Running an eCommerce business is sure lucrative in a world that has gone online for quite some time now. But it works only if you deliver an awesome customer experience and receive your payments smoothly. Which is why, picking the right payment gateway is so important. It is a vital bridge connecting your consumer and your product. With a reliable, secure, and advanced gateway, making and receiving online payments can become a breeze. It will minimise business risks, ensure secure transactions, reduce instances of shopping cart abandonment, and provide a better brand experience overall.

In fact, it might interest you to know that more than 50% of online shoppers abandon eCommerce portals without completing their transactions. Reports have shown that the payment page experience plays a significant role in influencing your customers’ shopping journeys. About 17% of all online customers today don’t trust online shopping sites with credit card details. 6% of customers abandon their carts because their choice of payment card wasn’t available. About 4% leave your site because of technical glitches.

So, it is evident that choosing the best payment gateway for eCommerce transactions plays a significant role in determining profitability and brand experience. Read on to know how you can go about it.

What is a Payment Gateway and How Does it Work?

 Payment gateways aim at conducting simplified transactions while ensuring the security of sensitive customer information shared during this process. Different types of payment gateways use different security protocols to ensure customer data security. This includes encrypting details like bank and card numbers, one-time passwords, etc.

So, if you have an online business, it is vital that you know how a payment gateway works so that you can identify problems when something goes wrong. Here are the steps followed to complete a transaction through a payment gateway for eCommerce websites:

Step 1: A client or customer adds items to their cart, confirms their order, and clicks on Checkout.

Step 2: The eCommerce portal or website redirects them to the payment gateway page. Here, the customer must enter all the required data about the card they intend to pay with, the issuing bank details, etc. The payment gateway takes the customer directly to a secure 3D or issuing bank page, depending on the type of payment gateway, for transaction authorisation.

Step 3:  Once the transaction is authorised, the bank performs its checks (validity, available balance, etc.) and either approves or rejects the transaction. If the transaction fails, the customer receives an ‘error’ message and must try again from the start.

Step 4: Else, the issuing bank approves the payment and transfers the funds to the payment gateway, which in turn settles the amount with the seller, which is you.

Step 5: Once each of these steps has been completed, the customer receives a message of confirmation stating the order has been placed.

From these steps, you can clearly see that every monetary transaction on an eCommerce portal requires the exchange of sensitive data. Bank details and card information are highly personal and can have a deeply negative impact if leaked. Thus, all vendors and types of payment gateways for eCom payment processing must ensure complete security around personal user information.

Using a reliable and credible vendor for your payment gateway services is an effective way to ensure that data does not get leaked. Such vendors offer strong countermeasures, data insurance, and other features that ensure data is not leaked or that the damage is minimised should a leak ever happen.

Types of Payment Gateways You Can Choose From

Now that you know what is a payment gateway and how it works, ask yourself which type of gateway solution do you need for your business? There are basically two types of payment gateways to choose from:

1. External or hosted payment gateways: These payment gateways are integrated with your primary eCommerce website. However, for every transaction, it redirects users to your payment gateway page to complete transactions. The primary benefit of this type of payment gateway is that you don’t need to worry about transaction safety. The payment gateway provider takes full responsibility for transaction security and platform compliance. External gateways are also easy to set up and don’t need customisation.

2. Direct or integrated payment gateways: This type of payment gateway doesn’t require the customer to leave the host website. As the merchant, you are responsible for all the interactions that take place since they take place on your website. The greatest benefit of integrated payment gateways is that you can provide a much better and more personalised user experience. You have the option of tailoring your checkout process so that it fits your business requirements and strategy. This ensures a seamless experience and is ideal for mobile transactions.

6 Factors to Consider While Choosing Gateway Payment Solutions

Since there’s a lot that depends on your payment gateway, it’s critical to make the right choice. However, with so many options available, it could be hard to choose. Keeping the following factors in mind can make this process easier though.

