What is TouchNet?
The University of Washington has implemented TouchNet Marketplace as our central e-commerce platform. TouchNet is a campus solution provider, and Marketplace is their integrated payment platform that delivers a secure, compliant, integrated business environment for institutions of higher learning.
There are NO extra fees for the use of the TouchNet Platform.
Our E-Commerce Manager, Melissa Hall. has held showcases various features of TouchNet with Q&A - previous recordings are on our TouchNet Training Page.
Marketplace Features
Marketplace offers two methods of payment processing.
The UW TouchNet "uStore" is a customizable platform where on-campus merchants can showcase goods or services for sale. Example uStores in the following categories can be viewed below:
- UW Surplus runs their surplus store online, for pickup in-person (live site)
- UW Civil & Environmental Engineering takes invoice payments (test site)
- Tuberculosis Research & Training Center (TRTC) has an example of a simple fee-based event (test site)
- The Whole U runs a complex event series (live site)
- UW Farm utilizes subscription CSA boxes (live site)
- UW Law Society & Justice runs a swag store (live site)
The other method is a hosted payment page ("uPay Site") for a web-based application. This could be a UW designed and hosted site, or it could be an external vendors' site. OMS has identified over twenty software partners at the UW called TouchNet Ready Partners which are existing software vendors that can take payments through TouchNet, and we're working with our merchants and their vendors to either switch payment processors or implement them as needed. The setup for a UW hosted site requires a knowledgeable website developer to be involved.
Implementation
Our updated TouchNet Information Form will walk you through submitting the necessary information for us to create a TouchNet Merchant, uStore or uPay site, or uStore product for you. Once you have submitted the form, it will create a ticket in our system which will allow us to follow up with you regarding your request. You may submit the form as many times as you need to.
TouchNet Week
Our first annual TouchNet Week was held in March 2020. One of the presentations was recorded: