Frequently asked questions
Common questions from stall owners and customers. Can't find what you're looking for? Email us at [support@COMPANY.COM].
For stall owners — Getting started
What is Mantis Checkout?
A QR-code self-checkout for small stalls. Customers scan your QR, browse your products on their phone, and pay by cash, PayID, or card without you needing a card reader or POS terminal. You watch the orders come in through a dashboard.
Who is it for?
Roadside stalls, farmers' markets, weekend stalls, honesty boxes, school fundraisers, sports club canteens, pop-up food stands, honesty cafés, craft fairs, and anyone selling small things in places where setting up a card terminal would be overkill. If you've ever had a sign saying "cash only" because card was too hard, Mantis is for you.
Do I need any hardware?
No. The whole experience runs on the customer's phone. You print a QR code (we generate it) on whatever paper or sign you like, and you're trading.
How long does setup take?
About five minutes. Sign up, add a couple of products, print your QR poster, take a test payment. People often have their first real sale the same day.
Do I need an ABN?
If you're carrying on a business — selling regularly with the intention of making a profit — yes. Stripe (our payment provider) requires an ABN to verify card-accepting sellers, and the ATO uses the ABN to track your business activity. Getting one is free and takes about ten minutes through the Australian Business Register at abr.gov.au. If you're not sure whether your situation counts as carrying on a business (occasional hobby sales, one-off garage sales, charity collections), check the ATO's guidance at ato.gov.au or speak with an accountant. We can't make that determination for you — it depends on your specific facts and is a tax question rather than a platform one.
Do I need to register a business name or company?
Not necessarily. A sole-trader ABN under your own name is enough to get started. If you trade under a name different from your own ("Hall's Fresh Eggs"), you'll need to register that as a business name with ASIC ($44/year). A company is overkill until your operation has grown.
Is there a free trial?
Yes — the $7 monthly subscription is waived for your first 30 days. We collect your card details at signup, but no subscription charge until day 31, and you can cancel any time in those 30 days at no cost. Per-transaction card fees (2.5% + $0.30) still apply on each card sale during the trial, since they cover Stripe's processing plus our platform fee — those are charges on each transaction, not a Mantis monthly fee. Cash and PayID stay zero-fee always.
Where do I sign up?
From the "Join the beta" button at the top of the page, or go straight to the signup page. You'll need an email, a phone number, basic business details (or your ABN if you have one), and a credit card for the subscription billing.
For stall owners — Fees and pricing
How much does Mantis cost?
Two parts: a flat $7 per month per stall (the subscription), and a 2.5% + $0.30 fee on each card / Apple Pay / Google Pay transaction. Cash and PayID payments are free. So a quiet operator running mostly cash might pay nothing but the $7 subscription each month.
What does the $7 subscription cover?
Everything that doesn't move per-transaction: hosting your stall and products, generating your QR poster, running the dashboard, customer support, ongoing development of the platform. It's a flat fee regardless of how many sales you make.
What does the 2.5% + $0.30 transaction fee cover?
It covers two things bundled together: card processing through Stripe (the licensed payment provider that actually moves the money to your bank account) and Mantis's platform margin (the cost of building, running, and supporting the card-payment side of the service). We don't break out Stripe's exact share because their rate varies slightly with card type and other factors. The 2.5% + $0.30 is your total card cost regardless — no hidden extras.
Why don't cash and PayID payments have a fee?
Because we don't handle the money for those. Cash goes hand-to-hand. PayID transfers go directly from your customer's bank account to yours. Mantis is just the interface that records the order and gives the customer a receipt — we never touch the funds, so there's no fee.
How is the 2.5% + $0.30 charged?
Automatically and per-transaction. When a customer pays by card, Stripe processes the charge and the fee is deducted before the rest is paid into your linked bank account. You see the net amount land; the fee appears as a line item on your Mantis dashboard and on Stripe's reports.
Is the 2.5% + $0.30 cheaper or more expensive than competitors?
More expensive than the cheapest direct alternatives (Square is 1.6% in-person, Stripe direct is 1.7% + $0.30) and roughly similar to mid-range competitors. The way to think about it: Mantis includes everything — QR poster, dashboard, multi-product cart, cash and PayID flows, customer receipts, no hardware needed. Square needs a $79 reader and doesn't handle PayID; Stripe direct is for developers. The premium pays for the integrated experience.
