Client Onboarding · Stripe Setup
How to Create Your Stripe API Key
A 3-minute walkthrough — your AICOM team needs this to track your revenue and report on campaign performance. Read-only, no risk to your account.
Why we need this
Your AICOM team uses your Stripe data to track campaign ROAS, reconcile ad spend with revenue, and flag issues like failed payments or chargebacks early. We're requesting a read-only restricted API key — meaning we can see data, but cannot create charges, refunds, or modify your account. You can revoke this access in 5 seconds at any time.
📹 Visual walkthrough — skip to 2:30 for the restricted key section
1Log into your Stripe account
Go to your Stripe dashboard:
Open dashboard.stripe.com →If you have multiple Stripe accounts, switch to the one connected to your store before proceeding.
2Navigate to API Keys
- In the top-right corner, click your account name → Developers
- In the left sidebar, click API keys
- You'll see two sections: Standard keys (don't touch these) and Restricted keys — that's where we're going
⚠️ Important
Do not share your "Secret key" (
sk_live_...). That gives full access. We only want the restricted key you'll create in step 3.
3Create the Restricted Key
- Click + Create restricted key
- Name it: AICOM Read Access
- For each permission below, set the access level (most are Read):
✅ Set to READ
Charges— see successful paymentsCustomers— see customer list and detailsPaymentIntents— see payment attemptsSubscriptions— see active subscriptionsInvoices— see invoices and statusesBalance— see account balance and payoutsDisputes— see chargebacks and disputesRefunds— see refund historyPayouts— see when funds hit your bankProducts— see products and prices
❌ Set to NONE (default)
- All "Write" permissions — we don't need to modify anything
API keys— keep "None"Apple Pay Domains,Webhooks— keep "None"Files— keep "None"
Tip: If you accidentally enable a "Write" permission, just toggle it back to None. Nothing is saved until you click Create.
- Scroll to the bottom and click Create key
4Copy the Key (One-Time View)
After clicking Create, Stripe will show your key once. It looks like:
rk_live_51AbCdE...XYZ123 (≈100 chars)
⚠️ Stripe shows this key only once
If you close the page without copying it, you'll have to create a new one. Click "Reveal key", then "Copy".
5Send the Key to AICOM Securely
Send to your AICOM Account Manager. Do NOT paste it in regular email or Slack DM. Use one of these:
- Best: Use a password manager share link (1Password, Bitwarden, LastPass) — sets expiry, requires recipient login
- OK: Use onetimesecret.com — paste the key, share the link, link self-destructs after first view
- OK: Send via your AICOM client portal if you have one
✅ You're done
Once we receive the key, we'll connect it to our reporting system within 24 hours. You'll start seeing Stripe revenue data in your weekly AICOM reports automatically.
PART 2 · OPTIONAL
💳 Enable Klarna, Afterpay & Affirm at Checkout
Adding BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) options at checkout typically lifts conversion by 20-30% on AOVs over $100. Takes 5-10 min total.
Quick Comparison
💡 Recommendation
Enable all three. Customers pick what works best for them. You only pay the BNPL fee on those specific transactions, not your normal Stripe charges.
1Open Stripe Payment Methods Settings
Open Payment Methods →2Enable Each BNPL Provider
Scroll to the Buy Now, Pay Later section. Click Turn on for each:
- Klarna — Click "Turn on" → confirm currency (USD/EUR/GBP)
- Afterpay / Clearpay — Click "Turn on" → confirm currency
- Affirm — Click "Turn on" (US merchants only)
Activation is instant. No waiting period.
3Test at Checkout
After enabling, run a test checkout on your store. You should see Klarna / Afterpay / Affirm options alongside cards.
⚠️ If they don't show up
- Customer must be in a supported country (Klarna/Afterpay = most Western markets; Affirm = US only)
- Order must meet the minimum ($35 for Klarna/Afterpay, $50 for Affirm)
- Order must be in a supported currency (USD/EUR/GBP/AUD/CAD)
4How You Get Paid
Same as your normal Stripe payouts. Stripe pays you the full order amount upfront (minus the BNPL fee). The BNPL provider handles collecting from the customer over their installment period.
✅ Zero risk to you
You bear no risk of customer default — that's on the BNPL provider. Same chargeback/dispute protection as normal Stripe transactions.
📹 Optional: Affirm-specific walkthrough video
📋 BNPL FAQ
Do I need a separate Klarna/Afterpay/Affirm merchant account?
No. When you enable them through Stripe, Stripe handles the merchant relationship. You don't sign up separately.
What if I'm not in the US — can I still offer Affirm?
No. Affirm is US-only. Use Klarna and Afterpay for international markets — they cover most of Europe, UK, Australia, and Canada.
Will adding BNPL affect my existing Stripe fees?
No. Your normal card transactions still cost ~2.9% + $0.30. Only BNPL transactions get the 5-6% fee, and those are typically larger orders so the math still works in your favor.
My customer disputed a Klarna payment — what happens?
Stripe + Klarna both handle disputes. You'll be notified via email + Stripe Dashboard. Same process as a normal chargeback.
Can I disable a BNPL provider later?
Yes. Same dashboard, click the provider, toggle off. Takes effect immediately.
What if a provider is greyed out / unavailable?
Click the provider to see the specific reason. Most issues: account in wrong country, business category restricted (gambling/weapons/supplements/CBD), or incomplete Stripe business profile. Complete your Stripe profile fully and try again.
📋 Frequently Asked
Can AICOM charge my customers or refund money with this key?
No. The restricted key is read-only. All permissions are set to "Read" — we cannot create charges, issue refunds, modify customers, or change any settings. You retain full control. We only see data.
How do I revoke access if I want to stop?
Go to Stripe Dashboard → Developers → API keys → find your "AICOM Read Access" key → click the menu icon → Delete key. Takes 5 seconds. Our access stops immediately.
Will this affect my Stripe account performance or fees?
No. API key reads are free and don't impact your account in any way. Stripe doesn't charge for API usage.
What if I have multiple Stripe accounts?
Create a separate restricted key in each account you want AICOM to track. Send all keys to your AM with clear labels (e.g., "Brand A — rk_live_xxx", "Brand B — rk_live_yyy").
I'm in test mode — should I use test keys?
No, use live mode keys (
rk_live_). Test keys (rk_test_) only show fake data. We need the real revenue data.Can I edit the permissions later?
Yes. Go to API keys → click the key → Edit key. You can add or remove permissions. If you remove a permission we use, our reports may show gaps until you re-enable it.
What about the security of the key itself?
The key is stored encrypted in our infrastructure (AWS Secrets Manager / equivalent). Only authorized AICOM systems can decrypt it. It's never logged, never sent to third parties, and is automatically rotated if any security event is detected.
Need help?
Reply to your AM, or email support@aicommerce.co — we'll walk you through it on a quick call.