7: Payment Systems

The most popular non-integrated payment method is PayPal, but not everyone likes or trusts Paypal therefore you should provide additional methods of payment. Setting up a new merchant account can be challenging, so consider Google checkout as an alternative.

If you already have an integrated payment gateway such as SagePay, you may want to add PayPal and/or Google Checkout. Some people like to make payments this way, especially if they already have money in their Google or PayPal account. Money in a Paypal account is already spent money in the minds of the shopper. They have already put that aside to make a purchase, it's just a case of what and where they purchase from...maybe your site?

It is also worth informing visitors what payment processing you use, emphasising it's safety. This is especially important for first time customers, who otherwise may be concerned about giving their payment details.

Google Checkout accepts all common card types, works with international currencies, and has an integrated customer review system that can help you show up in the search results and Google Shopping.

Shoppers use their Google login to make payments, which can increase their confidence in buying from your site.
Paypal allows customers to either make payments from funds already in their paypay account, or from their credit or debit cards. It is very convenient for customers that already have a paypal account, and the PayPal system has got huge international recognition, as it is the preferred payment method on eBay.
SagePay integegrates more closely with your website that the other systems, and has much lower fees than PayPal or Google Checkout. However, it is harder to set up so is preferable for sites that expect higher volumes of payments.

Back to 7 Tips - Previous Tip