Can my customers pay the card fee instead of me?
Yes — we have a surcharge feature you can turn on in your stall settings. When enabled, customers paying by card see the fee added to their total before they confirm payment. Cash and PayID prices stay at your listed price. The surcharge is capped at the actual cost (2.5% + $0.30), in line with ACCC rules — you can't profit from surcharging, only recover your cost. Many sellers leave it off for low-cost items where the surcharge feels punitive (a $5 coffee plus $0.43 surcharge is 8.5%, which looks worse than it is).
Are there any hidden fees?
No. The full list: $7/month subscription, 2.5% + $0.30 per card transaction, $0 for cash and PayID. There's no setup fee, no statement fee, no PCI fee, no chargeback fee from us (Stripe may charge a chargeback fee separately under its own terms). You can find the full fee schedule in section 7 of the Seller Terms of Service.
When am I charged the subscription?
Monthly, in advance, billed to the card you provided at signup. Your billing date is the day of the month you signed up. If your subscription started on the 12th, you're charged on the 12th of each month.
What happens if my subscription payment fails?
Stripe automatically retries. If it keeps failing, we email you a heads-up. After 14 days of failed payments, card payments are temporarily suspended on your stall (cash and PayID keep working) until you update your billing. We won't delete your stall — your products and settings remain ready to resume.
Can I pause my subscription if my stall is seasonal?
Yes — we have a pause function in account settings. While paused, you're not billed and your stall is hidden from customers, but your settings, products, and history are preserved. One-tap reactivation when you're ready. Useful for summer-only roadside operators or pop-up vendors with quiet seasons.
Can I cancel?
Anytime, from account settings. You won't be billed again. Your stall stays accessible to you (for record-keeping) for 90 days, then it's archived; we can restore it on request within 12 months of cancellation.
Do you take a cut of tips?
No. Tips flow entirely to you, less Stripe's processing component on the larger total. We don't add a platform fee on the tip portion — extracting a cut from gratuities would feel exploitative and the amounts are small.
What about refunds — do you refund the fee?
If you refund a card transaction in full, Stripe refunds the application fee (our $0.30 + 2.5%) along with the original payment. So a full refund costs you nothing on the platform-fee side. Stripe may keep a small processing component depending on the timing — see Stripe's refund policy for the specifics. Cash and PayID refunds are handled directly between you and the customer; the platform just records the refund.
For stall owners — Using the dashboard
How do I add products?
Sign in, go to your dashboard, tap "Add product". Each product needs a name and a price; the description, photo, and category are optional but help customers. You can rearrange products by dragging, mark them sold out without removing them, or hide them entirely if they're seasonal.
Can I have photos on my products?
Yes. Currently photos are added by pasting an image URL (we know — better photo upload is coming soon). You can host the image anywhere and paste the link; we'll show it on the customer's checkout.
How do I print my QR poster?
In the dashboard, open your stall, tap "Print poster". A printable A4 page opens with your stall name, the QR code, and "scan to pay" wording. Hit print, attach it to your stall, and you're trading. The QR code itself is self-contained — it works forever as long as your stall exists, no "expiry" or external service involved.
Can I customise the poster?
The standard poster is plain and works well. We're working on more options (different layouts, your logo, custom colours). For now, if you want something fancier, you can take the QR image itself and use it in your own design — right-click and save from the share menu in the dashboard.
Can I have multiple stalls?
Yes — one account can run multiple stalls, each with its own QR, products, and settings. Each active stall costs $7/month. Useful if you run different types of operation (e.g., a roadside fruit stall and a market-day craft table) and want them kept separate.
How do I mark something sold out?
Tap the product, toggle "sold out". The customer sees it greyed out with a "Sold out" label rather than the product disappearing — useful so they know what you usually have. You can also toggle "hide" if you want to remove a product entirely from view without deleting it.
How do I close my stall temporarily?
Stall settings has a "Stall is open / closed" toggle. When closed, anyone scanning your QR sees a "currently closed" message instead of the menu. Use it when you've packed up for the day, gone on holiday, or run out of stock.
Can the customer view my dashboard?
No. Your dashboard is private to you. Only the customer-facing stall page (the one the QR links to) is public, and that's just your menu and the checkout flow — no settings, no sales history.
For stall owners — Payments and payouts
Which payment methods can my customers use?
