COD order.
Returning a COD order without valid reason may affect future order eligibility.’
2.4 Refund & Reversal Flow
Prepaid Refunds: Processed via original payment gateway within 5–7 business days
COD Refunds: Bank transfer via Easypaisa / JazzCash / IBFT within 7–10 business days
Refund Trigger: Approved via WhatsApp customer support + internal ops confirmation
Partial Refunds: Supported for damaged-item scenarios; full refund for incorrect / missing items
2.5 Security & Compliance
• All transactions processed over HTTPS / TLS 1.3
• No card or payment credential data stored on kno.today servers
• Compliance with Electronic Transactions Ordinance 2002 (ETO 2002)
• Compliance with Payment Systems and Electronic Fund Transfers Act 2007
• Fraud detection: Shopify Fraud Protect or Signifyd recommended for prepaid orders
