There are several choices available to the seller to begin to accept payments via the web, including building an online shopping cart itself (writing software), buy a third party piece of software to do so (such as Basware or Tiete), adding third party payment system (such as AcceptPay or PayPal, for example), or use an aggregator services (such as, for example PaySwyft ).
Regardless of the option finally selected, there are a few questions for the trader to think about:
Branding / Marketing Questions
site accessibility
customer service
PCI Compliance
Cost / benefit
Branding / Marketing issues Any business will have to decide how much marketing they want to have control of the look and feel of the payment page or pages. In some companies, this May does not matter a lot and generally pay web May be suitable for the purpose. However, if brand is important, or even if the company wants to maintain a similar look and feel (including the use of logos, etc.), then within a built or bought the software solution is likely to be a trader most customization potential. However, third-party web site May have some potential for adaptation and the added advantage of quick setup and faster processing.
Website monitoring and accessibility
A critical component of any company's desire to add the site to ensure that the payment web payment consistently monitored and available for typical metric measures and monitors the response time and site availability and up time. It is clear that a system built internally or purchased a piece of software will have to be well built and well supported to be available when needed. However, most third-party web site solutions provider should be able to easily ensure the availability of these measurements for any company that wants to offer web payment.
Public
A lot of consideration needs to be fleshed when deciding on the type of service needed for your customers. For example, the system will be understandable to all people who May be interested in using it? If you need 24 / 7, 365 days a year availability? Do you need international payments? or your system can quickly find the payment transaction when necessary (and can easily communicate with customers via online means, when necessary )?
PCI-problems
As with accepting credit or debit card payments in person (or by telephone), any merchant accepting credit cards as a payment method must ensure that they comply with payment card industry (PCI) Security Standards Council rules. PCI security standards Council offers a comprehensive standards and support materials to enhance payment card security. PCI Data security Standard includes requirements for security management, policies, procedures, network architecture, software design and other important safeguards. On the inside, or buy PCI compliance solution must be handled directly.
External payment system providers must have a clear understanding of the requirements very well and be able to make a trader on the best practices for securing credit card data, or in some cases carry the name of this route. This means that tasks such as and encryption, etc. to handle third party helps the retailer better manage the risk of charge backs, identity theft and other abuses. Once again, the service will have very different approaches and it is worth discussing these in detail.
Cost / benefit
Another issue to think about when you accept credit or debit card payments through the web is a cost or benefit. Many companies that operate on low margins could see those margins even worse as a credit or debit card charges (direct and indirect) to add additional (and maybe unnecessary) layer of costs.
Although the fees paid to process payments with internally developed or software-based solution, a third-party service providers may also charge a courtesy and convenience fee. Merchants should be aware that the convenience fee is not only a method of passing on the credit or debit card processing costs. According to the Merchant Council "Surcharging customers to pay with a credit card is considered discrimination on the basis of the payment. Facility is responsible for providing customers another payment option, which is a separate and, using standard methods of payment." All fees should therefore carefully scrutinized ahead of time, so no surprises when the monthly transaction statement is sent.
Conclusion
In the final analysis, as well as the ability to pay channels on the web to expand and more and more customers become comfortable with the whole process payments electronically, by offering payments capabilities over the Internet will become the standard for most businesses. However, there are several possible strategies available to achieve several important areas of consideration taken into account. In this article, are briefly explored five of these, namely:. Branding / marketing issues, web site availability, Customer Service, PCI problems and ultimately the cost / benefit