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Integrating a Payment Gateway into Your Website – A Guide

Integrating a Payment Gateway into Your Website – A Guide
Mohab Ecommerce 0

Integrating a Payment Gateway into Your Website – A Guide

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Customers are the life and blood of businesses. No matter what you sell, your customers need a few common things: security, quality, and safe payment options. You might be surprised to know that 18% of the customers abandon their cart because they don’t trust the website with their credit card information, and 9% because of a lack of payment options.

Which is why, payment integration in a website is crucial to your business. Therefore, it is necessary to choose a payment gateway that helps you retain your customers by avoiding the above-listed problems. Your payment gateway should both satisfy your and your customers’ needs. Now, before you dive into how to add payment gateway to a website, find out what a gateway is.

What is a payment gateway?

A payment gateway allows authorisation and processing of payments by transferring data. With the world going digital, payment gateways have become a part of almost all online and offline stores. One of the reasons why they are so popular is that they ensure the safety and security of data while ensuring speedy transactions. A website with a payment gateway typically has a higher chance of sales and profits.

How does it work?

Just like a point-of-sales terminal, a payment gateway ensures quick and smooth transactions. To ensure the safety of the data processed and transferred, payment gateway providers use encryption and security protocols.

A payment gateway follows these steps:

  1. The customer clicks on the “pay now” button during checkout.
  2. They select the payment method and enter the required card details.
  3. The details added are shared with the payment gateway.
  4. The payment gateway encrypts the data and shares the details with the payment processor.
  5. The bank gets the authorisation request and responds to the payment processor with approval or rejection.
  6. The merchant bank receives money from the customer’s bank.
  7. The website displays the confirmation/rejection accordingly.

Types of payment gateways

There are two types of payment gateways for a website.

· Hosted

Hosted payment gateways involve redirecting your customers to the website with payment gateway for the payment process. It is a third party where customers complete payment and are redirected back to your website. This type of gateway does not require PCI compliance and the customer data is stored by the vendor. Since they require you to redirect your customers, this type doesn’t help in promoting your business. It is considered best for small businesses, which do not receive high traffic as well.

· Integrated

These types of payment gateways are also called non-hosted payment gateways. Integrated payment gateways help your customer to stay on your website and pay from there only. The best part of these gateways is that you can customise them to match your brand and promote your business. Customers also get a smooth payment process since they are not redirected anywhere. However, since they are integrated into your website, you need to obtain PCI DSS compliance, and the payment gateway integration requires a development team.

Transaction types

One of the reasons why payment gateways are so popular is that they support a variety of transactions. Some of them are:

· Payment/sale

Immediate payment happens under this transaction. It is a combination of authorisation and capture transactions that helps you fulfil instant orders and payments.

· Authorisation

Authorisation is used to check whether the customer can pay the requested amount or not. Funds are not transferred in this transaction, but the availability of funds for future payment is verified. This type of transaction takes a while to complete.

· Capture

This type of transaction allows you to capture the authorised money for settlement. When it takes time for you to ship the product, the payment is first authorised and then captured once the product is shipped.

· Refund

When the customer cancels an order for some reason, the refund transaction is initiated. It happens only for sales and capture transactions.

· Void

This happens between the authorisation and capture transactions. Void transactions are cheaper than refunds and can happen when a payment has been authorised but not captured by the merchant.

Integrating a payment gateway into your website

Before you make a payment gateway integration into your website, you should understand the working and benefits of payment gateways. There are a lot of gateways available in the market. Explore your options and check which ones are compatible with your website.

The steps of integrating a payment gateway into your website will depend on your business needs, the customisation required, and the payment gateway you have chosen. However, the general flow of the steps remains the same.

· For hosted gateways

Hosted gateways are available on the provider’s website. All you need to do is add a payment button on your website and the connection is made through API. Hosted gateways are highly secure and can be easily integrated.

· For non-hosted gateways

Non-hosted gateways require a little more effort to integrate. Since you need to add it to your server, you need a technical team to handle the integration. This method also uses APIs to make the connection with your server.

· Direct post methods

This method ensures you don’t need to get PCI DSS compliance since the data doesn’t get stored on your servers. A vendor can easily set up an API connection between your website and the payment gateway.

Some things to keep in mind while integrating:

  • If you choose a hosted payment gateway, you will require an SSL certificate, merchant’s ID, MWS access key, and secret key.
  • If you choose an integrated gateway, pay special attention to security and safety measures. You might also require PCI DSS compliance.

