The site looks great, your products are ready, but how do you plan on taking payment?
This important decision is often left until the end, yet an easy-to-navigate payment gateway is critical to the success or failure of your site.
The majority of consumers want to purchase goods using their credit or debit card so it is vital that you can offer this option or risk losing them at checkout.
To be able to take card payments online you need to have a merchant account and a payment gateway – similar to having a till and a cashier in your brick and mortar store.
But what exactly are they and what is the difference between them?
What is a merchant account?
A merchant account (or merchant ID) is an online account that temporarily holds the proceeds from a sale before it is transferred into your bank account.
A merchant account is required if you wish to accept debit or credit card payments from your customer. It is issued by the acquiring bank who are chosen by LumiPay based on your e-commerce needs. (It’s important that the acquiring bank best matches the product range you sell.)
What is a Payment Gateway?
A payment gateway is an essential software that handles the processing of a payment from your customer’s bank account to your merchant account.
The purpose of a payment gateway is to securely transfer a customer’s sensitive cardholder data to the credit card processor to complete a transaction.
How does it work?
When a customer arrives at your site, they find a product they want to purchase, they click to buy and are directed to a secure hosted payment form or an integrated shopping cart.
The customer then enters their card information which is captured and encrypted before being sent to a payment processor. Here the transaction details are verified, checked for fraud and to ensure funds are available to complete the transaction.
For the customer, all of this happens in a fraction of a second.
The sale proceeds go into your merchant account before being transferred to your normal day to day business bank account after the transaction fees have been taken.
Is it safe?
Yes. But only if you use a payment gateway that is PCI compliant. PCI stands for ‘Payment Card Industry’ and is the global standard for online security.
PCI ensures complete protection against theft and fraud. With LumiPay you have the comfort of knowing that we hold PCI – Data Security – Level 1 Compliance
Our secure payment path ensures complete protection for you against theft and fraud while our risk management system helps maximise revenue.
Why You Need a Merchant Account and a Payment Gateway
An easy payment method is key to high conversion rates on your site. Average e-commerce conversion rates are estimated at as low as 2.35%, but by installing a payment gateway you can increase this figure significantly.
A payment gateway with a proven UX design (user experience), that can handle all the main cards like Visa, Mastercard, Applepay and Amex, increase the chances of higher conversions.
The alternative to a payment gateway is asking your potential customer to pay for goods by bank transfer, e-wallet or PayPal. But at what cost? Will your customer choose the difficult payment method or leave your site for a competitor who can offer secure card payments?
The simple fact is that customers, like you, want a transaction to be fast, simple and familiar. If you cannot offer a card payment option that covers most of the main cards, you risk losing a sale, a lifelong customer, and sadly, your business.
By acquiring a merchant account and a payment gateway, you open your business to card payments, a world of possibility, and exponential growth.
LumiPay will provide you with a safe and seamless solution for payment transactions online.
Benefits of LumiPay
Here are just some of the reasons why you should consider choosing LumiPay:
- Dedicated Customer Service
- Next-Day Payment
- Low Realistic Pricing
- Swift Integration Solutions
- No Rolling Reserve
- Fraud Protection
- Perfect For High-Risk Industries
- Performance Reports
- Stability To Grow
- Dedicated Customer Service
Our dedicated customer service team are here to answer any question you may have by telephone, live chat or on social.
Our knowledge is your knowledge. Your business success is our success.
Next-Day Payment
Having a strong cash flow is vital in any business. At LumiPay we offer next-day payment. This ensures sale proceeds hit your account faster so you can focus on your business.
Low Realistic Rates
We use a multiple-bank network to give you access to the best rates anywhere.
Swift Integration Solutions
Our talented team of engineers and developers work to ensure you’re ready to accept payments as quickly as possible.
No Rolling Reserve
We know your business needs a strong cashflow. This is why LumiPay never holds on to any of your revenue.
Fraud Protection
Our seamless payment path and intuitive fraud protection suite protects your business and safeguards against risk.
Perfect For High-Risk Industries
Our expertise in high-risk industries allows you to collect revenue without fail every time.
Performance Reports
Our easy-to-use intuitive client interface allows you to quickly review all your commercial activity.
Stability To Grow
By accepting subscription and instalment payments, your business will grow and expand with ease.
Summary:
Having a merchant account and payment gateway allows you to accept card payments from customers online. In this changing world, it is vital your business can offer this familiar and convenient payment option.
A merchant account is an online account that temporarily holds the proceeds from a sale before it is transferred into your bank account.
A payment gateway securely transfers a customer’s sensitive card data to a credit card processor to complete a transaction.
Always choose a provider that is PCI compliant. This is the gold standard in online security.
By choosing LumiPay you can focus on growing your business while LumniPay focuses on growing your revenue.