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E-commerce payment gateways
We can help you navigate the complex world of E-commerce website payment gateway options, finding & implementing the best solution for your business.
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E-commerce payment gateways

Payment gateways are a crucial component of any online store, allowing businesses to securely process payments and provide a seamless experience for their customers. With the rise of eCommerce, it’s more important than ever to select the right payment gateway that not only ensures security but also enhances your customer’s shopping experience.

At Alloy Marketing, we specialise in helping businesses choose, implement, and optimise their eCommerce payment gateways to boost conversions, reduce cart abandonment, and improve overall sales. Our expert team is ready to guide you through every step, from choosing the best payment gateway for your business to optimising it for maximum performance.

What Are eCommerce Payment Gateways?

An eCommerce payment gateway is a technology that facilitates online payments for businesses. It serves as the middleman between your online store and your payment processor, ensuring that customers’ payments are securely processed and transferred to your business’s bank account. Payment gateways work by encrypting sensitive information such as credit card numbers, ensuring the data is securely transmitted to the relevant financial institutions for authorisation.

The primary purpose of a payment gateway is to provide a secure, efficient, and easy way for customers to pay for goods and services on your eCommerce site. When a customer clicks ‘buy now’ on your website, the payment gateway will capture the payment details, verify the transaction, and either approve or decline the payment, all in a matter of seconds.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Payment Gateway

Choosing the right eCommerce payment gateway for your online store is critical to ensuring smooth transactions and enhancing the customer experience. The right payment gateway can:

  • Boost Conversion Rates: By offering a secure and easy checkout process, customers are more likely to complete their purchases. A smooth payment process can directly impact your store’s sales and conversions.
  • Improve Security: Payment gateways are responsible for protecting sensitive payment information. The right gateway will comply with industry standards such as PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) to ensure your transactions are secure.
  • Increase Trust: Offering reputable and secure payment methods increases customer confidence and trust in your store, which can lead to higher conversion rates and repeat business.
  • Support Multiple Payment Methods: Modern consumers expect to be able to pay in a variety of ways. A good payment gateway supports credit and debit cards, as well as digital wallets like PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
  • Streamline Your Business Operations: The right payment gateway will integrate with your eCommerce platform, accounting systems, and other business tools, streamlining your overall operations and saving time on manual tasks.

Our eCommerce Payment Gateway Services

At Alloy Marketing, we offer end-to-end solutions for integrating and optimising eCommerce payment gateways. Our team works closely with you to understand your business’s unique needs and help you make informed decisions about the best payment gateway for your store.

1. Payment Gateway Integration

One of the first steps in setting up an eCommerce store is choosing a payment gateway and integrating it into your platform. Our expert team at Alloy Marketing can guide you through the entire process, ensuring that your payment gateway is seamlessly integrated into your existing systems.

We work with a wide range of payment gateways including:

  • PayPal: A trusted and widely accepted method for online payments.
  • Stripe: Known for its easy integration and scalability for growing businesses.
  • Square: A versatile solution for both in-store and online payments.
  • Authorize.Net: A secure and reliable choice for businesses of all sizes.
  • Worldpay: A global payment gateway solution for international businesses.
  • Apple Pay and Google Pay: Popular digital wallet options that streamline the payment process for mobile users.

We’ll make sure that your chosen gateway is optimally configured to handle your store’s payment transactions securely and efficiently.

2. Choosing the Right Payment Gateway

Selecting the right payment gateway is crucial to the success of your eCommerce business. There are many factors to consider, including transaction fees, supported payment methods, international support, and security features. Our team will work with you to evaluate your business needs and recommend the best payment gateway based on:

  • Your target market: Are you targeting customers in a specific country or region? Do you need international payment support?
  • Types of payments accepted: Do you need to accept credit cards, digital wallets, or both?
  • Transaction fees and costs: Different payment gateways have different fee structures. We’ll help you understand how to balance cost with functionality.
  • Security: Ensuring that your payment gateway adheres to the highest security standards, including PCI-DSS compliance, fraud protection, and encryption protocols.

We’ll provide a comprehensive overview of the available options and assist you in making an informed decision that aligns with your business objectives.