Benefits of payment gateways

A payment gateway has several benefits that make them perfect for your website. Some of them include:

  • Quick transactions: Payments through payment gateways take mere seconds to process.
  • Security: A secure payment method is a key to customer loyalty. Payment gateways use several security protocols and encryption to ensure a safe and secure transaction.
  • Wider reach: Due to their availability in all corners of the world, payment gateways increase your customer base and sales.
  • Costs: Apart from the initial set-up cost, most payment gateways charge an affordable transaction and chargeback fee.
  • Saves time: Since the payment takes only seconds to process, payment gateways save both your and your customers’ time.
  • Improves customer experience: A smooth payment process and availability of multiple payment options offer a superior customer experience and enhance customer loyalty.
  • Promotes business: This happens in case of a non-hosted payment gateway that allows you to customise it as per your requirements.
  • Availability: Your customers can pay anytime and from anywhere in the world using a payment gateway.

Choosing a payment gateway provider

Consider the following factors while choosing a payment gateway provider:

· Pricing

Pricing is one of the most important factors when it comes to choosing a payment gateway provider. All providers typically charge setup fees, monthly fees, merchant account setup fees, and transaction fees. Read the pricing requirements cautiously and check if there are any hidden costs. Choose an affordable payment gateway that also ensures long-term quality.

· Ease of integration

After pricing, it is crucial to check the process of payment integration in website. A simple and inexpensive integration process should be the preference. However, that also depends on the type of gateway you choose. Hosted gateways have a simpler integration process than non-hosted ones.

· Settlement

Check the settlement cycle your gateway offers. A quick settlement cycle is crucial for the smooth functioning of your business. Choose a payment gateway provider that suits your needs the best.

· Number of payment methods

A gateway that offers the maximum payment methods is the most preferable one. More options will ensure that you can reach a wider customer base and reduce the cart abandonment rate.

Begin by listing your requirements before choosing a payment gateway. Consider and compare different options and check their suitability for your business. A gateway is a crucial part of the website and your business. Integrating one into your website is not a lengthy process. Keep the above-listed things in mind before integration.

Or, to be on the safe side, simply choose PayTabs as your payment gateway provider as it comes with excellent customer support and avant-garde technologies to quickly and conveniently integrate into your website or e-store.

3 years ago
UAE Set to Become a Cashless Society with Increasing Mobile Payments
Mohab Payment Orchestration 0

UAE Set to Become a Cashless Society with Increasing Mobile Payments

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The growth of mobile payments in the UAE and the rest of the Middle East has become quite noticeable in recent times. And such modes of payment are no longer popular only among the tech savvy or financially literate. They have become an important part of the general society as we know it. Digital payments have also helped SMEs (small-and-medium-enterprises) and business owners in the Middle East to expand their markets in ways never thought of before!

With online shopping on a steep rise, especially in the wake of the pandemic, eCommerce and the mobile payment industry are set to experience major growth in the coming years. Read on to know more and understand how UAE will soon evolve into a cashless society, backed by the power of mobile payments.

COVID and mobile payments

As lockdowns and movement restrictions encouraged consumers to switch to cashless payment alternatives, COVID-19 accelerated the adoption of digital payments in the Middle East.

A study conducted by Checkout.com, a London-based payments system, says the Middle East region used to be dominated by cash earlier but online shoppers have now shifted to using digital payments. This change has presented a huge growth opportunity for multi-currency online payment gateway providers like PayTabs. The report included a survey conducted on more than 5,000 consumers in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Egypt and Qatar.

  • The number of consumers who anticipate shopping online more often over the next year in those countries is 47%. 38% expect their online shopping frequency to remain the same, while only 15% expect it to decline.
  • As a result of the pandemic, 40% of online shoppers say they are shopping and paying online, according to the regional manager at Checkout.com, Mo Ali Yusuf.
  • “Digital payments have been on the rise for the past six years, but the pandemic fastracked the growth trajectory and condensed five years of growth into just a few months,” Yusuf said.
  • The impact of COVID-19 has caused e-commerce and digital payments to surge this year, but the changes we are witnessing today go beyond a temporary shift.”
  • While digital payments have become more popular in the Middle East in the last few years, cash on delivery still occupies a large portion of consumers’ wallets.
  • Over the next decade, there is a great deal of potential for growth in this market, he stated.

