Frequently asked questions

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?

Mantis Checkout requires sellers to provide an ABN. Whether you operate as a sole trader, register a business name with ASIC, or set up a company depends on your situation. We can't advise on business structure — for guidance, see ASIC.gov.au, the ATO, or speak with an accountant.

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?

Sign up from the homepage. You'll need an email address to create your account. We'll then guide you through linking your Stripe account, where you'll provide ID verification and your bank details for payouts.

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 parts: Stripe's card processing (Stripe is the licensed payment provider that moves the money to your bank account — currently 1.7% + $0.30 for standard Australian cards, set by Stripe and subject to change) and Mantis's 0.8% platform fee (the cost of building, running, and supporting the card-payment side of the service). At current Stripe rates that's a total card cost of 2.5% + $0.30 — 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 is itemised on Stripe's reports.

You can optionally enable the surcharge feature in your stall settings, which passes the 2.5% + $0.30 to the customer at checkout instead of deducting it from your payout. This complies with ACCC surcharging rules and is shown transparently to the customer.

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 surprise fees from Mantis. Your costs are:

• $7/month subscription (after the 30-day free trial)
• 0.8% Mantis platform fee per card transaction
• Stripe's processing fee, currently around 1.7% + $0.30 per domestic Australian card

Stripe may charge additional fees for things like international cards, currency conversion, or instant payouts — see stripe.com/au/pricing for their full schedule. Cash and PayID payments cost you nothing.

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 and emails you about the failed payment. Your stall stays visible while Stripe retries. If the subscription ultimately isn't paid, your stall is hidden from customers until you resubscribe — we won't delete it, so your products and settings stay 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?

You can cancel your subscription at any time from your dashboard, which opens the Stripe billing portal. Billing stops at the end of the current period — you keep access until then. If you want to pause rather than cancel (for example, you're closing seasonally), use the "Pause subscription" option in your account settings instead.

After cancellation, your data is retained in line with our Privacy Policy retention periods (transactions are kept for 7 years for tax-record compliance). If you'd like your remaining account data deleted, contact privacy@mantischeckout.com.au and we'll process the request to the extent we're not required to retain it by law.

Do you take a cut of tips?

Tips go to you, less Mantis's standard 0.8% platform fee and Stripe's processing fee on the larger total. We treat tips the same as any other card transaction — there's no special platform cut, but the 0.8% does apply to the tip portion. For a $3 tip on a $20 sale, that's about 2.4 cents in Mantis fees on the tip. Cash and PayID tips reach you in full with no fees.

What about refunds — do you refund the fee?

When you refund a card transaction through Stripe, the original payment is returned to the customer. Our 0.8% platform fee may also be refunded to you, depending on how the refund is issued in Stripe — see Stripe's refund documentation for the specifics. Stripe may keep some or all of its own processing fee depending on the timing. Cash and PayID refunds are handled directly between you and the customer.

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 using the up/down arrows next to each product, mark them sold out without removing them, or hide them entirely if they're seasonal.

Can I have photos on my products?

Yes — tap the photo area in the add or edit product form to upload an image from your phone or computer. We host it for you and 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 works well for most sellers. If you'd like to use your own design, download the QR code PNG separately from your dashboard (the "Download QR (PNG)" button on your stall page) and drop it into whatever layout you create.

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.

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.

When do I get paid?

Your card payments go through Stripe and land in your linked bank account automatically — you don't need to claim payouts manually.

Schedule: Stripe's default payout schedule for Australian accounts is daily, so most card transactions reach your bank account 1-2 business days after the sale.

First payout: Stripe holds your first card payout for 7-14 days as part of standard new-account fraud screening. This applies to every new Stripe account on every platform, not just Mantis. You'll see the expected release date in your Stripe Express dashboard under "Payouts." Once the first payout clears, subsequent ones run on the normal daily schedule.

Where to see your balance: Open your Stripe Express dashboard from the "Manage Stripe" link in your Mantis dashboard, or bookmark dashboard.stripe.com/express directly. You'll see "Pending" (recent transactions still in Stripe's verification window) and "Available" (about to be paid out).