1. Availability of services: You need to know where most of your customer base is located. Depending on this, you need to choose a payment gateway that is available in the country where you are doing business and where your customers are. Almost every gateway provider has a list you can check against. You can also email them to confirm.
2. Transaction fees: Every gateway provider levies charges on transactions based on several factors. This could be the payment method, type of card, number of transactions per month etc. Make sure you choose the right criteria, or else your transaction fees might exceed your monthly profit.
3. Recurring payment system: Several businesses today use a subscription-based model to sell products and services. This could be like OTT platform subscriptions, membership plans, or rented furniture. If you are in the subscription business, you need a payment gateway that enables repeated payments. This means your customers won’t have to make manual payments every time a payment cycle ends. A few payment gateway providers also offer advanced features that let customers upgrade plans easily, pause payments, or add new subscriptions. Before you finalise a provider, make sure they have all the services you will need.
4. Miscellaneous fees and charges: Another key factor that you need to consider is the accumulation of non-transaction fees that gateways might charge. These could be fees for setting up your account, maintenance charges, deposit or withdrawal charges, fees for chargebacks, and more. If you are just starting and sales are not that high, these fees could bring down profitability significantly.
5. Customer payment mode options: As an online merchant, you need to ensure that completing a transaction is as easy as possible for your customers. For this, you need a payment gateway for eCommerce that accepts payments from the maximum possible card processors and issuers as well as all types of mobile wallets. Having limited options while wanting to make payments could drive your customers away.
6. Payment security: In case of online business platforms, fraud is a real concern. Several online shoppers are concerned that their data isn’t safe on eCommerce platforms. There are several regulations in place such as the PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) system that gateway providers must comply with. Make sure you choose a vendor that meets these standards.

Choose Payment Gateways that Secure Customer Information

The best payment gateways ensure that your data is always safe. Here is a look at some of the fundamental implementations and protocols that a payment gateway follows to provide data security:

• Every online data transaction going through a payment gateway is conducted using an HTTPS address. The S stands for ‘secure’ and sets it apart from the average HTTP address. The transaction passes through this secure channel.
• Due to the # function, payment gateway systems generally use signed requests from the seller for validating the transaction request. This request is in the form of a secret code word known only to the payment gateway and the merchant.
• To ensure the payment page is secure as a result of this process, the requesting server’s IP is first verified, ensuring it detects any dangerous activity.
• VPA or Virtual Payer Authentication is currently being backed by issuers, payment gateways and acquirers, so that the payment process is even more secure. VPA is implemented in compliance with the 3D secure protocol. It provides an additional security layer and gives online sellers and buyers easier authentication of the opposite party.

Select the Right Payment Gateway and Enjoy these Benefits

There’s more than one benefit of using the right payment gateway for your online business.

• PCI-DSS Wallet: Compliance with PCI-DSS ensures adequate security for users to securely save personal data in the gateway or portal for easier recurring payments. This is how you can save multiple cards, UPI IDs, and mobile wallet information on a payment page.
• White-Label Wallet: Certain types of payment gateways enable users to carry out digital transactions using mobile wallets and applications. This is among the most popular current trends as it allows users to complete multiple transactions without any hassle or friction. Money from the mobile wallet can be brought to the website and then used to complete transactions on the seller’s platform.
• Fraud Screening Tools: Several payment gateway systems offer you fraud screening functionalities and tools to mitigate the risk of data loss. This includes the CCV, CVV and AVS numbers, among others. Providing these additional layers of security ensures that no one can carry out transactions using the card details saved on your page.

The primary focus of payment gateway systems is to create secure paths between merchants and customers and facilitate secure payments. It mandates the authentication of both parties from their respective banks.

The key benefit of a payment gateway for eCommerce website is that millions of users can use a single gateway simultaneously. This makes it possible for businesses to buy or sell products or services around the clock.

So, when looking for payment gateways for your business, keep this guide handy. With the growing level of competition in the eCommerce space, let your payment gateway solution be the differentiator. Partner with the right provider to improve customer experience and drive brand loyalty.

Up until the 18th century, people used the bartering system to pay for goods and services. Fast forward a couple of centuries, and today, anyone can roam the world without so much as a wallet on themselves. Buying any product and paying for it has become extremely easy, thanks to countless eCommerce stores and the wide variety of payment methods available. So, if you are running an eCommerce company and wish to offer simple and smart offline and online payment methods to make shopping enjoyable for your customers, this article is for you.

Here is a look at some of the popular payment methods used in eCommerce. You can adopt some or all based on your requirement.