Cash, PayID, and card (which includes Apple Pay and Google Pay where the customer's device supports them). You can enable or disable each one in stall settings depending on what you want to accept.
What's PayID?
Australia's instant bank-transfer system. A customer types in your PayID (typically your phone number or email), the amount, and confirms the transfer in their banking app. The money lands in your bank account within seconds, with no card-network fees involved. It works on almost every Australian bank now.
Do I need a separate Stripe account?
You'll set one up as part of taking card payments — Stripe is the licensed payment provider that processes cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. The onboarding is done through Mantis: we redirect you to Stripe's verification flow once, you supply identity and bank details, and from then on it's seamless. The Stripe dashboard is also available to you for advanced reporting if you want.
How quickly do funds arrive in my bank account?
Cash and PayID land immediately (they go straight from customer to you). Card payments are paid out by Stripe on a rolling schedule — typically every 2 business days for Australian accounts. Your first few payouts may take a day or two longer while Stripe builds your transaction history.
Can I see what's coming in real-time?
Yes. The dashboard's sales view shows every order as it happens — items, amount, payment method, customer notes, timestamp. You can use it during a market day to keep tabs on what's selling and to spot any issues.
What if a card payment fails?
The customer sees the failure message on their phone and can either retry, try a different card, or switch to cash / PayID. You don't see the failed attempt in your sales view — only successful payments are recorded.
Can I refund a payment?
Yes. In the dashboard, open the order and tap "Refund". For card payments, Stripe refunds the customer's card (usually 5–10 business days to land back). For cash and PayID, the platform marks the order as refunded but you handle the actual return of funds directly with the customer.
What about chargebacks?
If a customer disputes a card payment with their bank (a chargeback), Stripe handles the process and notifies us and you. You may be asked to provide evidence — what was sold, communication with the customer, proof of supply. If the chargeback is upheld, the disputed amount comes out of your Stripe account. If it's reversed, the funds stay with you. Chargebacks are rare for face-to-face sales but worth knowing about.
Can I see who paid what?
Card payments show the cardholder name as Stripe knows it. Cash and PayID transactions don't capture customer identity by default. If a customer adds an order note (e.g., "for Sarah"), that's visible in the order. The platform doesn't ask the customer to register or sign in — keeping the customer experience friction-free is more important than identifying every buyer.
For stall owners — Tips and surcharging
How do tips work?
If you enable tips on your stall, customers see a "Tip" selector during checkout with options for 5%, 10%, 15%, or a custom amount. Tips are optional — the default is no tip. The tip is added to the total and goes to you, less Stripe's processing component on the increased charge. Mantis doesn't take a cut of tips.
Should I enable tips?
Depends on your context. Honest answer: most low-ticket and roadside operators leave tips off — it can feel out of place on a $5 fruit transaction. Café-style operators, community spaces, and honesty boxes with a strong tipping culture sometimes turn them on. You can try it both ways and see what your customers respond to.
Where do tips go?
To you, like any other part of the payment. The tip appears as a separate line item on the receipt and on the order doc in your sales view, so it's clear what was the product price and what was the gratuity.
What's the surcharge feature?
An option you can turn on in stall settings that passes the card-processing fee to the customer instead of absorbing it into your margin. When enabled, customers paying by card see the fee added to the total before they confirm payment. Cash and PayID payments are unaffected — they stay at the listed price.
How much is the surcharge?
2.5% + $0.30 — exactly what Mantis charges you for the card transaction. ACCC surcharging rules say merchants can't profit from a surcharge, so the platform calculates it from your actual cost and the customer sees the exact amount. You can't manually set a higher percentage.
Will the customer see the surcharge clearly?
Yes. The "Pay with card" button shows the inclusive total inline. The "Ready to pay" confirmation dialog itemises the surcharge as a separate line. The receipt itemises it explicitly. The customer always sees what they're paying before they tap to pay.
Should I enable surcharging?
Common sense applies. Higher-ticket sellers (food trucks, market stalls with average orders above $15) often enable it — the surcharge feels reasonable on a $20+ purchase. Low-ticket sellers (honesty boxes selling $3–5 items) usually leave it off because the flat $0.30 component makes it look like a big percentage on small transactions. The decision is per-stall.
For stall owners — Tax and admin
Do I need to register for GST?
