Merchant Onboarding
Merchant Lifecycle
The full lifecycle of a merchant from application to closure.
Every merchant onboarded through Cresora passes through a defined lifecycle. Understanding each stage helps you set correct expectations with your merchants and build the right status-tracking UI.
Lifecycle stages
Applied → Underwriting → Approved → Active
↓
Rejected (can resubmit)
Active → Suspended → Active (if resolved)
Active → Closed (permanent)Stage definitions
| Stage | Meaning | Transactions allowed |
|---|---|---|
Applied | Merchant submitted but not yet under review | No |
Underwriting | Cresora reviewing the application | No |
Approved | Approved; ready to activate | No (awaiting go-live gate clearance) |
Active | Live and accepting transactions | Yes |
Suspended | Temporarily restricted by Cresora | No |
Closed | Account permanently closed | No |
Rejected | Application rejected; may resubmit with corrections | No |
Typical timelines
| Transition | Sandbox | Production |
|---|---|---|
Applied → Underwriting | Instant | Instant |
Underwriting → Approved | Instant | 1–2 business days |
Approved → Active | Instant | After go-live gates cleared |
Webhook events for merchant status changes
| Event | When |
|---|---|
merchant.approved | Underwriting completed successfully |
merchant.rejected | Application rejected |
merchant.activated | Merchant goes live |
merchant.suspended | Cresora suspends the merchant |
merchant.closed | Merchant account closed |
Querying merchant status
GET https://api.cresoracommerce.com/v1/merchants/{id}
Authorization: Bearer csk_test_xxxxxxxxxxxxThe response includes status (current lifecycle stage) and status_reason (human-readable explanation when suspended or rejected).