For any ecommerce business, it is essential to have a payment gateway , since it is the only tool that gives users enough confidence and security to buy a product or service.
Having a tool of this type, then, is key for the customer to make the purchase and return. We explain what exactly a payment gateway is, how it works and how to choose the one that best suits your ecommerce & it advice
What is a payment gateway and how does it work?
The payment gateway is a service that ecommerce or electronic businesses incorporate to facilitate customers to pay through the web. It could be said that it is the platform that is responsible for charging the client and sending the money to the company after subtracting the commission.
Currently many companies sell on the internet, even some only do it through it and do not have a physical store. This means that it is very important to have a tool that makes payment easier and with which customers feel safe and trust.
In other words, a payment gateway should be chosen that facilitates the process and not complicates it by being too long or not very intuitive, since the client must have a good experience.
Regarding its operation, when a client wants to pay for a product or service, they must choose the payment method and provide the necessary data to be able to carry out this action.
The user’s browser encrypts the information and sends it to the payment platform, which checks that the data is correct and that there is enough money in the account to make the payment . This should only take a few seconds.
A good payment gateway must ensure customer confidentiality and protect their data throughout the process. Although any web page must meet some requirements so that these data, which are so sensitive, are protected at all times. In other words, having a payment gateway does not imply that the website is completely secure. Advice by it advice
How to choose the best payment gateway?
Having an ecommerce payment gateway is essential, as long as it is fully adapted to the type of company and the product or service that is being marketed. Here are some of the things to keep in mind:
- Integration and usability : some payment gateways require the installation of some kind of software or plugin that could be in some way incompatible with the site. This means that it is important to have a payment gateway that can be easily and seamlessly installed on the website. In addition, it can be considered practically essential that the payment gateway that is chosen accepts mobile payments, since more and more purchases are made online through this device.
- Cost : before choosing a payment gateway it is important to know its cost, not only at the monthly fee level, but also the commissions per transaction.
- Security : one of the things that users value the most is security and the certainty that their personal data is safe and out of the reach of third parties. This means that an SSL Security Certificate , an Address Verification System (AVS) must be implemented and follow the security standards regulated by the Payment Card Industry (PCI).
- Direct payment : users tend not to like having to leave one page to make the payment on another. In other words, making payments from an external website usually generates some distrust in the user. To avoid this, APIs are usually used, which are tools that allow payment to be made from the store’s website.
- Functionalities : in addition to allowing the user to pay for a product or service, it is necessary for the platform to allow access to reports and graphs on the payment methods most used by customers, the devices most used to make a purchase … Some even allow subscriptions or recurring payments.
- Accepted currency type : Some payment gateways accept different types of currency. If the business is international, it would be interesting to have one that accepts different ones. On the other hand, if sales are only going to be at the national level, it is not necessary to have this service that could make the platform more expensive.
- Technical support : it is very important to have the support of a team that can resolve any type of incident in the shortest possible time. A non-working payment gateway means lost sales, so its proper functioning is essential. In addition, it is important that this service is 24/7. You have to make sure that the customer service and technical support of the payment platform is competent and professional.
It is clear that choosing a good payment gateway is not an easy job. Since you have to take into account different factors. However, it is worth doing a preliminary analysis of what the company needs.
Since a bad choice can lead to a drop in sales. We also want to remember that if a payment gateway does not work or does not have what the company needs, it can be changed.
The 10 best payment gateways by “it advice”
There are many payment gateways, so choosing one of many can be difficult. In order to make the choice much easier, here is a list of the best ones.
1. Redsys
Redsys is one of the most popular and most used payment gateways by Spanish companies. One of its strengths is that it allows the integration of systems such as. Bizum, Paypal, Google Pay, Apple Pay and Masterpass. As well as payment with national and international cards.
Another advantage of this payment gateway is in several languages and is multi-currency. It also has good technical support, making it one of the best options.it advice
2. PayPal
PayPal is another of the most popular payment gateways, as well as one of the most popular in the world. One of the advantages of using this platform in an ecommerce is that users have great confidence in it. Since it has a money-back guarantee in case of an incident. It has very advanced data encryption systems and it can be linked to cards and bank accounts.
3. Amazon Pay
Amazon Pay should also be taken into account, as it allows you to pay using the payment methods that are associated with the Amazon account. It is a totally safe and practical method for users who normally use Amazon to make their purchases.it advice
Currently only a few brands have Amazon Pay as a payment method. So it is not as common to see it as Redsys or PayPal.
4. MangoPay
MangoPay is an ideal payment gateway for marketplaces , crowdfunding platforms and collaborative consumption websites. Users can make payment in different currencies and can choose between different payment methods. It also highlights its control panel. Which is very intuitive and allows you to know. In real time the number of payments that have been made. it advice
5. Stripe
Stripe is also very popular and one of the most used payment gateways by stores due to its fees. One of its strengths is its API, considered one of the easiest to implement and adapt. It works in more than 100 countries and offers constant updates to offer one of the best services to companies.
6. Braintree
Another of the most used payment platforms is Braintree , which is found in more than 50 countries and operates with more than 130 currencies. This platform is perfect for international companies. As well as for those brands that detect that the majority of users buy from mobile devices.
7. Swipe
Swipe is one of the most intuitive and simple payment platforms out there, but it is only available in some countries in South America. Despite this drawback, it is a totally secure gateway and can be implemented in physical stores that accept card payments. These are two of the reasons why it has become quite popular in the countries where it is available.
8. Universal Pay
Universal Pay is a payment gateway managed by the Bank of Spain, but it belongs to EVO Payments International, which made it one of the most popular in the world. The option to pay in different types of currency and from any bank account stands out. In addition, it accepts payments in physical stores through mobile devices.
9. SiPay
SiPay has become another of the most popular payment gateways because it allows a payment to be processed in just 3 seconds, which reduces the cart abandonment rate. Its adaptability and easy integration to ecommerce have also made it one of the best options.
10. PayComet
Finally, PayComet is one of the safest payment gateways and also one of the ones with the most efficient customer service. It allows the integration of Bizum, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Amazon Pay and other payment methods. You can also generate payment links, among many other functions. It is undoubtedly one of the most versatile options.
Although these payment gateways are the best, not all of them fit all types of business model. This means that the type of ecommerce. And the type of buyers will have to be taken into account to choose one or the other.it advice