Cash and PayID: Mantis never sees those funds — they move directly between you and the customer, so no payout schedule applies.

Changing payout schedule: In your Stripe Express dashboard → Settings → Payout schedule, you can switch between daily / weekly / monthly / manual.

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. For card payments, you issue the refund from your Stripe dashboard (reachable via the Stripe section of your Mantis Checkout dashboard); Stripe refunds the customer's card, usually 5–10 business days to land back. For cash and PayID, you return the funds to the customer directly — Mantis records the original sale but doesn't process refunds.

What about chargebacks?

If a customer disputes a card payment with their bank (a chargeback), Stripe manages the dispute process. Stripe will email you and us directly about it; the dispute is also visible in your Stripe Dashboard. Mantis doesn't currently surface disputes in-app, so check Stripe directly when you're notified. You'll need to respond through Stripe with evidence supporting the original transaction within Stripe's response window.

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.

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 Mantis's standard 0.8% platform fee and Stripe's processing fee on the increased charge. We treat tips the same as any other card transaction.

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 combined card-acceptance costs (Mantis's 0.8% platform fee plus Stripe's processing fee of approximately 1.7% + $0.30 per domestic Australian card) to the customer instead of absorbing it into your margin. When enabled, customers paying by card see the combined 2.5% + $0.30 surcharge added to the total before they confirm payment. Cash and PayID payments are unaffected — they stay at the listed price.

About the math: the 2.5% + $0.30 is designed to cover the standard AU domestic card cost (Stripe 1.7% + $0.30) plus Mantis's 0.8% platform fee. It will never exceed your actual cost of acceptance — for Amex, international, and premium business cards, Stripe's fee is slightly higher and you absorb the small difference (a few cents per transaction); for standard cards you break even. The system is designed so sellers can't accidentally over-charge customers, in line with ACCC surcharging rules. If you'd prefer zero variance, leave the surcharge feature off and absorb the 2.5% + $0.30 yourself.

How much is the surcharge?

2.5% + $0.30 — your total cost of accepting the card payment (Stripe's processing plus our 0.8% platform fee). ACCC surcharging rules say merchants can't profit from a surcharge, so the platform calculates it from your actual cost of acceptance 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.

Do I need to register for GST?

GST registration becomes mandatory when your business turnover reaches $75,000 or more in a 12-month period (or when you expect it to). Below that threshold, registration is optional. We can't advise on whether GST registration is right for your situation — talk to an accountant or see the ATO website.

Does Mantis charge GST on its fees?

Mantis Checkout is not currently registered for GST, so the $7 monthly subscription and the 0.8% platform fee do not include GST. We'll update this when our turnover requires GST registration. Subscription invoices are available in the Stripe billing portal (open it from your dashboard), and platform fees appear on your Stripe transaction records.

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 or payment method.

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. The standard Stripe receipt includes the date, amount, payment method, and seller details. If a customer needs a formal tax invoice in addition, you can supply one using your normal accounting software.

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@mantischeckout.com.au 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 where we can, 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.

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@mantischeckout.com.au 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 sales via the dashboard's "Export CSV" button. Your data is retained in line with our Privacy Policy retention periods (transactions are kept for 7 years for tax-record compliance). If you'd like your remaining account data deleted after cancellation, contact privacy@mantischeckout.com.au and we'll process the request to the extent we're not required to retain it by law.

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.

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. Stripe may also email you a copy of the receipt depending on the seller's Stripe settings.

What if I want a refund?

Contact the seller first, using the contact details they've provided (for example on your receipt, in their stall listing, or on signage at the stall). Most refund issues are resolved directly. If you can't reach the seller, contact us at support@mantischeckout.com.au 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 your confirmation — if you can see your receipt, the payment is recorded. If something happens mid-checkout and you're not sure, contact the seller to confirm; they'll be able to see the order in their dashboard.