How to Add Secure Payment Gateways to Your Website

Why do most shoppers abandon their carts? A confusing checkout process is often to blame. It’s true—nearly 75% of shoppers don’t complete their purchases because the payment setup doesn’t work for them. That’s why getting the payment system on your website just right is such a big deal.

Setting up payments is a big deal when running an online business. It’s what keeps your revenue flowing and your customers coming back. 

According to Grand View Research, the payment gateway market is growing fast—it’s expected to expand by 22.3% by 2023. What does that mean for you? Simply, having the right payment options on your website is no longer optional—it’s a must for staying competitive. 

In this blog, we’ll explain how to add payment methods to your site and what to keep in mind to get it right.

What Is an Online Payment System For Websites and How Does It Work?

An online payment system is a way money can be transferred electronically over the World Wide Web. This payment method is basically the same as cash or card payments, but virtual. After you click “Pay Now,” payment information is transmitted through a secure connection and verified with your bank to approve the valid transaction within seconds.

For merchants, it ought to be the best tool since it generates trust and entitles consumers to an easy way to pay. In shopping or selling, these systems maintain the overall process’s security, speed, and ease.

Online payment systems work through three key components: the payment gateway, payment processor as well as the merchant account. They all come together to guarantee the secure, efficient, and smooth execution of each transaction. Let’s break it down:

1. Payment Gateway

A payment gateway can also be considered an electronic door that only opens to authorized payments. It pays the selected amount using your customer’s card details while still protecting all the data. 

For instance, when a customer purchases a t-shirt from your online store, the gateway is responsible for the technical process of moving the card details.

2. Payment Processor

After the gateway has forwarded the card details, the role of the payment processor comes in. It is the backstage user, who communicates with the customer’s bank and your bank. 

For instance, when a customer seeks to pay using their credit card, the processor ensures the customer has an adequate amount to pay for the commodity or service.

3. Merchant Account

This is a special type of bank account used by businesses to receive payments. Suppose you own a company providing coffee subscriptions. Any payment transaction initiated by the customer causes the funds to transfer from the customer’s account to the merchant account and then from the merchant account to the business account of your company.

Breaking Down the Types of Online Payment Methods

When it comes to selecting the right online payment system, you will find that as a business owner, you have many choices. The best choice depends on what is suitable for your business and also what clients would prefer. Here is a list of some of the most widespread distortions with advantages and drawbacks to give you an idea.

1. Internet Acquiring

It is an old way of addressing or paying for goods whereby financial transactions of the buyer and the seller go through a processing center. It is a cashless system in which payments are made through the use of a blue-colored plastic card.

Why Choose It?

Pros: Internet acquiring also presents a high level of security such as 3D-Secure and data encryption making this one of the safest means of transferring funds.

Cons: While this method is often used, this technique is only commonly offered to legal business entities, and thus startups may not qualify for approval.

Where It’s Used: Just like traditional banks, modern fintech companies also use Internet acquisition to work with card payments effectively.

2. Payment Gateways

Payment gateways are intermediaries that forward the transactions to the right bank for completion. It could be used on websites and in mobile applications since it is so flexible.

Why Choose It?

Pros: Payment gateways work separately from banks and other digital wallets and provide relatively high-security levels for customer data.

Cons: Integrated payment is a convenient way of making transactions but when installing a payment gateway it may take a long time due to contracts and legal formalities.

Example in Action: Stripe, a top US payment gateway, offers seamless integration, advanced fraud protection, and secure transactions for businesses.

3. Digital Money Transfer Operators

Digital wallets are capable of becoming a popular replacement for conventional bank accounts. With the help of a digital wallet, consumer payments can be unified and obtained independently from the business’s location.

Why Choose It?

Pros: They are easier and more convenient to the customers especially when the transaction involves other countries. They are also quite easy to integrate into your website as a form of payment system.

Cons: Some restrictions are still in place, for instance, limitations on the amount that can be transferred in a given time.

Example in Action: Wise, a digital wallet service, has seamless compatibility with almost all website CMS platforms, and that is why most global companies use it.

4. Payment Aggregators

Payment aggregators integrate the payment solution by first getting the customer’s money and then passing it to the targeted party.

Why Choose It?

Pros: It is a versatile tool that does not require much integration with a variety of platforms, which is beneficial for businesses that want to start accepting payments on the Internet quickly.

Cons: The problem with using aggregators is that it entails double charges per transaction, one for the bank and the other for the aggregator. However, the security of data may be slightly off compared to the other methods.

Example in Action: Square, a well-known aggregator, is ideal for small businesses with online and offline presence. Likewise, Stripe has robust features for developers to create unique payment solutions for their consumers.

Things to Keep in Mind Before Deciding on a Payment Gateway

As you prepare to add a payment gateway to your site, some important aspects must first be assessed. Here’s what you should consider to ensure a smooth and successful payment experience:

1. Understand Your Customers’ Payment Preferences

The comfort of your customers should always come first. In the USA, the most frequent forms of payment are credit/debit cards, mobile payments, and bank transfers. If your payment system conforms with your customer’s preference, you will have higher chances of enhancing your sales and actualization. Thus, flexibility in payment methods should be among the key objectives of eCommerce businesses to satisfy the customers’ needs.

2. Weigh the Cost Implications

The use of cash per transaction comes with charges that affect the profitability of the business and customer convenience. Before making a decision, ensure that you have compared the prices relating to the many payment types available and select the one, which affords functionality as well as costs.

3. Prioritize Security

Security needs to be paramount every time there is the question of making payments over the Internet. Customers’ financial data should be safe since everyone seeks to protect their company’s information. 

There is a need to select a payment system that has a good layer of encryption and one that has a reliable system of checking for fraud among the users.

