Connect WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway to WhatsApp and AI Chat
Yes. AeroChat works directly with WooCommerce stores that use the Stripe Payment Gateway. It creates orders and reads their payments and refunds through WooCommerce’s REST API, reads the Stripe payment behind each order through Stripe’s API, and sends pay-now and card update links, on WhatsApp, Instagram, web chat and every other channel your shoppers use.
If your WooCommerce store takes cards, wallets and local payment methods through the WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway extension, the payment questions still land in your inbox: send me a link to pay, did my card go through, where is my refund, my card expired and my subscription did not renew. AeroChat answers them from the WooCommerce order and the Stripe payment recorded on it. WooCommerce is a built-in store platform in AeroChat, so your catalog and orders are already connected. See WooCommerce in AeroChat. You describe the workflow in your own words, AeroChat builds it, and WooCommerce and Stripe stay the places your team checks.
What you can do with the Stripe gateway and AeroChat
- Send a payment link for an order. AeroChat creates the order in WooCommerce as pending payment and sends the link to its payment page. The shopper pays on your store with Stripe, and the order is marked paid.
- Answer “did my card go through?”. AeroChat reads the WooCommerce order and the Stripe payment behind it, and says whether it succeeded, is still processing, needs the shopper to confirm with their bank, or failed.
- Help after a declined card. AeroChat reads the reason Stripe gives for the last failed attempt, explains it in plain words and sends the same order’s payment link to try another card.
- Answer “where is my refund?”. AeroChat reads the refunds on the WooCommerce order, checks each one was sent to Stripe, and reads its status in Stripe.
- Update the saved card for renewals. For stores that use WooCommerce Subscriptions, AeroChat finds the subscription and sends the shopper to change the payment method in their account, where the Stripe extension saves the new card.
- Get a failed renewal paid. When a renewal order failed, AeroChat sends the link to pay that renewal order, so the subscription can carry on.
- Cancel an unpaid order when the hold ends. If you hold stock for a limited time, AeroChat cancels the order in WooCommerce when it is still unpaid at the end, and tells the shopper.
Prefer payments built in? Airwallex is built into AeroChat, so payment links work without an API setup. See how it works.
What it looks like on WhatsApp
Customer: I’d like 2 of the ceramic mugs in sage, delivered to Austin. (example)
AeroChat: That’s 2 sage mugs at US$24 each plus US$6 shipping, US$54 in total. Here’s the link to pay for order 7314 on our store: payment link (example). Your order is confirmed as soon as it’s paid.
AeroChat: Payment received, thank you. Order 7314 is confirmed and ships tomorrow.
In WooCommerce and Stripe: order 7314 was created as pending payment, then the Stripe extension took the card payment and the order moved to processing.
Customer: My card was declined on order 7320. Why? (example)
AeroChat: Your bank declined the payment for insufficient funds, so you have not been charged. You can try again with another card here: payment link (example).
In WooCommerce and Stripe: nothing changes. AeroChat read the order and the last payment error on the Stripe payment.
Works on every chat channel
Your shoppers message you wherever they already are. The same WooCommerce and Stripe connection and the same workflows run on each of these channels.
| Channel | What your shoppers can do |
|---|---|
| Message your WhatsApp Business number to order and pay by link, check a payment, ask about a refund or fix a card for their subscription. Voice notes are transcribed, so a spoken request works too. | |
| Send the same requests by direct message. A comment on your post can get an automatic reply that moves the conversation to a DM. | |
| Facebook Messenger | Send the same requests to your Facebook Page. Comments on your Page posts can get an automatic reply too. |
| Telegram | Send the same requests to your business on Telegram. |
| Web chat | Ask from the chat on your WooCommerce store, without leaving the page. |
| Write to your Gmail or Office 365 address and get the same answer the chat gives. |
How the connection works
The WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway is the extension that takes Stripe payments on your WooCommerce checkout. It records the Stripe payment on each order and refunds orders from inside WooCommerce. AeroChat uses two documented APIs: WooCommerce’s REST API, documented at woocommerce.github.io/woocommerce-rest-api-docs, and Stripe’s API, documented at docs.stripe.com/api. For subscriptions it also uses the WooCommerce Subscriptions REST API. Each workflow uses only what its recipe asks for.
- What AeroChat reads: from WooCommerce, orders with their status, payment method, transaction ID, date paid and order key, refunds with whether they were sent to the gateway, and subscriptions with their status, next payment date and renewal orders. From Stripe, the payment with its status and last payment error, and refunds with their status and pending reason.
- What AeroChat writes: to WooCommerce only. New orders taken in chat, status changes to cancel unpaid orders, and private notes on orders. It does not charge, refund or store cards in Stripe.
To connect WooCommerce, go to Settings, Advanced, REST API in WooCommerce and add a key with read and write access. To connect Stripe, create a restricted key in your Stripe Dashboard that can read payments and refunds, from the same Stripe account the extension uses. Enter both in the AeroChat dashboard when AeroChat asks. They never pass through the conversation. You can test the whole flow first with Stripe’s test-mode keys.
The payment link is your order’s own payment page on your store, so the Stripe extension takes the payment and records it on that order. For a guest order it opens without a login. For an order assigned to a registered customer, WooCommerce asks that customer to sign in first.
Taking deposits or payments outside your store, with a Stripe payment link? That works too. See Stripe in AeroChat.
