Since the first days of the Internet, businesses have been
selling goods online. As the services have developed and user friendly
interfaces for eCommerce have replaced programming knowledge, owning an online
store has never been easier. When it comes time to accept payments, there are a
number of services available. In today’s world, one of the hardest parts about
running an online business is choosing the right ePayment solution for you.
Why
your business should sell online
All reports point to trillions of dollars being spent
annually in online sales. If you need a way to expand your business, becoming a
part of this trend can be incredibly profitable. By putting your products or
services on the Internet, you can cut into a slice of this proverbial
trillion-dollar pie.
Affordable
Setting up an eCommerce solution is cost effective when
considering the management software that is available today. You will spend
considerably less money operating an online store than you would in your
brick-and-mortar location. As it has very little overhead cost to speak of,
your investment would be nominal to get started.
Localizing
sales
People are not just buying goods online from locations
abroad. Many will purchase goods from local retailers and then pick the items
up later. Site-to-store, pick-up options at checkout and other methods allow
people in your home town to make online purchases.
Greater
target audience
While your retail store may be frequented by local patrons,
setting up eCommerce capability gives you access to a much wider target audience.
Instead of relying on sales to those in your community, you have access to a
global reach should you incorporate world-wide shipping methods. This is an
excellent opportunity for businesses in rural locations that experience a lull
in purchases due to low populations.
How
to accept credit cards on your website
Most eCommerce solutions are capable of utilizing a vast
array of accepting ePayments. Even hard coded and customized websites are
capable of accepting credit cards with the right platform. When it comes time
to accept credit cards online, there are many options to choose from.
paypal
As one of the oldest ePayment methods, PayPal has developed
a great deal over the years. It’s strongly supported by most eCommerce
solutions and provides a business Mastercard for instant access to funds.
Unfortunately, it could take up to five business days to transfer funds to a
bank account if you don’t have this debit card.
Amazon Payments
Amazon Payments offers an inline checkout system allowing
people to remain on your website when making ePayments. It has many tools to
help set up cart buttons and offers graphics for your website. It does have a
higher international payment fee than most and does not have an apparent method
for instant access of your funds.
Stripe
Originally used as a mobile payment solution, Stripe has
integrated a checkout system for eCommerce. While you may need to have a bit of
programming knowledge in order to implement the payment gateway on your site,
it can be used with copy-and-paste additions. However, it doesn’t have a lot of
customization when compared to alternative gateways.
Square
Using Square gives you access to a great deal of analytics
and capabilities for processing payments. Square integrates quickly into the
business dynamic by allowing you to operate in-person and online sales through
a single account. While the total fees when accepting payments are lower than
most when selling goods for less than $20, it can become more expensive to use
with greater purchases.
Google Wallet
Google Wallet is another
solution that allows you to manage brick-and-mortar sales as well as eCommerce
purchases from a single account. The only fees Google charges are those of each
debit or credit card transaction. The Wallet card you can get for accessing
your funds is unavailable for use outside of the United States.
2CheckOut
For those that are looking for global integration, 2CheckOut has a large number of tools and functions to
make it easier. Supporting over 25 currencies and 15 languages, you can sell to
a very large number of people across the planet. Unfortunately, the system only
releases monies to your account once every Thursday.
Authorize.net
Authorize.net has comparable pricing when viewed against
many other solutions. However, there is a setup fee as well as a monthly
gateway fee applied to your merchant account. One of the bonuses for this
method is the ability to synchronize with QuickBooks for businesses that use
that accounting software.
Which
is the right ePayment solution for you?
Deciding on the perfect ePayment solution for your online
store will greatly depend on your needs. Accessibility, fees, money transfers,
analytic capabilities and more can play prominent roles in your decision to
accept credit cards online. Start by setting a reasonable goal and what you
wish to accomplish with your website. Things to consider include:
- Rates
and fees
Compare the overall fees by mocking up a few sales using the calculations
for accepting ePayments from these solutions. There is often a setup fee,
as well as a per transaction percentage fee. Depending on your volume of
sales this can have an impact on how cost-effective one solution is over
another. - Transaction
types
Does the payment type support the types of transactions your business
require? For instance, will you need recurring weekly, monthly, or even
annual subscriptions? How easy is it to reverse a transaction? - Analytical
Information
Several eCommerce management systems come built with their own integrated
data collection. You might not need a payment gateway that provides that
information if it’s more expensive to maintain. - Alternating
Currencies
Global sales will need a method to convert currencies. Many solutions
offer this as an automatic adjustment during checkout. Be sure that your
chosen solution accommodates your target market currencies. - Reputation
While you want to keep in mind that not everyone will have the same
experience, reading reviews of each will show you common problems you may
face. How will your provider respond to (your) customer support requests
if there are issues. - Fraud
protection
Most payment gateways have strong anti-fraud protection in place. This can
help protect you from illicit activities as well as protecting your
customers. - Instant
access to funds
As some solutions offer debit cards linked to your merchant accounts, you
can buy goods for the business as soon as someone makes a purchase. - Compatibility
Before setting up an account or paying fees, make sure that it can be used
with your online store. If the payment provider has an API (Application
Programming Interface) be sure that it can be integrated with your server
technology. For instance if your online store is built on PHP, then you
will probably use a PHP API if there is one available. JavaScript APIs are
usually compatible with most setups!
