It's now easier than ever to take payments on the web. As people selling their wares take pot shots at eCommerce providers in an ever-increasing battle to sabotage their "competitors'" success it gets harder and harder to find an honest unbiased opinion.
So that's what I'm setting out to do in today's article.
You see, as we've enabled 3 different payment methods at www.BookShaker.com I feel I can comment in a far less biased way than people sticking with a single solution.
*** IMPORTANT NOTICE ***
Obviously, these are just my opinions and any solution you choose will have pros and cons. What's best for one company might not be right for another. So take your time to really understand what's involved by asking the provider before committing to a solution.
PayPal - www.PayPal.com
Some people, rightly or wrongly (in my opinion - wrongly) are afraid to pay via PayPal which has given it a bad rep and does lead to a loss of sales for merchants using it if they are unknown to the customer.
Pros:
* It's really easy to get a payment button up and running on your site
* You can use it to securely send payments to others
* Anyone who's ever used eBay will already have an account
* Giving refunds is a doddle
* Great low-cost way of adding secure credit card payments to your site
* They're not greedy with commission or charges
* Multiple currencies supported
Cons:
* Poor perception in the marketplace (in my opinion this is due to people who've paid through the teeth for another solution trying to make it hard on people just starting out)
* This is the biggy - people from many countries (such as South Africa) are unable to get a PayPal account which reduces sales potential if you sell internationally.
Summary:
I've used PayPal a lot in the past and still do. If you are planning on accepting payments from clients that already know you then this is the best and fastest option for enabling the process. You need to check your own biases (ie did you just hear it was bad) and encourage reluctant clients to try it out - it's safe!
WorldPay - www.WorldPay.com
This is seen as THE standard for online stores and eCommerce. Customers trust merchants with WorldPay because they know it costs the store owner a lot more to set up - which goes someway to proving they're a bone-fide company who won't do a runner.
Pros:
* Good customer perception. Adds kudos and helps customers feel safe with you. We noticed a peak in sales pretty much immediately after making WorldPay live on our site.
* International currencies (but at a cost)
* Their checking procedure ties in with Distance Selling laws so when you pass you can be confident you're applying good practice as an online merchant.
* Looks good and can be customised to fit pretty seamlessly into your site's style.
Cons:
* They charge you a small fortune just to get started and then make you wait for a few weeks while they do their bit
* High - bordering on extortionate - charges means they can eat your profit - individual transaction fees mean that tiny payments (I'd say anything sub ?4) are also out of the question.
* They pay you your own money 4 weeks in arrears - bad for cashflow of smaller firms and seems to benefit them more than anyone else!
* They MAKE you put their logo (which I personally think is awful) on your site. This, again seems to serve their interests rather than the customer or merchant.
* Integrating with your site is not as easy as PayPal or NoChex (will probably need a techy)
* Every additional currency accepted costs you extra to set up
* They charge you an additional transaction fee on top to protect you against fraud
NoChex - www.NoChex.com
Last time I checked NoChex was only available to UK companies - but if you're providing a service or product to UK customers only then this could be your best bet for a fast, low-cost way to start taking payments.
Pros:
* Easy to set up and add payments
* Customers don't need to register
* They're really generous on the charges front - not greedy at all.
* It's totally secure
Cons:
* Hardly anyone has heard of them which could lead to people being afraid to provide card details
* The payment page is a bit 90s and looks garish
* It's just for UK
Oh and NoChex give you a breakdown to show you just how varied the range of charges can be... http://help.nochex.com
'Dangerous' Debbie Jenkins
debs@debbiejenkins.com
(c) Copyright 2005 debs@debbiejenkins.com
SUMMER CAN BE SLOW FOR BUSINESS
But don't let that get in the way of your success.
This is the ideal time to work on your business
rather than in it. Get 2 F'REE eBooks and prepare
for more success with less effort here...
debs@debbiejenkins.com
I'm wondering if... You Know Other People who should be reading this too? So do us all a favour (they get 2 free books - we get a new subscriber - you get to look good) when you Pass On This link... debs@debbiejenkins.com
shuttle to Midway Beardstown .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareIf you're anything like most small business owners, you probably... Read More
So what do you do if need to get a... Read More
What is web accessibility & why is it important?Web accessibility... Read More
When a user signs up at your website, you may... Read More
In the late 1990's three San Francisco based web developers... Read More
One of the things that many people overlook when building... Read More
Does My Web Site Require A Web Database?If your web... Read More
One of the things that Internet excels is disseminating information... Read More
When you consider the billions of individuals and companies on... Read More
There are many different traffic analysis tools, ranging from simple... Read More
Losing website sales and traffic is sometimes simply a case... Read More
1. The first page appears quickly.It's a good way to... Read More
It may seem like the publishing industry's equivalent of Beanie... Read More
The growth in Internet usage around the world is astounding... Read More
1. As the first step, "Hire a web designer."First create... Read More
You've decided to create a website to market your products... Read More
More and more businesses are recognizing the importance of content... Read More
Are you aware that 90% of the websites on the... Read More
It amazes me how many people try to build serious... Read More
Better Web Site ROIHow to increase your business profitability by... Read More
Many millions of dollars are being wasted on promoting and... Read More
Building a new website can be a lengthy task. From... Read More
In 1995 a new era of accessibility for disabled people... Read More
Creating a content management system either from scratch,... Read More
People often come to me in a state of crisis... Read More
Green Bay Hummer H2 SUV rentals ..So you have a good idea for a business and... Read More
Many web developers today are starting to KISS their website,... Read More
If you are looking for creating your online presence you... Read More
So your prospect, Mary, is sitting at the computer reading... Read More
1. Choose a big enough font size. A size 12... Read More
Many of site owners still don't realize all advantages of... Read More
It never ceases to amaze me how many people set-up... Read More
The evolution of web development parallels the model of technology... Read More
You hear a great deal about the Internet these days... Read More
1. Upload robots.txt file in to your root directory and... Read More
Absolutely everything stems from the purpose of your website -... Read More
With all of the factors involved in designing and building... Read More
The Internet is being used by local service business to... Read More
Like any area of business your website needs some effort... Read More
There are many different traffic analysis tools, ranging from simple... Read More
That's right. According to a recent study by Nielsen/NetRatings, Amazon.com... Read More
Mini Websites are the most powerful and cost effective solution... Read More
We all start out the same. Some have budgets, some... Read More
Let's begin by setting some limits. If you're like me,... Read More
"How do I improve web site sales figures?" The CEO... Read More
A website is like an information flow, with you as... Read More
It amazes me how many people try to build serious... Read More
Selecting the Perfect Domain NameThe first issue I have with... Read More
An Introduction to Server Side IncludesBeginner? That's OK!While much has... Read More
A website provides invaluable advantages for businesses who have one.7... Read More
Web Development |