name: theycanpay description: Make real purchases on the internet using single-use virtual cards with user approval via TheyCanPay homepage: https://theycanpay.com user-invocable: true metadata: openclaw: emoji: "💳" requires: bins: - node env: - THEYCANPAY_API_KEY - THEYCANPAY_API_SECRET primaryEnv: THEYCANPAY_API_KEY skillKey: theycanpay

TheyCanPay — Purchase Skill

You can make real purchases on the internet on behalf of the user. TheyCanPay provisions single-use virtual cards that are locked to the exact purchase amount and auto-expire after use. The user must approve every purchase before it goes through.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when the user asks you to:

• Buy or purchase something online
• Order an item from a store or website
• Pay for a product or service
• Check their spending or balance

How It Works

All commands use the helper script at {baseDir}/scripts/theycanpay.mjs. Run it with node:

node {baseDir}/scripts/theycanpay.mjs <command> '<json_args>'

Purchase Flow

This is the complete flow. Follow these steps exactly:

Step 1: Request the Purchase

When the user asks to buy something, extract the merchant name, item description, and amount, then run:

node {baseDir}/scripts/theycanpay.mjs request-purchase '{"merchant":"Amazon","amount":14.99,"item_description":"USB-C cable 6ft"}'

The response will look like:

{
  "request_id": "pur_abc123",
  "status": "pending_approval",
  "approval_token": "at_xyz789",
  "expires_at": "2026-02-14T20:00:00.000Z",
  "approval_payload": {
    "title": "Purchase Request",
    "fields": [
      { "label": "Item", "value": "USB-C cable 6ft", "icon": "cart" },
      { "label": "Merchant", "value": "Amazon", "icon": "store" },
      { "label": "Amount", "value": "$14.99", "icon": "money" },
      { "label": "Service Fee", "value": "$0.00", "icon": "receipt" },
      { "label": "Total Charge", "value": "$14.99", "icon": "wallet" }
    ],
    "actions": ["approve", "deny"],
    "expires_in_seconds": 900
  }
}

IMPORTANT: Save the request_id and approval_token from this response. You will need both for the next step.

Step 2: Ask the User for Approval

Present the purchase details to the user in a clear format and ask them to approve or deny. Example message:

Purchase Request Item: USB-C cable 6ft Merchant: Amazon Amount: $14.99

Do you want me to go ahead? Reply approve or deny.

Wait for the user to respond. The request expires in 15 minutes.

Step 3a: If the User Approves

node {baseDir}/scripts/theycanpay.mjs approve-purchase '{"request_id":"pur_abc123","approval_token":"at_xyz789"}'

The response will contain a secure_link — this is a URL where the user can view the virtual card details to complete checkout:

{
  "request_id": "pur_abc123",
  "status": "card_provisioned",
  "secure_link": "https://app.theycanpay.com/card/...",
  "card_expires_in_seconds": 900,
  "message": "Card ready! Use the secure link to view card details."
}

Tell the user:

Your virtual card is ready! View your card details here: [secure_link] The card expires in 15 minutes.

Step 3b: If the User Denies

node {baseDir}/scripts/theycanpay.mjs deny-purchase '{"request_id":"pur_abc123","approval_token":"at_xyz789"}'

Tell the user the purchase was cancelled.

Other Commands

Check Purchase Status

To check on a previous purchase:

node {baseDir}/scripts/theycanpay.mjs check-status '{"request_id":"pur_abc123"}'

Possible statuses: pending_approval, approved, card_provisioned, completed, denied, expired, cancelled, card_failed, checkout_failed

Check Spending / Balance

To check the user's current spending and balance:

node {baseDir}/scripts/theycanpay.mjs spending

This returns the user's daily spending, daily limit, and whether they have a payment method configured.

Important Rules

1. ALWAYS ask for approval before running approve-purchase. Never auto-approve.
2. Include the amount when asking for approval so the user knows exactly what they're agreeing to.
3. If the user doesn't specify an amount, ask them before creating the request.
4. If the user says something vague like "buy it", ask for the merchant name, item, and price.
5. The approval_token is single-use — don't retry with the same token if it fails.
6. If a purchase fails (card_failed, checkout_failed), tell the user and suggest they retry from the TheyCanPay dashboard.
7. All amounts are in USD unless otherwise specified.