Online Payment Gateway

merchant credit card processingAccording to Statista.com, the e-commerce sector in 2013 saw sales totaling over $320 billion dollars in the United States.  This is an increase of over $200 billion from only ten years prior.  This emphasizes an important point for small and medium sized business owners: that getting an online payment gateway is a smart business move.  For those who already have an established company with a brick-and-mortar store, this can be a valuable tool to supplement existing income because you can market your products to anybody who has an internet connection, thereby greatly increasing your pool of potential customers.  For those who are looking to start a business, this can be a good way to sell your products without the high investment needed to open a physical store.

Online Payment Gateway Overview

We understand that it is important to know just what an online payment gateway is before investing in one.  Here is an overview to help understand the details of this valuable service.

  • An online payment gateway is a service that allows credit cards without swiping the actual card, by way of inputting a credit card number on a website. The methods for encryption and authorization are the same you would find with physically swiping a credit card.
  • The ‘gateway’ refers to how the credit card information is collected.  This gateway authorizes the customer’s credit card for the business owner, just like a physically card terminal would.
  • The information is sent to the credit card association and the payment is signaled as being accepted or declined within a few seconds.  If the card is declined, a response code is given to explain the reason, such as insufficient funds.
  • Web browsers will encrypt any information.  This information can then be sent directly to the gateway, reducing the merchant’s responsibility to secure the data, thereby lowering the business’ liability.
  • All of the approved transactions are collected in a ‘batch,’ which is submitted to the bank to get the business owner the money from all of the transactions. Funding can take up to three days with some processors, but can happen as quickly as the next day with Transparent.

Online Payment Gateways Made Simple

Taking on all of the details of accepting online payments can be a complicated process.  Having an online payment gateway from an experienced provider will make it simple.  The transaction security and complex infrastructure is provided by this service.  All of the routing and transmission of information is handled by the gateway, meaning the business owner can sell their products and collect payment without worrying over the details.  Simply put, having an effective gateway means you can sell online just as easily as you would sell in person.

The Importance of a Streamlined Payment Process

Effective and profitable businesses make it easy for consumers to buy their products.  Unnecessary obstacles and inconveniences can lead to frustrated customers, which can then lead to lost sales.  A recent article in The Guardian focused on this very subject.  They described how one company noticed the following situation:

“[The] company had noticed that a number of visitors were browsing the website, adding items to their basket, getting to the payment page, but not completing their purchase. This prompted a redesign and simplification of the checkout process…not only as a way to fast-track the checkout process, but to encourage trust.”

In addition, the article noted that an effective online payment gateway is not only a convenience, but many businesses have reported an increase in profits-per-customer as well.  By establishing a simplified and fast gateway, customers will be more likely to trust you, and keep coming back as a result.

Online Payment Gateway with Transparent

Transparent works with many small- and medium-sized businesses and will match you with a solution that is perfect for you, regardless of your business size or type.  We have many options to get you set up with an online payment gateway that will enable your business to effectively harness the power of selling online.  Our gateway is designed to work with over 100 of the most popular shopping car applications.

The application process is easy with Transparent too.  Give us your name, your company name and tax I.D., phone number and e-mail and you will be on your way.  Plus, when you accept payments, all of the info on your customers is clearly presented so that you can see how much they paid, what they purchased, and where to ship it, making order processing easy.

Whether you are looking for an online payment gateway, or any other merchant service, we are here to help.  With no long-term commitments and statements that are easy to read, it’s easy to see that Transparent is the clear choice.