How to Get Credit Card Payments on Your Website

Does your website support online shopping? Keep reading…

Business owners everywhere do their best to attract and retain their customers. That is how they stay in business. You don’t want to be left behind by missing the mark on aspects like online shopping. Your customers want the convenience of shopping online and you have the power to make it happen. In this article we’ll cover how to get credit card payments on your website. 

Did you know that more than 268 million Americans shop online? That is a substantial number of people and a major chunk of our population. Offering online shopping enables people to shop from your store anytime anywhere.  

Did you know how many Americans prefer online shopping? More than half of them!

As a business, you want your customers to keep coming back to you and online shopping is one way of doing that. If your business offers online shopping, you need to ensure you’re working with a reliable payment processor. Your success largely depends on the quality of your merchant account provider and how well they empower you to serve your customers. After all, you want the best for yourself, and your customers, and we want to help you achieve that.  

Speaking of which, it isn’t too late to switch payment processors in case you were wondering. And yes, that’s true even if you want to switch payment processor on Shopify You can do it in a few simple steps, and even save money on merchant services in the process!

Here’s how to get credit card payments on your website in a few simple steps

Getting your website ready to support and fulfill online orders doesn’t have to be a Herculean task. At Acumen Connections, we like to keep things simple and effective. Wondering how to get credit card payments on your website, this is the list you need:

Explore the steps on how to get credit card payments on your website in detail:

1. Pick the right payment processor

The first and possibly the most important step when offering online shopping is choosing the right merchant processor or merchant account provider. There’s a few elements to consider when choosing the best credit card processing provider. For starters, you want a company that is honest and transparent with you. We’re talking open communication about rates and no hidden fees. Another must-have is a team of dedicated professionals to assist you every step of the way. From equipment troubleshooting to generic business woes, a great payment processor does it all.

2. Set up a merchant account

Setting up a merchant account is the next thing on the list of how to get credit card payments on your website. In short, it means signing up with a payment processor. Once you’ve chosen a payment processor, fill out a form and submit your application. It is usually a quick and easy process, and you can make use of the Acumen Connection risk free trial and set up a merchant account.

3. Integrate the payment gateway

Once you’ve picked a payment processor and set up a merchant account, you’ll need to integrate a payment gateway. A payment gateway is a platform that allows you to accept online payments in a secure manner. If you’ve ever entered your card information online before to purchase a product, you’ve used a payment gateway.

4. Maintain security

There is no such thing as being “too safe” when something concerns money and the world wide web. There are harmful elements in cyberspace that constantly threaten businesses and their customers. Did you know that 43% of cyberattacks are directed at small businesses? As a business owner, this is alarming. Also, 87% of small businesses hold customer information that is likely to be compromised in case of a data breach. Your customers could potentially become victims of cardholder information theft. This opens up the possibility of your business landing in legal trouble. 

Businesses are at risk of payment fraud, and it is extremely difficult to recover from a security fail. When you have an efficient payment gateway with a merchant account provider that emphasizes cybersecurity for businesses, it can help offset some of these risks. With your online website, we recommend following the 7 ways of securing a website along with these tips to be safe online. In addition, check out how PCI compliance can save your business.

5. Test transactions

Testing is a quality-control tactic in many areas of business. You want to ensure that a payment gateway works before you make it available to customers. A responsible payment gateway provider knows how important this step is. We encourage testing out transactions to observe if credit card transactions are going through and being processed accurately. Most payment gateways have a test feature. Issues, if any, are identified and resolved in this step.

6. Ensure your solution is mobile-friendly

This is an extremely vital piece of the puzzle. Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly for shoppers. Having a robust payment gateway on your website is important but it is equally important for it to be compatible with mobile devices. 270 million Americans own a smartphone and 79% of these smartphone users have shopped online using their mobile device in the last six months. Also, 57.8% of all internet traffic comes from mobile devices. These numbers are impossible to ignore when speaking of your website and payment gateway being mobile-friendly. Failure to complete mobile transactions using a payment gateway can significantly impact sales. Your customers need to be able to enter their credit card information into a secure payment gateway using their smartphones with the same ease as they would using a computer or laptop.

Wrapping up!

Starting something new can be fun, exciting, and challenging. But change is important for growth. Your business will soar to new heights once you’re ready to offer your customers seamless and easy online shopping. Now that we’ve explained how to get credit card payments on your website easily, your next task will be increasing your direct and organic website traffic.  

Collecting payments in-person or online through a payment gateway needs to be a simple process. Customers don’t like complicated things and neither do you. We try to simplify payments for you and your customers. At Acumen Connections, we do more than just set you up with a merchant account, credit card processing equipment, paraphernalia, and a payment gateway. 

As a small business, we know what it is like to operate within your capabilities. That’s why we have a team that works to create and update resources for small businesses everywhere. From information to downloadable templates, our business tips encompass a vast realm of topics. When you work with Acumen Connections, we work to set you up for success.