3. Optimising Payment Gateway Performance

Once your eCommerce payment gateway is set up, optimising its performance is key to improving customer satisfaction and increasing sales. We offer a range of optimisation services, including:

  • Reducing Cart Abandonment: A slow, clunky, or complicated checkout process can lead to high cart abandonment rates. Our team will ensure that your payment gateway is fast, easy to use, and mobile-friendly, minimising friction during checkout and increasing conversions.
  • Optimising Mobile Payments: More and more consumers are shopping on mobile devices. We optimise your payment gateway to ensure that your mobile checkout process is smooth, quick, and user-friendly.
  • Testing Payment Flows: We conduct thorough testing to identify any bottlenecks or issues in your payment flow, from the initial transaction request to the final confirmation.
  • Setting Up Recurring Payments: If your business uses subscription-based models, we can help you optimise recurring payment processes to ensure automatic billing and a seamless customer experience.

4. Payment Gateway Security and Compliance

Security is a top priority when it comes to eCommerce payment gateways. At Alloy Marketing, we ensure that your payment gateway complies with PCI-DSS standards, provides encryption for sensitive data, and uses secure transaction methods to protect both you and your customers.

We also stay up-to-date with the latest security threats and updates to ensure your payment systems remain protected against fraud, chargebacks, and other security breaches. Our security services include:

  • Fraud prevention tools: Implementing measures like 3D Secure, AVS (Address Verification System), and CVV (Card Verification Value) checks.
  • Encryption technologies: Using SSL certificates and secure payment protocols to protect sensitive information during transmission.
  • Compliance audits: We’ll help ensure that your payment systems meet the necessary compliance requirements to protect your business from penalties.

5. Analytics and Reporting

Having access to real-time transaction data is essential for understanding your payment gateway’s performance. Our team provides detailed reporting and analytics to track key metrics such as:

  • Transaction volume: Monitoring the total number of successful and failed transactions.
  • Conversion rates: Understanding how many customers are successfully completing their purchases.
  • Revenue tracking: Gaining insights into your store’s financial performance.
  • Chargeback management: Monitoring and managing chargebacks and disputes to minimise financial loss.

We use this data to help you optimise your payment processes, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions to improve your business operations.

Key Features to Look for in an eCommerce Payment Gateway

Choosing the right eCommerce payment gateway is about more than just cost. Here are some important features to consider when selecting a payment gateway for your online store:

  1. Security: Ensuring that your payment gateway follows the highest security standards to protect sensitive customer information.
  2. Ease of Integration: The gateway should easily integrate with your existing eCommerce platform and other business tools.
  3. Support for Multiple Payment Methods: Consumers have different payment preferences, so offering a variety of options such as credit cards, PayPal, and digital wallets is crucial.
  4. Transaction Fees: Different payment gateways have different fee structures. Some charge a flat fee per transaction, while others charge a percentage. Understanding the cost implications is vital for your bottom line.
  5. Mobile Optimisation: With the increasing number of mobile shoppers, your payment gateway must be optimised for mobile transactions.
  6. Global Reach: If you’re selling internationally, choose a payment gateway that supports multiple currencies and regions.
  7. Customer Support: Ensure that your payment gateway provider offers reliable customer support in case any issues arise.

FAQ: eCommerce Payment Gateways

1. What is an eCommerce payment gateway?

An eCommerce payment gateway is a technology that processes online payments for businesses. It securely handles transactions by encrypting payment details, authorising payments, and transferring funds to the business’s account.

2. How do I choose the right payment gateway for my business?

To choose the right payment gateway, consider factors such as your target market, payment methods, fees, security features, and customer support. Our team at Alloy Marketing can help you evaluate your needs and make the best choice for your business.

3. What is PCI-DSS compliance?

PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a set of security standards that businesses must adhere to when handling credit card information. Ensuring your payment gateway is PCI-DSS compliant protects your business from fraud and helps maintain customer trust.

4. Can I use multiple payment gateways on my eCommerce site?

Yes, you can integrate multiple payment gateways to offer customers more payment options. This can be particularly beneficial for international customers or those who prefer specific payment methods.

5. How can I reduce cart abandonment during checkout?

A smooth, fast, and secure checkout process is key to reducing cart abandonment. By optimising your payment gateway, simplifying the checkout flow, and providing multiple payment options, you can encourage more customers to complete their purchases.

6. Is it possible to offer subscription payments through my eCommerce payment gateway?

Yes, many payment gateways support recurring billing and subscription models. We can help you set up automated recurring payments for your subscription-based services.