Cash

This is the original payment method and the only one that was used for a long time before credit cards, debit cards, and online payments took over. It is one of the simplest payment methods unless someone needs to hunt for change. Offline payment methods like cash might be slowly losing their monopoly but are still extremely helpful in developing nations where digital payment systems have not become mainstream. A customer can simply order something from your eCommerce store and pay for it in cash after delivery. This is especially a great option for those customers who are not too tech-savvy or confident about making payments online.

Credit Card

Credit cards are one of the most popular types of payment methods used in the eCommerce industry for both customers as well as business owners like you. Credit cards are safe to use and very secure, ensuring that only the holder can use them for any transactions. The card number, card holder’s information, and CVV numbers provide three layers of protection and can help your business in detecting fraud as well.

With advancements in technology, just a swipe or tap of the credit card allows the user to pay for anything they want at an offline store. And online, they just need to enter a few details like card number, name, CVV etc. to carry out the transaction. Apart from their ease of use and convenience, credit cards provide a lot of benefits to users as well. They often give discounts or cashback for every purchase and have reward points to encourage people to spend more, and it helps improve the credit score of an individual or a business as well.

Debit Card

Debit cards are the second most preferred payment method after credit cards. This is mostly because a debit card allows users to spend only that much money that is available in their account and that money is also debited instantly. Unlike credit cards, where users often have a limit higher than their actual pay, and they need to pay for it after the billing period. Some credit cards also provide an EMI option to pay their dues, which a debit card can’t provide. However, many people continue to use a debit card as their primary mode of payment wherever they go. Which means, enabling your business to accept both debit and credit card payments is a wise move.

Bank Transfer

Direct bank transfers are also a popular payment method, especially if you are a new age eCommerce company that ships worldwide but don’t have a robust and international payment setup yet. In case of bank transfer, users need to fill in the account details for whom they want to pay and then confirm the transaction from their own bank account, limiting the chance of false authorization.

But while the transfer method is safe, there are a lot of scammers around the world who try to dupe customers by providing false account details, so that they receive the payment in their account rather than the business. Bank transfers can also take a lot of time and are dependent on how the banks are performing. So, if a customer sends you money on a bank holiday, it might not get processed that same day.

App Payments

This is perhaps one of the fastest-growing online payment methods across the world. App payments and digital wallets like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay and more have become popular, thanks to their convenience and ease of use. So, it makes sense for your business to have such options. With these apps, users don’t need to carry cash, cards, cheque books, or even their wallet. They can just use their smartphone to pay for any product or service, be it in-store, online, or offline.

Payment interfaces like UPI make it easier for everyone to pay for a product. All they need to do is scan a QR code, enter someone’s mobile number or VPA ID, and it’s done. In fact, several eCommerce companies have realized the benefits of app payments and have started providing their own payment service to users free of cost. You can follow suit too.

Cheques

Even though cheques are rarely used for making simple eCommerce transactions, it is still a viable offline payment method. It is especially helpful if yours is a business that has merchant accounts that generally rely on cheques for offline transactions. But you need to make your business ready to accept electronic cheques or E-cheques as well.

Wrapping Up

In today’s age, customers are spoiled for choices when it comes to payment. They are no longer dependent on cash transactions and hope that an e-store can provide them with multiple payment modes.

So, now, as an eCommerce store, you need to keep an eye on multiple payment sources to have clear visibility of how your business is performing. Managing the flow of money efficiently is important as your customers are paying in cash or via credit cards, debit cards digital wallets, cryptocurrencies, e-cheque or other payment methods.

This is the reason why a payment gateway solution like PayTabs can come to your rescue. It can not only help you accept payments via different modes safely, quickly and effectively, but also keep track of every transaction, no matter which payment method is used. PayTabs is an easy to use, convenient, and secure payment gateway that allows your customers to pay for your products in various methods and helps you monitor your finances easily.

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In 2022, shopping is no longer limited to physical brick-and-mortar stores. With advancement in modern technologies, availability of faster shipping options, and the recent pandemic that limited the movement of people, more and more customers are shopping online. While there are third-party channels like Amazon, Etsy, eBay and more that allow you to sell your products on their website, have you ever considered opening your own online store?

