Nowadays, many companies choose to start their activity online. Whether due to costs or ease of store deployment, this way of working is currently very popular. A key aspect for those who sell products online is the payment issue. In this article we look at the security, cost and ease of implementation issues of various payment solutions.
There are online stores that do not accept online payments. Often the argument used is related to security issues that concern companies. Dealing with payment data is extremely sensitive since if it falls into the wrong hands it can causes severe consequences to the holder.
To avoid security breaches that compromise payment data you should always keep your website updated to the latest technologies. In case it is an online store developed through an CMS like Wordpress, always have your Wordpress version updated as well as all the plugins and theme that you use. On the other hand, it is important that you have an SSL certificate installed in your online store. This way all the data exchanged between your visitors and the server will be encrypted. Thus, even if these are intercepted by an attacker, they will not be readable.
In choosing the payment methods to accept in your online store you should always take into account the costs involved. Many ways of payment charge a commission in the form of a percentage or a fixed amount. An example are payments made via Paypal. This payment method is widely used for online shoppers, however, please note that you will have to pay a commission of 2.9% + € 0.33 on all payments you receive.
If you wish to accept credit cards or ATM payments, you will also have an associated fee. This varies depending on the bank you choose. In this case it is best to ask for several proposals and compare between them.
Integrating payment methods into your website may be simpler than you might think. Paypal payment integration, for example, is quite simple. If you use Wordpress there is even a plugin for it.
Other means of payment such as credit card or ATM reference will need to be integrated according to the type of service you choose. There are several institutions providing this type of service. Usually you just need to add a few lines of code on your checkout page.
The ability to process payments online is necessary to any online store. If you have a business of this type you shoud know that your integration with payment methods may be simpler than you think. Paypal integration, for example, is quite simple and already allows you to accept payments not only from those who have a Paypal account, but also from buyers who do not have one yet. For these it is possible to pay by credit card without having to open an account.