Trouble navigating e-commerce website payment gateway options? There are 3 main aspects involved in getting started selling online and accepting payments

  1. Merchant Bank Account:
    Essentially this is the bank account which receives funds from the payments gateway provider.  Should a merchant (you the seller) wish to accept credit or debit cards, they will need to complete an agreement with its card processing bank (known as the ‘acquiring bank’). This is referred to as a Merchant Service Agreement (MSA) and must be in place for the merchant to start accepting the cards in a ‘live’ environment. For example, if a merchant wishes to sell online it will require an Internet Merchant Agreement (IMA) Live payments cannot be processed until such an agreement has been finalised with the bank and the necessary merchant account details have been passed on to your chosen Payment Gateway provider(s).
  2. Payments Gateway
    This is the service that processes the card details from the customer – they charge their own commission for each transaction (often lower rates are offered if you sell over £1,500 per month) Payment gateways include : Paypal, Google Checkout,  Realex, Cybersource, GoCardless, Paypoint, Sagepay
  3. Website to payment gateway module
    This is a one time fee for the setup of the connection between your website and the payments gateway. From the customer’s point of view – this is the most important aspect of their experience shopping on your website – it needs to be clear and easy to pay.

Sage Pay

  • Accept payments with: Visa, Visa Electron, Mastercard, Maestro, Paypal, Amex
  • Commission fee: 0%
  • Monthly Fee: £25
  • Setup fees: None
  • Type:  Hosted – card details entered on an external page
  • PCI compliancy risk: Low
  • In summary: No percentage fees for under 1000 transactions per quarter. Then 1000+ transactions charged at 10p per transaction. They also offer a very low cost Merchant Account to keep both services together. Sagepay also allows you to accept payments from cusomers using Paypal – which is a big benefit and saves you from having to deal with Paypal directly.
  • http://www.sagepay.com/online-payments

PayPal

  • Accept payments with: Paypal Credit, Visa, Visa Electron, Mastercard, Maestro, Amex
  • Commission fee: From 3.4% – reducing to 1.4% for transactions over £15,000
  • Monthly Fee: £20
  • Setup fees: None
  • Type: Onpage – card details entered on your website
  • PCI compliancy risk: Medium
  • In summary: Includes free Virtual Terminal for accepting card details over the phone
  • Read more

Google Checkout

  • Accept payments with: Visa, Visa Electron, Mastercard, Maestro, Amex
  • Commission fee: 3.4% and less
  • Monthly Fee: POA
  • Setup fees: 0
  • Type: On your site
  • PCI compliancy risk: Medium
  • In summary: https://checkout.google.com/seller/fees.html

Realex

  • Accept payments with: Visa, Visa Electron, Mastercard, Maestro, Amex
  • Commission fee: 0
  • Monthly Fee: £19
  • Setup fees: 0
  • Type:  Hosted
  • PCI compliancy risk: Low

Cybersource

  • Accept payments with: Visa, Visa Electron, Mastercard, Maestro, Amex, Paypal
  • Commission fee: POA
  • Monthly Fee: POA
  • Setup fees: POA
  • Type:Payment details entered on your website but posted securely to Cybersource
  • PCI compliancy risk: Low
  • In summary: Read more Free Virtual Terminal included, to let you process orders from phone enquiries.

Go Cardless

  • Accept payments with: Direct Debit
  • Commission fee: 1% per transaction up to a maximum of £2 per transaction.
  • Monthly Fee: 0
  • Setup fees: 0
  • Type: Payment details entered onto a Hosted GoCardless Payments page for max security
  • PCI compliancy risk: VERY Low
  • In summary: https://gocardless.com/pricing – The cheapest option for accepting payments out of all the options. It avoids the need to use any VISA or card details, so bypasses their fees and means you don’t have to worry about PCI. Highly recommended to have this payment service as it is so cost effective. However some customers may be unsure about paying you in a single direct debit (its a rather new method of making payments)  so best to have it as the default method, but also offer an alternative using a more conventional VISA card processing service.

Paypoint.net

  • Accept payments with: Visa, Visa Electron, Mastercard, Maestro, Amex
  • Commission fee: 0
  • Monthly Fee: £19
  • Setup fees: 0
  • Type: Both hosted and redirect for your security
  • PCI compliancy risk: VERY Low
  • In summary: http://www.paypoint.net/services/payment-gateway/

 

 

At Alloy Marketing, we understand how critical payment gateways are to the success of your eCommerce business. Whether you need assistance with payment gateway integration, optimisation, security, or reporting, our team is here to provide expert support every step of the way.