4. Focus on User-Friendly Experience

A payment option that is simple to use and integrates well is mandatory to avoid inconvenience at the time of payment. A simple system guides customers through the purchase process without creating more obstacles for them. The more positive the customer experience, the greater the likelihood of converting a visitor into a customer.

5. Ensure System Reliability

Reliability is crucial. The payment system you decide to work with must be efficient and reliable, it must not go offline at some instance, or develop some technical problems that will hinder the processing of the transaction. Still, you need to ensure that at least each of the systems is valid and has the necessary amount of positive feedback.

How to Set up a Secure Online Payment System in A Website: A Step-by-Step Approach

Establishing your own payment gateway can be profitable if you need more control and personalization over the payment process. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the process, each step enriched with examples to guide you effectively:

1. Consult an Expert

Prior to providing the details of the proposed payment system, get in touch with an expert in payment systems or a development advisor. This can also guarantee that your system complies with any needed norms and has strong security controls, like white and PCI DSS certifications when processing card payments.

Example: A fintech consultant can help in implementing 3D Secure to enhance the security of transactions being conducted to prevent fraud.

2. Set Up a Secure Hosting Platform

Select a good hosting service provider and acquire an SSL (Secure Socket Layer) to ensure that the information exchanged between your users and servers is secure. This step is mandatory to avoid leakage of further vital information such as the card details.

For example: AWS or Bluehost provide powerful hosting, while SSL certificates can be purchased from DigiCert.

3. Design and Build the Payment Page

Your payment page is the page where customers enter their payment details including their credit card information. It is recommended to have a clear and well-structured design as well as its responsiveness to both, PC and portable devices.

Tips:

• To obtain the payment details, one should use the secure input fields.
• Incorporate reassurance elements such as a checkout trust seal.

Example: Some of the platforms that are common with businesses include Shopify where business people can also build payment pages that are integrated into the website.

4. Select a Payment Processor

A payment processor manages the mechanics of transferring funds from the customer’s bank to your business bank account. Select one that has provisions for several payment modes such as MasterCard and Visa cards, ATE cards, and mobile payments among others.

Example: Stripe has an API designed for developers, while PayPal has a Basic Processing option for smaller businesses. Both of them are great, just choose what you are going to use most often or can handle better.

5. Integrate the Payment Processor with Your System

After selecting the payment processor, link it with the payment page which will require integration to be done effectively. Depending on your CMS, for instance, WordPress, this step might involve the use of coding or plugins.

Example: If you are using WooCommerce, there are plugins that install payment processors such as Square or Authorize.Net without requiring excessive coding.

6. Test Your Payment System

Before deploying, a stringent check must be made to see that every part of the payment system is in optimal functionality. Perform various checks with the target solution, such as mimicking various transactions checking for non-successful payment confirmation, and more importantly, analyzing the effectiveness of a given solution from the point of view of the end user.

Example: You can use the Postman application to model API calls to check the backend of your system before live transactions occur.

Best Practices to Improve Your Payment Checkout Process

The payment process is critical, and when efficiently designed, it will prompt the customers to complete the purchase. Here are some effective practices to optimize your online payment system:

1. Offer Multiple Payment Options

Accepting various forms of payment makes your business more convenient and easy for consumers. This is especially important for companies that have their customers from different parts of the world. 

Accepting options such as credit cards, digital wallets, and region-specific payments guarantees customers can complete more purchases.

Example: For those operating internationally, let your users have choices such as PayPal, Stripe, and local gateways such as Alipay specifically for Chinese clientele or Paytm for Indian clientele.

2. Implement Robust Security Measures

Security is always a major concern in any payments made online. For all services that involve entry of sensitive data, make use of an SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificate to ensure data security and convince the customers. Always place trust badges or credentials in easily visible areas of the checkout process to buyers’ confidence.

Example: E-commerce sites like Amazon and Etsy also have icons such as the SSL certification seal to reassure users that their credit card details are safe.

3. Allow Guest Checkout

Forcing customers to create an account when you have a unique visit may discourage them, especially those who are going to make single purchases. Provide an option for guests to check out without requiring them to create an account, ensuring a flawless and distraction-free checkout experience for customers.

Example: Some of the retailers like Target and Best Buy permit guest checkout which enables customers to purchase products without having to create an account with the retailer.

4. Request Only Essential Information

Reduce the step of data input so that the client will only be required to enter data necessary for completing the transaction. If more is required, clearly state why. This reduces customer frustration and shortens the payment time.

Example: In case a phone number is necessary, use comments such as: “We will only call about order-related concerns.” Such practices are employed by retail firms such as Apto supporting transparency and therefore reliability.

5. Streamline Error Handling 

The option to make modifications at the time of checking out must not clear any previously filled forms. In the case of missing or incorrect fields, mark the error obviously and give directions on how the error can be corrected.

Example: Many of the stores powered by Shopify have error messages placed immediately near the inputs with problems, so users can solve them without having to refresh the page.

How TekRevol Help with Web Development and Payment Integration?

We know that an effective website should not only look great, function well, and include efficient payment options, but it should also contribute to business development. That is where we come in with our web development and payment integration capabilities. 

TekRevol is a leading web development company, that specializes in websites that are not only visually appealing but also functional and user-friendly. Our team of experienced developers consults with the client and guarantees that the final result will meet the needs of the client, which can be an online store, a corporate website, or a custom web application.

TekRevol has valuable experience in implementing various payment gateways such as Stripe, PayPal, Square, and local payment options. We make sure that the website is integrated with many payment methods, has a strong data encryption feature for users, and follows international security regulations such as PCI-DSS.

A recent project we completed intended to create a large-scale e-commerce platform for a rapidly growing retailer. Addressing this issue, we connected many payment processors and increased the site’s speed, allowing the customer to treble online sales in the first three months of operation.