As consumers shop online more frequently, they prefer digital payments over cash on delivery or bank transfers. 62% people who purchased something online once a month used a card or digital wallet in UAE and other countries. This is compared to the 44% who were shopping online less frequently.

UAE takes the lead in digital payments in the Middle East

UAE’s mobile payments growth has been especially noteworthy in the Middle East region. A regulatory framework and a supportive government have paved the way for the establishment of a Cashless Dubai Working Group. All digital payments in Dubai will be shifted to secure and easy-to-use cashless platforms through this group.

The Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced recently that the UAE Cabinet had adopted an agreement linking the payment systems of the GCC, ensuring greater integration of the region and facilitating a more significant expansion of its multilateral trade.

Compared with Europe’s annual growth of 4 to 5 per cent, consumer digital payments transactions in the UAE grew at a rate of over 9 per cent between 2014 and 2019. During 2022, digital payment volumes from SMEs grew by 44 percent, according to a report by McKinsey and Co.

There is no doubt that this adoption is having a positive impact already. As a means of promoting financial inclusion and promoting efficiency in the public and private sectors, digital payments have and continue to increase efficiency.

Business opportunities due to digital payments

The rapid growth of the mobile payments industry has presented exciting business opportunities to capitalise on. Younger generations are looking to make payments directly from their mobile phones or even smartwatches. This kind of technology has combined the convenience of online payments and the security of an app.

Smartphones account for more than 80% of all mobile devices, promoting the possibility of new inventions. The utilisation of e wallets in UAE and other Middle Eastern countries is also on the rise since they allow the user to go cashless without having to use a traditional bank account.

Sending and receiving money through apps on mobile phones has become increasingly popular. The process removes any ‘middleman’ and makes online transactions cheap or even free. Just one click and the money gets transferred. Apart from the ease of use and speed, it also prevents the need for users to carry their cards or remember an endless number of PINs.

Numerous multi-currency online payment gateways have also emerged in the UAE and they are gaining popularity in the domain with their extensive lists of digital payment solutions. But some challenges still stand in the way.

Digital future

There is still some resistance to mobile payments growth though, especially among older people who are, in general, less technologically able – but the popularity of cash transactions is likely to dip overall. Due to their convenience, ease of use, and the increasing number of businesses that digitalise and can accept such payments, digital and especially mobile-based transactions will become increasingly popular over the next few years.

There is no denying that the changes triggered by the pandemic are here to stay, and businesses will soon be expected to offer cashless options; and companies that do not do so will start falling behind their competitors.

Along with traditional debit and credit cards, QR codes and other solutions, mobile payments will play an important role in the UAE’s move towards a cashless society.

PayTabs’ role

By providing seamless B2B ecommerce solutions to SMEs, PayTabs has emerged as an early pioneer in the fintech sector. A full stack of game-changing mobile applications, hospitality, government, education, airline, travel, transportation, and biller solutions has been developed and exported by PayTabs with private Saudi investment, linking the multibillion-dollar MENA enterprise market chains together. With the launch of PayTabs SwitchOn, the real-time, integrated, turnkey platform, PayTabs has consolidated its position as a top multi-currency online payment gateway provider and global leader in end-to-end payments solutions.

In addition to its stellar fraud prevention system, PayTabs has been processing payments since 2014. Businesses have been able to process payments securely, thanks to its innovative and agile solutions. Visa and Mastercard have recognised PayTabs’ security, making it one of the most popular payment gateway providers in the UAE.

Features

  • Stellar merchant dashboards
  • Omnichannel payment solutions
  • Simple documentation and onboarding process
  • 360 payment processing

The pricing system at PayTabs is straightforward. The company offers three types of plans: start-up, growth, and enterprise. Early-stage companies will benefit from the start-up plan, which has a fixed monthly fee. Growth plans help drive sales and offer great value. Enterprise plans are for businesses looking to expand.

To conclude

Global financial systems are currently based on the growth of mobile payments. By increasing access, a wide range of benefits are unlocked. To finance their working capital requirements and grow their businesses, merchants have access to new forms of funding today. Real-time data is another advantage businesses gain when they adopt digital payments. As a result, merchants can use data-driven insights to make strategic decisions and identify emerging patterns and trends. Creating more accurate economic forecasts is also possible using the wealth of data generated by digital payments.

On the other hand, consumers benefit too, from fast, secure, convenient payment systems that offer them multiple options. They can also access innovative platforms that allow them to spread payments for goods and services out over time, such as buy-now-pay-later platforms.

