Connect Stripe
Step 2 of 5 on the path to your first sale. This is how you get paid. Payments run through your own Stripe account — Orchard orchestrates checkout and records the order, but the money settles directly to you, and Orchard never touches card data.
Test mode first
Stripe gives you two sets of keys: test and live. Connect test keys now so you can rehearse a full order without moving real money. You’ll swap in live keys only when you’re ready to open the doors (Step 5 covers the go-live switch).
Connect it
- Go to Settings → Integrations.
- Find the Stripe card and start the connect flow. Depending on how your store was set up, you’ll either authorize Stripe directly or paste your keys.
- If you’re pasting keys, use your test keys —
sk_test_…(secret) andpk_test_…(publishable). You’ll find them in your Stripe dashboard under Developers → API keys. - Click Save. Orchard verifies the keys and registers the payment webhook it needs automatically — there’s nothing to configure in Stripe for that.
Once connected, the Stripe card shows a connected status with separate indicators for test and live. For Acme Botanicals, seeing “test connected” means the store can now take practice orders.
Keep your keys safe. Secret keys (
sk_…) are shown once and act like a password. If one is ever exposed, revoke it in Stripe and reconnect. Never paste a secret key into a browser page or email.
What “connected” unlocks
- Checkout can create real Stripe payment sessions (in test mode, with test cards).
- Paid orders start flowing into Orders in your admin.
- Order-confirmation emails can send (once your email provider is connected — see the Settings guide).
Until Stripe is connected, a shopper can browse but can’t complete a purchase.
Next
Payments work, but every order still needs to know what shipping to charge. Set that up:
Next: Set shipping →