Only if your business turnover is $75,000 or more in a 12-month period (or you expect to be). Below that threshold, GST registration is optional. If you're a sole trader running a small honesty box, you almost certainly don't need to register. If you're scaling up a market stall to substantial volume, you should think about it. Talk to an accountant if you're unsure — registering when not required adds complexity, missing it when required incurs penalties.
Does Mantis charge GST on its fees?
Yes — the $7 subscription includes GST (so the GST component is about $0.64 of that). Platform transaction fees similarly include GST. We provide tax invoices for both through your dashboard so you can claim GST credits if you're registered.
Does Mantis collect or remit GST on my sales?
No. You're the seller for tax purposes; sales tax obligations on what you sell are between you and the ATO. Mantis records the sale and gives you the data, but doesn't act as a GST agent.
Can I export my sales for accounting?
Yes — the dashboard has a CSV export for your orders, which imports cleanly into Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks, or any spreadsheet. You can filter by date range, payment method, or stall. Direct Xero / MYOB integration is on the roadmap; for now CSV is the manual bridge.
Does Mantis report my income to the ATO?
No. We don't have an obligation to report your earnings to the ATO; that's your responsibility as the business owner. Stripe may report payment volumes to the ATO under the Sharing Economy Reporting Regime — that's a Stripe-level matter; you'll find their reporting practices in Stripe's terms.
Do I need a tax invoice for my customers?
Customers who are themselves GST-registered may ask for a tax invoice. We're building proper "Tax Invoice" formatting (with ABN and GST breakdown) for the next release. For now, the standard receipt works for most retail-style transactions; for B2B sales, contact us and we'll help with manual invoicing.
For stall owners — Trust, safety, and what you can sell
What can I sell on Mantis?
Most everyday goods and services for retail sale — produce, baked goods, crafts, plants, eggs, honey, second-hand items, small services, and so on. The full list of what we don't allow is in our Acceptable Use Policy.
What can't I sell?
Anything that would breach Australian law if sold by an unlicensed retailer. The main categories: alcohol, tobacco/vapes, firearms or weapons, prescription medicines, illegal drugs, live animals, raw milk, adult content, counterfeit goods, gambling-adjacent items (raffle tickets without a permit), donations claiming tax-deductibility without DGR status, and a few others. Full details and reasoning are in the Acceptable Use Policy.
What if I'm not sure whether I can sell something?
Ask us at [support@COMPANY.COM] before listing it. We'd rather have the conversation early than have you set up a stall, run a promotion, and then need to remove products. Borderline cases (e.g., honey, eggs, baked goods) usually come down to your state's food safety registration — if you're compliant locally, you're fine on the platform.
Am I responsible for compliance with food safety / weights and measures / similar laws?
Yes. Mantis isn't a regulator — we provide the technology, you provide the goods. Food safety, weights and measures, fair trading, accurate labelling, all the state-by-state rules for what you sell, are your responsibility. We point to relevant resources in our help docs, but the obligations themselves are yours.
How do you handle disputes with customers?
Most disputes — wrong item, missing item, quality complaint — are resolved directly between you and the customer. If a customer can't reach you or you can't agree, we can sometimes help facilitate communication. For card disputes that escalate to a chargeback, Stripe runs the process and you may need to provide evidence (product description, communication with the customer, proof of supply). See the Refund and Dispute Policy for the full picture.
What if a customer makes a fraudulent payment?
Stripe has fraud detection that blocks the most obvious attempts before payment goes through. If a fraudulent payment does land and is later disputed, you'll receive a chargeback notice and the disputed amount comes out of your account. For high-value transactions, hand-on inspection of the buyer (face-to-face is your advantage over online merchants) is your best safeguard.
How is customer data handled?
Minimally. We collect only what's needed to process the sale — items, total, payment method, optional customer notes. Card details are handled by Stripe (we never see them). We don't market to your customers or share their information with third parties. Full details are in our Privacy Policy.
For stall owners — Account management
How do I change my stall name, description, or contact?
Stall settings has fields for all of it. Updates appear on the customer-facing stall page within seconds — no need to reprint your QR poster (the QR points to the stall itself, not to specific content).
Can I transfer my stall to someone else?
Not directly — but you can change the account email and login details to hand over operational control. For a full ownership transfer (e.g., selling the stall as part of selling a business), contact us at [support@COMPANY.COM] and we'll work through it. There are tax and Stripe-account considerations on transfer that we want to do properly.
