Payment

Yes. Our online transactions are handled by Square through a secure gateway which encrypts your card details. These are not released to Wild Places Publishing and we do not at any time hold your sensitive card information. Square is an established service provider.

We also use the services of SharkGate, which runs additional security features, protecting us and you from malware and other attacks. As they say, 'SharkGate is the world’s pioneering Cyber Security solution designed exclusively to protect websites against hackers' and it is very, very good at its job.

A separate page contains more information about the security features on this website.

Our payment system is served by Square and this handles Visa and MasterCard credit and debit cards. We do not accept payment by American Express. Whichever card you use, you may be asked to pass a Visa Secure check before the transaction is completed.

Visa Secure is an additional layer of security provided by credit and debit card companies when paying for goods online (it was formerly called 3D-Secure before Visa rebranded it in 2019). The final stage before the transaction can be completed is a Visa Secure or MasterCard SecureCode stage (or other security measure), as appropriate for your card. Please note that you must also use the address registered to your card for your Invoice Address, or else the transaction will be refused by your bank.

Our software works just like any other site. Here's what happens when you make a payment:

1. You register your address in My Account; this is used later by Square, which will check your main address (as used for the Invoice) against the address and postcode at the bank that you have your credit or debit card registered with
2. You go through checkout and you will reach a simple Square screen (you are on their software now) where you input your card details. Check that everything is correct (some data will be picked up from the information you entered in My Account)
3. Square checks these details with your bank, which returns a report saying all is okay or, just occasionally, that something does not match
4. The payment is then accepted (or rejected)
5. If the payment failed, the most likely reason is a mistake in matching your Invoice postcode with the one registered with your bank, so please double check this!

The final page of the checkout process asks you to choose a payment card or to indicate you are sending a cheque. If you pay using a card, you will receive an e-mail with an invoice attached: this confirms you successfully paid (and when your order is despatched, you will receive another e-mail). If you choose to send a cheque, when this is received by us and your order is despatched you will also be e-mailed with an invoice and confirmation of your order.

There is one additional important point. When you create an account, this is tied to your e-mail address. If you later change your real e-mail (but leave your old e-mail address in your account), you will not receive any e-mail confirmation ... because there is no valid address to send it to. If you lack a confirmation or copy of a receipt, please check the account e-mail you have registered with. You are able to change this yourself in your account. You are still able to download a copy of your receipt from your account.

We are British-based and display prices in our own currency, pounds sterling (GBP: £). This does not prevent you from using your credit or debit card from anywhere in the world; your issuing bank will use the current exchange rate to charge you in your local currency and this will show on your statement.

Yes, of course. You will be offered the choice of paying by cheque or making an electronic payment at the end of the checkout process, so you have that option. All the details you will need to fill in your cheque will be provided (and emailed) at that final stage. Please note that cheques must be in pounds sterling (GBP) and drawn on a UK bank.

If you elect to pay by cheque this may reserve an item with limited stock, such as a second-hand book of which there is only one, while your cheque is awaited. This will be reserved for one week, after which it will be placed back on open sale if your cheque is not received.

As well as using credit and debit cards online, and a cheque drawn on a UK bank, you may send a postal order issued by a UK post office. We regret we cannot accept postal orders issued in other countries or currencies other than pounds sterling. You will find details of where to post your payment on the contact page. Alternatively, add a note to your order that you will send a postal order when you go through checkout and use the 'Pay by cheque' option. Please make the postal order payable to Wild Places Publishing.

Note that we cannot accept money orders, following difficulties in cashing these in the UK.

Occasionally, we are asked if someone can pay a non-standard amount or to settle an invoice via the website, when no goods will actually be despatched. We have two solutions, depending on whether you are paying in pounds (like £10) or pounds and pennies (like £10.64). Follow the links to read more about how you can make these payments.