If you are planning on running a web-based business (ecommerce site), where you are directly selling services or products, you will need to decide how you want to accept credit cards online. This is one of the most important decisions you will have to make when setting up your ecommerce site.
Supplying products online cannot be done if you only accept checks; the delays encountered verifying funds and processing the order is too time-consuming and you will lose customers. It is more convenient for people to shop online and order what they want on the spot; providing a good credit card service for your customers will be to everyone’s benefit.
Internet users expect immediate response, so whether you are supplying a service or product you need to be able to respond to the order immediately send it out as soon as payment is made.
Having a secure program that accepts credit cards online can be expensive. You need to find a reliable, secure company to handle your transactions. You need to know:
- Where are they based?
- What type of support do they offer?
- What type of security do they use?
- What about refunds?
- What about fraud?
Paypal
Some people think they can accept cards online the same way a physical store does, but they really can’t, or shouldn’t. Online security is a must, and information needs to be encrypted (scrambled).
You can easily use the system that many sites now use called Paypal. Paypal is very popular with shoppers and merchants alike, because it is so simple to use. It is easy to set up to become a merchant. Paypal buttons are a source of trust for a lot of online shoppers. Conversely, shoppers can elect to use personal checking accounts and/or credit card accounts, all through Paypal.
Merchants have so much competition online; making the sales process and easy and safe for your shoppers should be one of your business ‘golden rules’.
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