How do I update my Stripe details (bank account, business info)?
Through the Stripe-hosted onboarding flow, accessed from your Mantis dashboard. We don't store or directly handle your bank details — Stripe does. Changes to bank account information typically require fresh verification by Stripe.
I forgot my password — how do I reset it?
On the login page, tap "Forgot password". Enter your email and we'll send a reset link. If you don't get the email within a few minutes, check your spam folder; if it's still not there, contact us.
Can I export my data if I leave?
Yes. Before cancelling, export your products, sales history, and customer notes via the dashboard's export functions. After cancellation, your data is retained for 90 days in case you change your mind, then archived. We can restore an archived account on request within 12 months. After that, we delete the data, subject to legal records-retention obligations.
For customers — How it works
How do I use a Mantis Checkout stall?
Scan the QR code on the stall's poster with your phone's camera. A web page opens showing the available items — no app to download. Add what you want to your cart, hit checkout, choose how you want to pay (cash, PayID, or card / Apple Pay / Google Pay), and follow the prompts. The whole thing takes under a minute.
Do I need an account?
No. You can buy as a guest with just your card or payment method. We don't ask for a sign-up or email — the goal is to make paying as fast as scanning.
Does the QR code work on every phone?
Yes. Every modern phone's camera can scan QR codes natively (iPhone since iOS 11, Android since around 2018). If your phone is old enough that it doesn't, almost any QR scanner app works.
Do I need internet?
Yes — the page that opens when you scan needs to load over the internet. Most stalls are in places with reasonable mobile coverage. If you don't have data, you can ask the seller to use cash.
Is this safe?
Yes. Card payments go through Stripe (the same secure payment provider used by businesses worldwide including Shopify, Atlassian, and Canva). We never see your card details directly. The QR code is just a link to the stall's page — it can't put anything malicious on your phone.
What if the QR doesn't work or the page won't load?
The stall might be closed, the QR could be old or damaged, or you might be in a coverage hole. Ask the seller — they can re-scan it or show you the page on their phone if needed. If the page does open but checkout fails, you can try paying with cash and the seller can refund you any cash they already took.
For customers — Paying, receipts, and refunds
Which payment methods can I use?
Depends on what the seller has enabled. Most stalls accept cash and PayID; many also accept card (which includes Apple Pay and Google Pay where supported on your phone). The available options will show on the checkout page.
How does PayID work?
On the checkout page, the seller's PayID details and the amount are shown. Open your banking app, do a Pay To/PayID transfer using those details, and the funds arrive in seconds. Tap "I have paid" on the Mantis page to confirm. The seller will see it as paid in their dashboard.
Do I get a receipt?
Yes. After payment, a receipt page shows your items, the total, payment method, and a timestamp. You can screenshot or bookmark the URL. We're working on optional emailed receipts; for now, the on-page receipt is the proof of purchase.
What if I want a refund?
Contact the seller first. The seller's contact details are on the stall page and on your receipt. Most refund issues are resolved directly. If you can't reach the seller, contact us at [support@COMPANY.COM] and we'll help facilitate. For card payments, you may also have the right to dispute the charge with your bank as a last resort. The full refund and dispute process covers the detail.
What if a payment fails?
Try again with the same or a different payment method. If it keeps failing on card, switch to cash or PayID. If your card is being declined consistently, your bank may have flagged the transaction as suspicious — call them or use a different card.
Does Mantis Checkout charge me as a customer?
No. The seller pays the platform fee. Some sellers may choose to pass the card-processing surcharge on to the customer, in which case the surcharge is clearly shown on the checkout page before you confirm. Cash and PayID prices stay at the listed price.
How do I know my payment went through?
The receipt page is the confirmation — if you can see your receipt, the payment is recorded. If something happens mid-checkout and you're not sure, the seller can confirm on their end and reissue a receipt link.
Need more help?
If your question isn't covered here:
- Email us at [support@COMPANY.COM]. We respond within one business day; faster for urgent issues.
- Browse the detailed help docs at [help URL] — there are step-by-step guides for most operator tasks.
- Have a feature request or feedback? Send it to [feedback@COMPANY.COM]. We read everything and tester feedback shapes what we build next.
- For business or partnership enquiries: [business@COMPANY.COM].
Thanks for using Mantis Checkout — and if you're enjoying it, the most helpful thing you can do is tell another small seller about it.