An online store dedicated to your brand and products can be tremendously beneficial as well as profitable. However, to reap the benefits of an online store, you must be familiar with how to create an online storefrom scratch. The process might sound too technical and troublesome but it’s quite simple and straightforward in fact. Read on to know more.

How to Open an Online Store?

Here’s a brief rundown of the process which you can follow to establish your very own store listed online and ready to serve customers. The best part about opening an online store is that you don’t need a lot of experience or technical knowledge and there is a plethora of tools available that are made specifically to help you with this journey. So, if you were wondering how to create an online store, follow these steps.

• Step 1: Decide on your niche and what you will be offering the customers. Is it clothing, food items, appliances or something else?
• Step 2: Choose whether you will house the products on your own or use a drop shipping supplier to take care of the shipping.
• Step 3: Come up with a customer-friendly business name and register a domain name online for the website.
• Step 4: Select and list the products that you will sell.
• Step 5: Create the website for your brand. You can do it yourself, take help from an online store builder or even hire a developer.
• Step 6: Get a sales tax ID since you’re now a business and would need to pay taxes on your products.
• Step 7: Run marketing campaigns to get the products in front of your audience.

Benefits of an Online Store

Interested to know about the advantages of an online store and why it scores higher than a physical one? After all, most big brands have official stores and retail outlets for people to walk in, roam around, feel the products, and then make a purchase. While there’s no alternative to physical contact with the products, an online store can provide several other benefits.

• Enhanced Communication with Customers: Online shopping allows brands to capture in-depth customer information like their purchase history, shortlisted products, email address, shopping preferences, and more. All this information enables you to connect with your customers better. Targeted campaigns, special discounts, and notifying the customers when their shortlisted product is back in stock can increase the chances of completing a sale successfully.

• Better Shopping Experience: This is one of the key benefits of an online store. Shopping online gives a certain amount of freedom to customers that can’t be found in physical stores. There’s no salesperson following them around the store to make them uncomfortable and no queues for them to stand in and wait. All they need to do is browse through the website, select products they like, and buy them instantly with the click of a button. No fuss. No hassle. And no carrying things around the store.

• Reduced Costs: One of the biggest reasons behind taking your business online is the reduction in costs. Sure, you will be paying server costs, website maintenance costs, infrastructure costs and such, but they will be far lower than paying rent for a commercial space, hiring employees, and maintaining the physical stock as well as the store. The amount spent on marketing online can be as minimal as you like.

• Increased Market Access: This is another one of the top advantages of an online store. Selling products over the internet opens a wide range of possibilities that just isn’t possible with independent stores. Not only can you market to people worldwide, but third-party drop shipping and fulfilment companies like Amazon and eBay make it possible for the products to reach even far-flung customers. Setting up a shop is easy and can happen in just a matter of minutes.

• Master of your Own Finances: Since you’re not partnering with third-party channels and selling products from your store, barring the cost of advertisement, shipping, and other overheads, all the revenue, as well as the profit, is yours to keep. While selling on Amazon or eBay might feel like a good side hustle at the beginning, the earnings will stagnate over time even if your business is growing. Getting away from any third-party agreement frees you from these shackles.

• You Have the Final Say: Another online store benefit? You are not restricted to the selling metrics and strategies of other third-party companies. You have complete authority over every business decision like how it’s going to operate, sales and marketing strategies to generate leads, product presentation, pricing, and even the way the order is packaged and delivered. Customer service also becomes more streamlined and efficient.

• Convenient payment system: In case of an online store, if you join hands with the right payment gateway solution provider, accepting and keeping track of payments will become a piece of cake. You will be able to offer your customers multiple payment modes too, including debit and credit cards, net banking, e-wallets and so on. No matter where a customer is located, the funds will be deposited in your account quickly. Sending invoices and reminders will also become easy, helping you to focus more on core business areas.

Wrapping Up

Building a business from scratch and running the same is not easy, be it online or offline. Each has its own difficulties and comes with its fair share of roadblocks, but you don’t create a multi-billion-dollar corporation piggybacking on another company. Plus, there are several benefits of an online store over an offline one, as you read above. And if yours is a growing business that aims to stay in the game for a long time, futureproofing the business is vital. The world is going global and physical borders are no longer a constraint for brands trying to reach their customers. So, now is the best time to go online.