Card reader based payment transactions from a web browser

A system for processing transactions, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the system to perform operations including:
• receiving a payment request from a merchant for a purchase by a customer;
• transmitting payment information to a mobile computing device associated with the merchant, the payment information including a transaction identifier (ID) uniquely identifying the purchase, an amount of the purchase, and instructions for the mobile computing device to:
• activate a card reader;
• present a notification of the purchase amount to the customer;
• receive an acceptance of the purchase amount from the customer;
• and
• authorize the card reader to process an electronic payment for the purchase amount using a credit or debit card of the customer;
• receiving confirmation of the electronic payment from the merchant's mobile computing device;
• and
• providing the confirmation of the electronic payment to the merchant.

An apparatus for processing transactions, comprising:

• means for receiving, from a merchant, a payment request for a purchase by a customer;
• means for transmitting payment information to a mobile computing device associated with the merchant, the payment information including a transaction identifier (ID) uniquely identifying the purchase, an amount of the purchase, and instructions for the mobile computing device to:
• activate a card reader;
• present a notification of the purchase amount to the customer;
• receive an acceptance of the purchase amount from the customer;
• and
• authorize the card reader to process an electronic payment for the purchase amount using a credit or debit card of the customer;
• means for receiving confirmation of the electronic payment from the merchant's mobile computing device;
• and
• means for providing the confirmation of the electronic payment to the merchant.