# Violet Connect for Channels Violet Connect is the onboarding flow your merchants complete to connect their e-commerce store to your app. Merchants complete this process themselves — it is not a process channels complete on behalf of their merchants. {% hint style="info" %} We recommend trying Violet Connect out for yourself first using a [test store](https://docs.violet.io/prism/violet-connect/testing/connecting-a-shopify-store). {% endhint %} ## Prerequisites Before directing merchants to Violet Connect, make sure: * Your app settings are configured with a redirect URL — merchants will be sent here after completing onboarding * Commission rates have been pre-agreed with your merchants * **For Shopify merchants:** Review the [Shopify Merchant Onboarding guide](https://docs.violet.io/ecom-platforms/shopify), which covers the pre-registration flow required for Shopify's custom app model ## Sharing Violet Connect with Merchants Once your app is configured, send merchants their Violet Connect link. For a full walkthrough of what merchants will experience, share the [Violet Connect for Merchants](https://docs.violet.io/prism/violet-connect/guides/violet-connect-for-merchants) guide with them directly. ## Customizing the Flow The default Violet Connect flow includes: platform selection → store URL entry → credential entry → payout account setup → commission rate selection. Several steps can be configured: ### Payout Account By default, merchants are prompted to set up a payout account via Stripe KYC. If you are bypassing Violet Payments, this step will not appear. Contact Violet to skip it for any other reason. ### Commission Rate By default, merchants select their own commission rate during onboarding. If you are setting commission rates on behalf of merchants based on pre-negotiated agreements, this step can be bypassed. Contact Violet to configure this. ## Verifying Merchant Connections Once a merchant completes Violet Connect, you can confirm their connection and verify the commission rate they selected on your [Channel Dashboard](https://channel.violet.io/merchant). ## Merchant Experience Preview Watch a full demo of the merchant onboarding experience below.