Authorize.net CIM (Customer Information Manager) integration?

[SpongeMaximus]

Does anyone have any experience integrating the Authorize.net CIM (Customer Information Manager) API into osCmax? It would store customer credit card and billing information securely on Authorize.net's servers when a customer creates an account, and could then retrieve the info from Authorize.net later on (using a unique ID) when the customer wants to place a new order, etc. This way the storeowner doesn't need to ask the customer for their credit card info each and every time they want to place an order.

Despite an hour of vigorous forum and Google searching, I can't find any evidence that any osCmax or osCommerce storeowners have been able to --or have even really tried-- to integrate CIM, and I'm baffled.

Further info on the CIM API is here: Customer Information Manager (CIM) API Guide (http://developer.authorize.net/api/cim/)

[SpongeMaximus]

Update: Still haven't been able to find any evidence that any osCmax/osCommerce merchants have ever tried to use Authorize.net's CIM (and that's kind of stunning), but I did find this tutorial that explains in general terms how to integrate the CIM with a php-based store, so this might be helpful to anyone else out there trying to do this: Tutorial: Integrate the Authorize.Net CIM API with PHP :: John Conde .net (http://www.johnconde.net/blog/tutorial-integrate-the-authorize-net-cim-api-with-php/)

[michael_s]

CIM really provides no real benefits for the vast majority osCmax/osCommerce users, which is probably why you don't see a mod for it. It costs $20/month above regular A-net fees, and I am not seeing any real benefit for the expense. I could see how adding the feature would open up recurring payments via credit card, but osCmax really is not built to handle recurring payments.

[SpongeMaximus]

Thanks for the reply! We were interested in the CIM not for handling recurring payments, but for the ability to safely store customer payment information so that when customers return to our site, they can checkout faster and more easily because they don't need to re-enter their payment info each time they want to place an order. Plus, we do a fair amount of business via phone orders, and it would be helpful not to have to ask repeat customers for their credit card info each time. There are also instances when a customer calls/emails and wants to change a portion of their order that will alter the total cost and require additional payment. Depending on the volume of business, repeat customers, or on the number of phone orders a place typically gets, the sheer convenience could end up being worth the additional $20/month expense.