So, it is a win-win for both businesses and customers in UAE and the rest of the world. Hence, transitioning to a cashless society is no longer a pipe dream.

3 years ago
How Real-Time Onboarding Works And What Are Its Benefits
Mohab Ecommerce, Guest Posts 0

Whether you’re a retailer or a B2B service provider, automating processes is key to success. Perhaps you’re looking to increase ecommerce conversions, or your customer service team spends too much time addressing routine issues that enterprise app modernization could solve.

One big improvement you could make to your business, whether you’re improving your own software or getting a B2B solution right off the shelf, is real-time onboarding.

What Is Real-time Onboarding?

Real-time onboarding is one major time-saver for businesses. It lowers your customer acquisition cost by automating the onboarding process and improves customer experience by getting them up and running with your solution as soon as possible.

How Real-Time Onboarding Works And What Are Its Benefits

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Benefits

There are several benefits to a real-time onboarding process for both business and their customers, including:

Automates compliance

Sectors like banking and law are the most tightly regulated by Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti Money-Laundering (AML) laws. These sectors were ripe for real-time onboarding because businesses can automate these processes with document scanning and facial recognition technology on their customers’ smartphones. Processes that used to take days or weeks can now be carried out in minutes, allowing people to access these services no matter where they are.

The experience should work seamlessly no matter what device they’re on. Real-time onboarding features like document scanning and ID verification work best on mobile. And a good mobile app means your customers have your services in their pocket, ready whenever they need you.

Improves communication

Your onboarding process can be closely monitored for friction points that lower conversions or require customer support, who aren’t available 24/7. Real-time onboarding should be as self-serve as possible, with customers directed to an FAQ page or forum like Stack Overflow for common questions.

Increases engagement

Real-time onboarding helps customers with potential roadblocks, but it also gives you a chance to direct them through your app or store. Tutorials and UX copy can sell the user on the features you want them to use, and personalized onboarding emails can pitch customers on deals they might not know.

Improving Real-time Onboarding

Automated, real-time onboarding enables data-driven decision-making for retailers and SaaS companies. Customers can get started with your product at whatever time suits them, and retailers can welcome them in with an automated onboarding flow that responds to user data for constant improvement.

Matthew CooperMatthew Cooper – Marketing Automation & Operations Manager, Global App Testing
Matthew Cooper is the Marketing Automation & Operations Manager at Global App Testing, a best-in-class software testing company that has helped top apps such as Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Craigslist deliver high-quality software at speed all over the world. Matthew has over 14 years of experience in the I.T Networking, Software & Services Industries. He is highly skilled in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Content Marketing, Digital Advertising, Social Media Management, WordPress, Email Marketing, Marketing Automation, CRM, and People Management. Matthew has also written for other domains such as Codemotion and Plytix. You can find him on LinkedIn.

3 years ago
The Latest Disruptor in Digital Payment: What Are Invisible Payments?
Mohab Guest Posts, Payment Orchestration 0

If you’re in ecommerce, you’ve seen that it’s an exciting time for digital payments. Digital wallets are coming to Android, and “buy now pay later” is coming to Apple Pay. Those are just two of the big changes in digital payments.

If you want to move your business into this new era, all while transforming your customer service, you should think about moving to an invisible payments system.

The Latest Disruptor in Digital Payment: What Are Invisible Payments?

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What are invisible payments?

“Invisible payments” refers to any payment made to the customer automatically, without them having to lift a finger. As ecommerce businesses try to find easier ways for customers to make transactions on any channel, invisible payments will become more common after the leadership of companies like Amazon, Alipay in China, and Uber.

As brands strive to serve busy customers, it’s obvious when considering time management techniques that if customers have a choice between two mobile food delivery apps, they’ll go for the one that doesn’t require them to search for their credit card.

When companies have a customer’s payment info on file, and that customer’s phone has a biometric sensor, it’s easy to validate the payment with a quick scan of their face or their fingerprint.

Benefits of invisible payments

Invisible payments are particularly useful for food delivery apps, where the time-pressed customer can just click to confirm their order. From there, payment can be taken automatically while they’re moved onto a progress report on their order. When customers are treating themselves, the delivery of this kind of step-by-step, workflow builder style of UI is what customers are interested in, not the details of their receipt.

