Online payments – let's start here…
Integrating fast payments brings convenience, speed and transaction security. Online payments are rapidly replacing traditional bank transfers. Most of us use online banking every day. This is perfectly understandable, because money transfers are usually carried out in real time, without leaving home, and the funds appear in the recipient's account within minutes. On top of that, the fact that the market offers many platforms handling such payments gives customers a very wide choice — so everyone can pick the method that suits them best, such as card payment, bank transfer, an electronic wallet or pay-by-bank.
In an age when shopping online is everyday life for millions of people, adapting payments to your customers' needs becomes essential. Integrating fast payments makes running a shop or portal easier and safer thanks to the right system. Wondering which payment system to choose and what to look out for? This article will help clear up your doubts. Let's begin!
Integrating fast payments – only upsides.
Online payments are becoming more and more popular among both buyers and sellers. For customers it is above all the ease, speed and convenience of completing a transaction; on the other hand, sellers receive the payment quickly and can begin fulfilling the order almost immediately. To move funds from one account to another you need the right tool — one that ensures security for both the buyer and the seller. Integrating fast payments makes day-to-day money management and settling up with service providers or business partners much simpler.
We will focus on three payment platforms: Stripe, PayPal and Worldpay.
If you run an e-commerce business, a shop or a website, you should make it easy to collect payments from your customers. Integrating fast payments is a solution successfully used by, among others: auction, online and social platforms, online shops, e-commerce businesses, and owners of classifieds sites, web portals, forums, niche services and industry directories.
Once fast online payments are installed on your site, customers will be able to send you any amount of money with a few clicks, at any time of day or night. The payment flow usually looks similar, and every step is described in detail to make completing the payment easier for the user.
A few words about the options…
There are many payment systems on the market. When choosing the best one, you need to check whether your software supports the payment system you are interested in. Below we give a short overview of the most popular platforms, which enjoy high rankings and customer trust. Remember that by investing in a well-known, proven platform you build customer confidence and increase sales. (In Poland, popular local gateways such as Przelewy24, PayU or Tpay play the same role.)
Stripe
– one of the world's leading online payment systems, trusted by businesses of every size. It lets you accept payments through many channels, which makes it extremely versatile. Besides handling payment cards such as Visa, Visa Electron, Mastercard, Maestro, American Express and others, it also supports digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay), pay-by-bank transfers and many mobile payment methods. Equipped with recognised security certificates, it protects users' personal data and offers full, automated management of transactions and services. Fees depend on your turnover, type of business and transaction value — a typical rate is around 1.4% + £0.20 per transaction for UK and European cards. Beyond competitive fees, it is also worth mentioning full support for international transactions, a dashboard in many languages and handling of cross-border payments in multiple currencies.
PayPal
– a globally recognised system that enjoys strong user trust thanks to its long presence and association with major online marketplaces handling millions of transactions. It supports payments by Visa, Visa Electron, Mastercard and Maestro, as well as PayPal balance and buyer protection that reassures customers. Easy checkout with a PayPal account, no need to re-enter card details, and instant recognition by shoppers steadily grow its user base. PayPal handles online payments with a fee of roughly 2.9% + £0.30 per transaction, with lower rates available at higher volumes.
Worldpay
– offers a very wide choice of payment methods. It handles a large number of channels, including card payments and international transfers, recurring billing and group payments. With Worldpay you can take payments from anywhere in the world and in many currencies. For user convenience it provides features such as on-site payments — the ability to complete a purchase directly on the seller's page (without leaving the shop during the order) — and one-click payments, which let you store a customer's card details within the seller's site so the card data does not have to be entered for every transaction.
Make sure you chose well.
When selecting the right payment platform, you need to check whether the chosen solution is equally attractive from both the seller's and the customer's point of view. The choice may not be easy. Some care about low fees, others about security, and some about a rich offer and a wide range of payment channels. Before you decide to integrate fast payments, be sure to check:
- Does the provider you are interested in have good reviews among sellers and positive comments from users?
- Are the payment methods on offer popular with customers, and do they also meet your expectations?
- What does the fee schedule look like — is the level of commission acceptable to you?
- Will you get support while using the payment system if you run into any problems?
- What is the reporting system like — is it clear and well organised, so you can more easily control payments and manage your budget?
Want to simplify collecting payments from customers?
We have two options for you:
1) Free integration of a fast payment gateway.
If you don't yet have an agreement in place – get in touch with us. As a payment-provider partner we offer free installation of the chosen payment system on your site.
2) Integration of a fast payment gateway – from a small fixed fee.
Take advantage of the integration for less than you usually spend on a weekly grocery run. This offer is for you if you use WordPress or run an online shop based on WooCommerce.
