1. Authorization (Auth)
- This is like asking: “Can this person pay?”
- The store sends a request to your bank: “Can we take $50?”
- Your bank checks your card info, whether you have the money, and other fraud checks.
- If all is good, the bank says “Yes” and reserves the $50 — but doesn’t take it yet.
- Think of it like putting a hold on the money.
✅ You still have the money in your account, but you can’t spend it.
2. Capture
- This is when the store actually takes the $50 from your bank.
- Usually happens when they’re ready to ship your shirt.
- The money now officially leaves your account and goes to the store.
Why split it into two steps?
Because sometimes:
- The store wants to make sure you can pay before giving you the item.
- They might need to check stock, confirm shipping, etc.
- If something goes wrong, they can just cancel the auth — no money is taken.