# Create

## Overview

The `create` method creates a customer record in the payment processor system. Storing customer details streamlines future transactions and can improve authorization rates.

**Business Use Case:** A new user signs up for your e-commerce platform. Create their customer profile to enable faster checkout on future purchases.

## Purpose

| Scenario        | Benefit                                         |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Faster checkout | Returning customers skip entering details       |
| Payment history | Track all payments by customer                  |
| Fraud scoring   | Established customers have better risk profiles |
| Subscriptions   | Required for recurring billing setup            |

## Request Fields

| Field                | Type   | Required | Description                    |
| -------------------- | ------ | -------- | ------------------------------ |
| `merchantCustomerId` | string | Yes      | Your unique customer reference |
| `email`              | string | No       | Customer email address         |
| `name`               | string | No       | Customer full name             |
| `phone`              | string | No       | Customer phone number          |
| `description`        | string | No       | Internal description           |
| `metadata`           | object | No       | Additional data (max 20 keys)  |

## Response Fields

| Field                 | Type           | Description                                       |
| --------------------- | -------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| `merchantCustomerId`  | string         | Your customer reference                           |
| `connectorCustomerId` | string         | Connector's customer ID (e.g., Stripe's cus\_xxx) |
| `status`              | CustomerStatus | ACTIVE                                            |
| `statusCode`          | number         | HTTP status code                                  |

## Example

### SDK Setup

```javascript
const { CustomerClient } = require('hyperswitch-prism');

const customerClient = new CustomerClient({
    connector: 'stripe',
    apiKey: 'YOUR_API_KEY',
    environment: 'SANDBOX'
});
```

### Request

```javascript
const request = {
    merchantCustomerId: "cust_user_12345",
    email: "john.doe@example.com",
    name: "John Doe",
    phone: "+1-555-123-4567",
    description: "Premium plan subscriber"
};

const response = await customerClient.create(request);
```

### Response

```javascript
{
    merchantCustomerId: "cust_user_12345",
    connectorCustomerId: "cus_xxx",
    status: "ACTIVE",
    statusCode: 200
}
```

## Best Practices

* Create customers at account signup, not first purchase
* Use consistent `merchantCustomerId` format
* Store `connectorCustomerId` for future reference
* Include email for processor communications

## Next Steps

* [Payment Method Service](https://docs.hyperswitch.io/integrations/prism/node/payment-method-service) - Store payment methods for customer
* [Payment Service](https://docs.hyperswitch.io/integrations/prism/node/payment-service) - Process payments with customer ID
* [Recurring Payment Service](https://docs.hyperswitch.io/integrations/prism/node/recurring-payment-service) - Set up subscriptions