Contact Alloy Marketing today to learn how we can help optimise your eCommerce payment gateway and improve your online sales performance

Frequently Asked Questions

Ecommerce Marketing

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What role does SEO play in eCommerce marketing?

What role does SEO play in eCommerce marketing?

SEO is a critical component of eCommerce marketing as it helps improve the visibility of your online store in search engine results. By optimising product pages, category pages, and content with relevant keywords, you can attract organic traffic from potential customers actively searching for your products. SEO not only drives traffic but also enhances the overall user experience, ensuring that customers easily find what they are looking for.

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What payment processing options do your websites support?

This is affected by how your website is built but the most popular platforms we implement are: Paypal, Paypal Pro, Stripe, WorldPay, Sage Pay.

Paypal Standard – Your website comes with a built in Paypal Standard payment processing system, Paypal standard has it’s own commission rates for sellers. This system sends users to enter their card details onto a paypal hosted payments page

Information from the Paypal website (no monthly fees) and transaction charges
Small or new business can use Website Payments Standard. This system takes online payments securely on PayPal checkout pages with no application process or set up fees. It’s easy to integrate – you can start taking payments in minutes
For businesses turning over £50k or more online per year you’ll need Paypal Website Payments Pro. With Website Payments Pro, there’s no need for a separate payment gateway or merchant account, the systems uses 3D secure technology and advanced fraud management filters. There are no set up fees but it requires a short application process. You can customise and brand your checkout experience and you’ll have acecss to dedicated email and phone support. Read more here – external link
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What is the importance of email marketing in eCommerce?

What is the importance of email marketing in eCommerce?

Email marketing is essential for eCommerce as it allows for direct communication with your customers. It effectively nurtures leads and encourages repeat purchases through targeted campaigns, including product recommendations, promotional offers, and newsletters. Building a solid email list allows businesses to keep customers informed, engaged, and loyal to the brand.

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What is eCommerce marketing?

What is eCommerce marketing?

eCommerce marketing encompasses all marketing strategies and tactics used to promote online retail businesses and drive traffic to eCommerce websites. This includes various forms of digital marketing, such as email marketing, social media advertising, content marketing, SEO, and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. The primary goal is to attract potential customers, boost sales, and foster customer loyalty through effective online engagement and promotional efforts.

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What features can be added to my shop?

We can add a huge range of features to your shop including the following list. If you would like additional features don’t hesitate to ask and we’ll do all we can to accomodate you;.

Features include:
Advanced shipping processor
Advanced payment processing options
Advanced stock and inventory import from .csv functionality
Coupon/voucher system
Wishlist functionality
Customer email newsletters
Advanced stock control/bulk edit stock levels and print stock
Sell recurring memberships to your service/product
Live onscreen currency converter
Commission and affiliate marketing functionality
VAT validation before purchase
Advanced pricing rules/discount and multi buy offers
Personalised/message products – collect information at order
Zooming product photo gallery enhancements
Review a product to receive a discount
Sell products on your Facebook page
Newsletter integration – send and subscription system
Store credit system and gift cards

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What are the key components of an effective eCommerce marketing strategy?

What are the key components of an effective eCommerce marketing strategy?

An effective eCommerce marketing strategy includes several key components. These typically involve SEO to improve organic visibility, PPC advertising to attract immediate traffic, email marketing for communication and retention, and social media marketing to engage with customers. Additionally, content marketing plays a role in providing valuable information that builds trust and authority. Each component should work together to create a cohesive strategy that drives traffic and conversions.

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What are the best tips for E-commerce SEO?

Identify successful landing pages and consider increasing your price to discover maximum profit per item.- eCommerce site structures need to be great – use breadcrumbs, internal searches, faceted navigation (such as Amazon use in their top nav) and filters.- Don’t hide images in JavaScript. Make them high res, easy to share, include alt tags and build a filter in Google Analytics for viewers by image search so you can see how they convert.- Rewrite or spin descriptions. Include long tail versions of keywords in descriptions as manufacturers don’t always use terms that users use.- Put delivery information on the product page to reduce drop outs and incentivise with special offers (e.g. spend x more to get free shipping)- Never 404 out of stock products, show relevant alternative products instead. Even if a product is discontinued you should 301 but never 404.- If products are being discontinued and people know, you can increase the price and let people know you can still get it from them- Make sure you are on Google shopping and build a filter to track this (see bada.ms/trackgoogleshopping for tips on making this filter)- Sign up for review sites, aggregate product reviews (such as by adding to them to Revoo or using Schema).- Prevent duplicate pages using: Robots.txt, Canonical tags, No index/follow, hide facet links in JavaScript, use XML Sitemaps and manage parameters in Google Webmaster Tools.- For link building use blogger outreach, awards, giveaways, guest posts, press releases, article marketing and blogger events.- Put social share buttons on every product page and order confirmation page

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How often should I review and update my eCommerce marketing strategy?