Other significant business advantages of invisible payments include:

  • Reduced human error. The Amazon Go grocery store uses invisible payments so that customers can just walk out. By removing the cashier, the whole transaction is streamlined and the chance of error is reduced.
  • Speedier processes. By removing the friction of the payment step, you can provide faster experiences for customers and staff. Uber, for example, uses invisible payments so customers can just get out of the car and the driver can move on to the next ride.

The power of invisible benefits

Invisible payments free you up to do whatever it is you do best. Whether it’s prepping food or helping customers pick the perfect gift, you no longer need to stop to collect payments that technology can take for you.

Matthew CooperMatthew Cooper – Marketing Automation & Operations Manager, Global App Testing
Matthew Cooper is the Marketing Automation & Operations Manager at Global App Testing, a best-in-class software testing company that has helped top apps such as Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Craigslist deliver high-quality software at speed all over the world. Matthew has over 14 years of experience on what is automation testing , I.T Networking, Software & Services Industries. He is highly skilled in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Content Marketing, Digital Advertising, Social Media Management, WordPress, Email Marketing, Marketing Automation, CRM, and People Management. Matthew Cooper has also written for domains such as BigCommerce and Custify. You can find him on LinkedIn.

3 years ago
Explaining Frictionless Payment And Its Impact on Digital Business
Mohab Guest Posts, Payment Orchestration 0

In the digital age, customers expect a smooth and stress-free payment experience. 

Unfortunately, too many businesses get it wrong regarding the checkout process, often leading to cart abandonment.

Explaining Frictionless Payment And Its Impact on Digital Business

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Recent research suggests that average cart abandonment across all industries is 69.82%. However, adopting a frictionless payment strategy could be the key to decreasing cart abandonment and boosting conversions. 

This short guide will explain frictionless payment and its impact on digital business. 

What exactly is frictionless payment? 

Frictionless payments simplify the buying process so that minimal effort is required during transactions. In other words, there’s less potential friction involved. 

A frictionless payment process should fulfill these criteria: 

  • Reduce checkout waiting times. 
  • Optimized checkout process with minimal steps required for completion. 
  • Intuitive experience that’s easy for the customer and seller to use. 
  • Reduces frustrating aspects such as remembering pin codes. 

Frictionless payments are on the rise; common uses include mobile payments (mobile can also be used for mobile invoicing), digital wallet payments, contactless payments, one-click payments, and auto-renew subscription payments. 

What is the impact of frictionless payment on digital business?

The digital transformation has improved many business processes by making them efficient and stress-free. From ad hoc testing in software development to API legacy systems in insurance industry, there’s a tech solution for most processes. 

Frictionless payments are the same. Keeping customers satisfied with an optimized payment process could lead to increased conversions and lower cart abandonment. It’s a win-win for everyone involved– the buyer and the seller. 

Here are some ways frictionless payments help businesses. 

Decrease cart abandonment

In 2021, 81.08% of website users abandoned their carts in retail, fashion, travel, and utilities. A time-consuming and complicated checkout process is often the reason customers get frustrated and leave. 

Luckily, frictionless payments keep the whole process smooth and hiccup-free to prevent cart abandonment. 

Increase customer satisfaction

Frictionless payments help keep customers satisfied throughout the checkout process by reducing the input required. 

No one wants to be asked repeatedly to input their details for a repeat order. Have customers who need to renew their subscription? These things shouldn’t slow the customer down. Frictionless payment methods like auto-renew and auto-fill make it light work for both parties.  

Greater Security

Protecting yourself online is important, and digital payments can help. 

Not only do online sellers no longer need access to your bank card, digital frictionless payments come with a unique digital signature making them more secure. 

This goes one further for iOS and Android users who have the option to use a fingerprint for added security. 

PayTabs frictionless payment service

PayTabs’ SwitchOn® platform offers unrivaled capabilities, value, and flexibility to established financial institutions, Fintech’s and merchants in the MENA region.

Find out how PayTabs can help you here. 

Emily RollwitzEmily Rollwitz – Content Marketing Executive, Global App Testing
Emily Rollwitz is a Content Marketing Executive at Global App Testing, a remote and on-demand app testing company helping top app teams deliver high-quality software and get good app store ratings anywhere in the world. She has 5 years of experience as a marketer, spearheading lead generation campaigns and events that propel top-notch brand performance. Handling marketing of various brands, Emily has also developed a great pulse in creating fresh and engaging content. She’s written for great websites like Airdroid and SME News. You can find her on LinkedIn.

3 years ago