Getting Started with Credit Card Processing

If you are a merchant that is looking to accept credit card payments, there are a few steps that you should follow to ensure a successful implementation. None of them are difficult, but some can take time to complete. It is recommended that you follow each of the steps in sequence to avoid compatibility issues between your application and the financial network. Let’s examine each step in order:

1. Determine the Right Payment Interface

The payment interface is the application that you are going to use to process credit card payments. There are many options available to you, and the right choice will be dictated by the type of business you have and the requirements of your customers. Some of the more popular interface options include:

Shopping Cart

Useful when your customers may be purchasing multiple items from you in a single purchase
Make sure that you understand the features that you need and that you purchase from a reputable vendor

A shopping cart enables merchants to accept payment for multiple items in a single transaction. Most online retailers that offer a variety of products use some type of shopping cart application. Shopping carts typically provide customers with a number of convenient features, such as an electronic “shopping basket” to “hold” their goods until purchase.

Shopping carts offer a wide range of possible advantages to merchants as well, such as automated shipping and tax calculation; “back-office” tools for payment and inventory management; reporting tools; coupons and discount functions and control over individual and store-wide sales.

Shopping cart software can be purchased and “hosted” by the merchant on a server of their choice, but most merchants choose to use the services of a shopping cart service provider. Costs typically include set-up fees and monthly fees, in addition to your payment gateway fees. Many shopping cart providers offer different levels of feature packages, with fees based on the chosen feature level.

Before you invest in a shopping cart application, understand what features are important to you and to your customers. Make sure that the service provider is reputable and is going to be around for a while. Switching service providers can be expensive, time consuming and frustrating. Your research will pay off in the long run.

Buy Button

Useful when you only have a few products to sell or your customers only purchase one product or service at a time
Make sure that the customer buying experience is “seamless” and secure

A “buy button” is similar to a shopping cart, but typically facilitates the purchase of only one product (or service). It generally consists of simple html code that you insert into your site that displays an order form with associated product information. Customers click on the buy button, and an order form appears with the relevant order information in it. Customers enter their shipping and credit card information in the form, press “submit”, and their order is processed.

Be aware that some buy button applications force customers to be “transported” to another page that has a different look and feel from your site. Some customers are uncomfortable with this, and may abandon the sale if this happens. Again, shop around. Talk to your payment gateway provider. It will pay off.

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Written by: Robert Levings