Cover Processing Fees
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When a buyer checks out through MakerVera — whether purchasing a product, registering for an event, or making a donation — the processing fees your payment provider charges are deducted from the total. The cover fees option lets buyers add a small amount to their payment so that your makerspace receives the full base price.
How It Works
Section titled “How It Works”- An admin enables “Cover processing fees” in Payment Settings
- A checkbox appears on every checkout page (store, events, and donations)
- When a buyer checks the box, the total increases by a small amount that offsets the processing fees
- Your makerspace receives the full base price instead of absorbing the fees
The checkbox can be pre-checked by default (configured per makerspace) and can have a custom label.
What Buyers See
Section titled “What Buyers See”When cover fees is enabled, a checkbox appears during checkout:
Cover the processing fees so 100% of your payment goes to us +$0.44
The added amount is calculated in real time as the buyer toggles the checkbox. If the buyer unchecks it, the total returns to the base price and processing fees are absorbed by the makerspace as usual.
Where the Checkbox Appears
Section titled “Where the Checkbox Appears”| Checkout Flow | Location |
|---|---|
| Store | Below the item summary, above the total |
| Event registration (single session) | In the “Reserve Your Spot” card, below the price |
| Event registration (multi-session cohort) | Below the cohort price, above the register button |
| Donations | In the checkout form, labeled “Processing fees” |
Fee Calculation
Section titled “Fee Calculation”When cover fees is enabled, the system uses a gross-up formula — it calculates the total needed so that after all fees are deducted, the makerspace receives the original base amount.
Example: $10 Event Registration
Section titled “Example: $10 Event Registration”| Line Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Base price | $10.00 |
| Cover fees added | +$0.44 |
| Total charged | $10.44 |
Behind the scenes:
- Payment provider fee (~2.9% + $0.30, the default rate): $0.60
- MakerVera platform fee (1%, events only): $0.10
- Net to makerspace: $9.74 without cover fees vs. $9.74+ with cover fees
The exact amounts depend on the payment provider fee rate configured for your makerspace.
Example: $25 Donation (No Platform Fee)
Section titled “Example: $25 Donation (No Platform Fee)”Donations do not include a MakerVera platform fee, so the gross-up only covers the payment provider’s fee:
| Line Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Base amount | $25.00 |
| Cover fees added | +$1.05 |
| Total charged | $26.05 |
For Administrators
Section titled “For Administrators”Enabling Cover Fees
Section titled “Enabling Cover Fees”Cover fees is configured in your makerspace’s Payment Settings. The following options are available:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Cover fees enabled | Master toggle. When off, the checkbox is hidden on all checkout pages |
| Default checked | Whether the checkbox starts checked. Buyers can always toggle it |
| Custom label | Optional text to replace the default checkbox label. Leave blank for the default |
What Gets Configured Automatically
Section titled “What Gets Configured Automatically”The percentage and fixed fee your payment provider charges are read from your makerspace’s Payment Settings. They start at the default rate (2.9% + $0.30, as in the examples above); change them only if your payment provider charges your makerspace a different rate.
Platform Fee (Events Only)
Section titled “Platform Fee (Events Only)”For event registrations (single-session and multi-session), a 1% MakerVera platform fee is included in the gross-up calculation. This means when a buyer covers fees for an event, they cover both the payment provider fee and the platform fee. Store purchases and donations do not include a platform fee.
Currency Support
Section titled “Currency Support”All amounts are displayed in your makerspace’s configured currency. The cover fees calculation works with any currency — amounts are computed in the currency’s smallest unit (e.g., cents for USD, centavos for MXN) and formatted with the correct currency symbol.
Frequently Asked Questions
Section titled “Frequently Asked Questions”Is the cover fees amount shown before payment?
Section titled “Is the cover fees amount shown before payment?”Yes. The added amount appears in real time next to the checkbox, so buyers know exactly how much extra they’ll pay before going to the payment page.
Can members change this on an existing membership?
Section titled “Can members change this on an existing membership?”Yes. On My Membership, members can tick or untick Cover processing fees at any time. Before the change is saved, MakerVera shows a confirmation: nothing is charged now, and from the next billing date the membership bills the new amount per cycle (plus tax, when it applies). The change only takes effect once the member confirms.
Can buyers opt out?
Section titled “Can buyers opt out?”Always. Even if the admin sets the checkbox to default-checked, buyers can uncheck it before completing their purchase.
Does cover fees apply to free events?
Section titled “Does cover fees apply to free events?”No. The checkbox only appears when there is a non-zero price. Free event registrations skip the checkout flow entirely.
Does cover fees apply to recurring donations?
Section titled “Does cover fees apply to recurring donations?”Yes. The cover fees option is available for both one-time and recurring donation checkouts.
Next Steps
Section titled “Next Steps”- Store Guide — Managing your store products
- Donations — Setting up donation campaigns
- Registration Guide — How members register for events
- Overview — Return to the billing overview