How often should I review and update my eCommerce marketing strategy?

It’s crucial to review and update your eCommerce marketing strategy regularly, particularly when you introduce new products, change market conditions, or notice shifts in customer behaviour. We recommend conducting these reviews at least quarterly, though certain metrics—like campaign performance or market trends—may warrant more frequent evaluations. This allows you to stay agile and adapt your strategies based on data and findings.

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How important is customer feedback in shaping eCommerce marketing efforts?

How important is customer feedback in shaping eCommerce marketing efforts?

Customer feedback is invaluable in shaping and refining eCommerce marketing strategies. By regularly gathering input through reviews, surveys, and social media interactions, you can gain insights into customer preferences, pain points, and satisfaction levels. This information can guide product development, marketing messages, and promotional strategies, ensuring you meet your audience’s needs effectively.

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How does eCommerce marketing differ from traditional marketing?

How does eCommerce marketing differ from traditional marketing?

eCommerce marketing primarily focuses on online sales and digital interactions, while traditional marketing encompasses a broader range of channels such as print, television, and radio. eCommerce marketing allows for immediate engagement with customers through targeted and measurable campaigns. Additionally, digital marketing strategies can often be adjusted in real-time based on performance data, making them more flexible than traditional marketing methods.

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How do you measure the effectiveness of eCommerce marketing campaigns?

How do you measure the effectiveness of eCommerce marketing campaigns?

We measure the effectiveness of eCommerce marketing campaigns through key performance indicators (KPIs), such as conversion rates, return on advertising spend (ROAS), customer acquisition costs, and overall sales revenue. We track these metrics using analytic tools, enabling us to understand the impact of our campaigns and make data-driven adjustments for improved performance.

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How do you develop an eCommerce marketing strategy tailored to my business?

How do you develop an eCommerce marketing strategy tailored to my business?

Developing a tailored eCommerce marketing strategy starts with understanding your business goals, target market, and competitive landscape. We conduct research to identify your audience’s behaviour, preferences, and pain points. This information informs our approach, allowing us to select the most effective channels and tactics. We then create a comprehensive plan that outlines specific marketing objectives, timelines, and KPIs to measure success.

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How do you create an effective eCommerce marketing strategy?

How do you create an effective eCommerce marketing strategy?

We start by understanding your business goals and defining your target audience. This involves conducting market research to identify customer preferences, behaviours, and demographics. Based on this information, we develop a multi-channel marketing strategy that integrates various tactics tailored to your audience. We continuously analyse performance metrics and adjust the strategy as needed to maximise effectiveness and return on investment.

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How do I get started with your eCommerce marketing services?

How do I get started with your eCommerce marketing services?

To start with our eCommerce marketing services, simply reach out to us to discuss your business objectives and challenges. We will schedule an initial consultation to understand your needs, followed by the development of a customised marketing strategy designed to drive sales and enhance your online presence.

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How can social media marketing benefit my eCommerce business?

How can social media marketing benefit my eCommerce business?

Social media marketing can significantly benefit eCommerce businesses by increasing brand awareness and fostering customer engagement. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook allow you to showcase your products visually, share promotions, and connect with your audience on a personal level. Additionally, social media provides valuable insights into consumer preferences, making it easier to tailor your marketing efforts and connect with potential customers.

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Can you help with customer retention strategies in eCommerce marketing?

Can you help with customer retention strategies in eCommerce marketing?

Yes, we can assist with developing effective customer retention strategies as part of your eCommerce marketing efforts. This may involve personalised email campaigns, loyalty programs, and engagement initiatives that reward repeat customers. Our goal is to create a positive customer experience that encourages long-term loyalty and repeat purchases.

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Can I add products to the site myself?

Absolutely, we use content management systems (CMS) to make sure that you’re in control of your shop without needing to be a fully qualified developer. Of course, we’re always happy to help run the site if you need a hand.

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