Workflows to copy
Seven ready-made workflows for WooCommerce stores that use the Stripe gateway. Copy one into AeroChat, add your keys, and it runs on every channel.
1. Send a payment link for an order
Copy this into AeroChat
When a customer wants to buy in the chat, confirm the products, options, quantities and delivery address, and read back the total with shipping. Ask for their name and email. Create the order in WooCommerce with status pending payment, then send the link to its payment page with the total. Once the order shows as processing, thank them and confirm the order number. Never ask for card details in the chat. Reply in the customer’s language.
2. Answer “did my card go through?”
Copy this into AeroChat
When a customer asks whether their payment went through, verify the order with the order number and email. If the order is processing or completed, confirm the payment and the date. If not, read the Stripe payment for the order. Processing: say the bank is still confirming. Requires action: say their bank needs them to confirm the payment and send the order’s payment link. Failed or no payment: send the payment link to try again. Never share another customer’s order.
3. Help after a declined card
Copy this into AeroChat
When a customer says their card was declined, verify the order and read the last payment error on its Stripe payment. Explain the reason in plain words, such as insufficient funds or an expired card, without technical codes. Tell them they were not charged and send the order’s payment link to try another card. If it is declined three times, hand the conversation to our team.
4. Answer “where is my refund?”
Copy this into AeroChat
When a customer asks about a refund, verify the order. Read the refunds on it in WooCommerce. For each one sent to the gateway, read its status in Stripe. Succeeded: give the amount and date, and say card refunds can take 5 to 10 business days to show. Pending: say Stripe is still processing it. Failed, canceled, recorded only in WooCommerce, or no refund: hand the conversation to our team with the details.
5. Update the saved card for renewals
Copy this into AeroChat
When a subscriber says their card expired or changed, find their subscription in WooCommerce by email and tell them its status and next payment date. Send them the link to My Account, Subscriptions on our store and tell them to open the subscription, choose Change payment and add the new card. Tell them to sign in first and never to send card details in the chat.
6. Get a failed renewal paid
Copy this into AeroChat
When a subscriber asks why their subscription is on hold, find the subscription and its latest renewal order. If the renewal order is pending payment or failed, send the link to pay that order and say the subscription carries on once it is paid. Also suggest they update the saved card so the next renewal works. Once the renewal order is paid, confirm it in the chat.
7. Cancel an unpaid order when the hold ends
Copy this into AeroChat
When we hold stock for an order taken in chat, tell the customer it is held for 2 hours (example). If the order is still pending payment when the time is up, set it to canceled in WooCommerce, add a private note “Unpaid, canceled in chat”, and tell the customer the hold has ended. Offer a new order if the items are still in stock. Never cancel an order that is paid.
Who uses it
WooCommerce stores that take cards with Stripe, including stores that sell subscriptions and refills, use these workflows for payments agreed in chat and questions after checkout:
- Payment links in chat for online stores
- Subscription changes in chat
- Refund requests and refund status in chat
What stays in WooCommerce and Stripe
WooCommerce stays the record of every order, refund and subscription, and Stripe stays the record of every payment. Shoppers pay and save cards on your store’s own pages through the Stripe extension, so card details go to Stripe and never to AeroChat. AeroChat does not process or hold any money. Refunds, disputes and payouts stay with your team in WooCommerce and Stripe.
AeroChat handles the conversation. It reads what the recipe needs, writes orders and notes in WooCommerce where you set that up, and leaves the rest to your team.
WhatsApp workflows that use the Stripe gateway
These end-to-end WhatsApp workflows run with your WooCommerce store and Stripe behind them. See them all in the WhatsApp workflows library.
- WhatsApp Payment Links That Confirm the Order When Paid
- WhatsApp Membership and Subscription Renewals
- WhatsApp Returns and Refunds Checked Against Your Policy
Questions
Does AeroChat work with the WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway?
Yes. It reads and creates WooCommerce orders through the WooCommerce REST API and reads the Stripe payments on them with a restricted key from your Stripe Dashboard. AeroChat is not a Stripe or WooCommerce product, and AeroChat has no partnership with either.
Can customers pay by card through WhatsApp?
Yes. AeroChat sends the order’s payment link in the chat. The customer pays on your store’s page through the Stripe extension, and AeroChat confirms in the chat once the order is paid.
Does AeroChat see card numbers?
No. Cards are entered on your store’s page and go to Stripe. AeroChat only reads the order and the payment status.
Do I need WooCommerce Subscriptions?
Only for the renewal workflows. The payment link, payment status and refund workflows work with the Stripe extension on its own.
Which plan do I need?
On the Stripe side, you need the Stripe account your store already uses, and Stripe’s fees apply as usual. On the AeroChat side, workflows via Skills are on every plan, with a 7-day free trial. Choose by message volume: Starter covers 500 AI responses a month, Growth 2,000 and Advanced 5,000. See plans.
Using a different system? If it has a public API, it connects to AeroChat the same way: describe what you want, paste in its key, and it runs.
Can’t find your tool? Message us in the chat on this page and we’ll tell you how it connects.
Connect the Stripe gateway to your chat
Add your WooCommerce key and a Stripe test key, order something from your own number, and pay with a Stripe test card.
Start your 7-day free trial. No credit card needed.
Sign up for an annual plan on Growth or above and we’ll set up your workflows and connect WooCommerce and Stripe for you, free. See plans.