eCommerce Discussed Part #2: Processing Payments

Processing payments & your eCommerce store:

Processing payment programs are the least understood part of running an eCommerce store- solely because it is completely bewildering! The most common payment platform is PayPal. It is one of the most secure forms of transferring money between buyer and seller and protects your account details so you don’t get charged with unauthorised payments.

But PayPal is not for everyone. With their pay-as-you-sell payment policy, you don’t have to pay a monthly fee to use their services. It’s a pay-per-transaction percentage plus 30 cents which can add up over time a lot of money. This is one area where you need to do your homework. Some other Processing Payments programs have a free monthly account but you pay a higher transaction fee, others have a large monthly fee but the % they take is less.

Crunch the numbers and find which package suits your business.

Why do you need a Processing Payments program?

• It is the same as having a retail store, you need to connect your EFTPOS terminal (through a bank) so you can receive payments from customers via their credit and debit cards.
• Processing payment programs handle the credit card security aspect of your eCommerce store. The compliance involved in protecting your eCommerce store from fraud and hackers is too onerous for small businesses so you need to have third-party handling this.
• Tax Invoices will be handled by the processing payment program. When a customer makes a purchase they will be automatically emailed a tax invoice as will you. Advanced programs will connect your invoices with your accounting programs such as XERO or MYOB. You pay extra for this feature but long term it will save you hours in double handling and bookkeeping.
• Trust: Customers who see you are using secure online payment systems are more likely to purchase from you.

Questions to ask before signing with a Payment Processing company?

• Does the payment facility include different tax rates such as 10% GST, VAT, etc?
• Can you accept International Payments?
• Is there phone support in case things go pear-shaped (they will!)?
• How long will it take to get your money? Some payment processors take 3-5 days, while others are 24 hours.
• How secure is the payment gateway? What encryption program does the processing software use?
• How well-regarded is the company? Will potential customers trust the brand?
• Can you add your branding to the Tax Invoice templates?
• Who handles disagreements with fraud and missing monies?
• Where is the payment program hosted? Is it in a trustworthy country such as the US, UK or Australia?
• How much are you charged if a customer asks for a refund?

What sets Payment Processing Software Programs apart?

• Invoice syncing automatically inputs invoices into your bookkeeping program.
• The payment facility you choose needs to work with all manner of shopping cart software.
• Can customers automatically sign up for the mailing list when they purchase?
• Inventory and stock control automatically sync with your shopping cart program.
• Saved sessions- if a customer attempts to purchase four items and then gets distracted and visits your website hours later, will the website remember their order?
• Reporting- how easy is it to get critical sales data? Can it be exported via a CSV file or a PDF?
• Automatic backup so you can always get access to your sales data.

What type of payment system should you use?

We recommend at least initially using PayPal as the payment gateway if you are dipping your toe into the eCommerce world for the first time. It is by far the best-known payment processor online, is secure, and is easy to set up and install. It is less of a financial risk initially as there are no ongoing fees (for a basic package) but long-term PayPal is expensive. PayPal seller fees are 2.9% + 30 cent transaction fee and take 3-4 days to get access to your money. If you’re starting a new eCommerce store then spend your spare time on marketing your wares than worrying about setting up a technical processing payment software program. PayPal is a great start for new businesses.

There are numerous other payment platforms all vying to take the reigns off PayPal. Some are horrendous, some are great and some are expensive. The payment processing options for the Australian market differ hugely from the US and Europe.

In the next installment, we’ll be discussing the various companies that handle payment processing in depth.

We Push Buttons eCommerce web design

At We Push Buttons, we can advise you on the best option for your online store, design and develop it; and provide marketing services for you to run a successful operation. Setting up an eCommerce website is complex. We can advise you on whether you should set up an Etsy or eBay store before taking the plunge into a full eCommerce solution.

If a full eCommerce web design is the best solution for you, we will design a website that you can build on as your business grows. Learn more about our eCommerce web design services here.