Monday, August 27, 2012

How to Use Online Payment Gateways for Ecommerce Websites

The World Wide Web has so much to offer businesses and websites who are trying to make online trading work for them and with technology making things a lot easier these days, more businesses are opting for this route. There are a few things you need to consider when you are looking into online payment gateways for your company. You need to know that this is the best route for you and why you need the gateway for the services or products you offer.



Trading online is less costly straight off when it comes to the resources required in running an open store. Payment gateways are essential in order to make that online business work and mean you can accept many forms of payment which immediately widens your customer base. Modern online payment systems can offer maximum security so this doesn’t have to be a worry. Credit and debit cards now enter a verification process before the payments are approved which adds to the comfort in knowing that your customers are safe.


The virtual world is massive and full of opportunities. Avoiding an online presence is avoiding millions of potential customers every single day. Any business these days needs to be online in some form or another to ensure success. If you are looking for somewhere to start, then you need to begin with ensuring you have a good service provider and data plans for your devices so you can keep an eye on your business anywhere. Google is your best bet and you can find Orange and other providers of SIM only deals by going here as well.


When it comes to finding the best payment gateway; not all will suit you and your business so selecting the best one is important. The top 10 are Flagship Merchant Services, Intuit Merchant Services, Authorize.Net, GoEmerchant, CyberSource, E-Commerce Exchange, Chase Paymentech, PayPal, Merchant Plus, Merchant One and Ideal gateway. Some you will have heard of and others you won’t have. It is important to look into what these services have to offer to ensure you get the right one for your business needs.


It’s time now to explore what you should be expecting from your payment gateways and some of the functions that you should be looking for as standard.


It goes without saying really that a gateway service should be able to transmit and authorise card details immediately. The transaction process is, as standard, a behind the scenes thing and should be well away from you on the front line and a separate entity altogether because you are paying for the hassle to be dealt with elsewhere! A reputable service will integrate well with banks and security requirements alike.


Look out for reputable companies that work in conjunction with MasterCard and Visa for example. You do not want to find hidden transaction charges with the company you use.


You should also opt for a shopping cart if this suits your business; it is something that is familiar to the customer after all. Any IT specialist can help you here and get you moving. You need to be able to keep track of transactions and other details. Your software should at least be compatible with Excel so you can export and manipulate the data as you need to. Be sure that the software provider can meet this need.


Security is essential for your businesses safety, as well as the customers, so look in detail at what measures are taken before you commit to anything.


You need to consider these features in the main when looking for your gateway. Ultimately, it comes down to your business needs and requirements. Having an online gateway is essential to make your online business work. Customers want easy to navigate sites and simple processes and with this, they are sure to go elsewhere.


If one gateway cannot offer you everything you need, then another will be able to so keep on looking.


Finding a payment gateway suitable for your business takes a little bit of time and consideration so make sure you get what you require from the service. Give your business what it needs with online payment options.

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