With myriad choices and new players constantly coming into the field, it isn’t easy to decide which online payment gateway best complements your startup’s ecosystem.
But whatever payment gateway you select, the most important thing is making it simple for your customer to pay. The less hassle they have, the easier it is for them to pay, and customers will likely make an order.
Before we jump onto why a payment gateway is one of the most effective payment methods, it’s crucial to understand what a payment gateway is.
What is a Payment Gateway?
A payment gateway is a technology that collects and transfers payment information from the consumer to the acquirer and later transmits acceptance or decline to the user. The payment gateway authenticates the customer’s card information safely, guarantees that the funds are in the account, and permits merchants to receive payment. It functions as an intermediary between a website for a retailer and the acquirer. It secures sensitive card information to ensure that it is transmitted securely from the consumer to the bank acquiring it through the merchant.
Types of Payment Gateways
There are three types of payment gateways:
- On-site payments:
Larger companies tend to make on-site payment systems that are completely managed by their company’s servers. The payment gateway system handles the payment process and checkout for the customer’s benefit. The advantage here is that the gateways have greater control and high responsibility.
This is particularly relevant for retailers who have large volumes of sales. If you handle your payments independently, you must know what payment gateway options are available and their obligations.
- Redirects:
If a payment gateway redirects customers to a website for payment to manage the entire transaction (i.e., processing, as well as payment), it is called “Redirect.”
It has the benefit in terms of ease of use for retailers. A small-sized business can use Redirect gateways to gain security and convenience from established platforms such as Zaakpay. Although it can mean less control for the merchant, it also has the benefit of increasing the overall customer experience.
- Checkout on the website:
In a payment gateway, the front-end checkout can take place on your website; however, the processing of payments occurs through its backend.
Similar to the redirected payment gateways, there are a few advantages in handling payments, such as ease of use.
However, as in the situation above, managing the entire experience via your payment gateway isn’t possible. You’ll be dependent on how good the gateway offsite is, as well as its flaws.
What should you look for before selecting an online payment gateway?
The best payment gateway for India will offer the following benefits to its users, and you should look for the same things while choosing a payment gateway for your startup:
- Convenience:
Convenience is among the most important factors that affect conversion rates. More steps that a consumer must go through to complete payments to pay, the more likely they will be to cancel their purchase and look elsewhere.
- Security:
Payment gateway companies should offer an extra layer of security in online transactions. You should be able to create limits, set flags for the activity of your account, and occasionally, the timeframe to remember the payment.
- Speed:
Payment gateway should be able to transfer the majority of payments between buyers and sellers immediately. However, transfers between and to banks can take up to 24 hours or longer.
- Trust:
A lot of payment processors are brands that are internationally recognized. If your customer is already using payment software, he/she is more likely to believe in your payment system.
- Record-Keeping:
Payment systems can access your accounts online and handle your recurring payments, contacts, and other account activities via mobile and desktop.
Why is receiving payment via payment gateway so easy?
Payment gateways allow transactions trouble-free with the following three steps:
- Encryption: Between the browser of the user and the retailer’s server, the payment gateway can encrypt (encode to protect private usage) information for use only between the buyer and seller.
- Request: An authorization request occurs when a processor receives a credit card company approval or financial institution for this transaction.
- Fulfillment: If the payment processor has been authorized, it permits the interface and website to move on to the next step.
This payment processor performs various other tasks such as calculating tax costs, screening orders and using geolocation to perform actions specific to a particular location.
Now that you’ve grasped the significance of a payment gateway and its implications for your organization, it’s time to choose the gateway.
Choosing a payment gateway for your startup
- Learn what your customers need. For example, what payment options do your customers prefer and the most efficient way to meet these preferences.
- You can stack multiple gateways to fill in the gaps. It is not necessary to stick to only one gateway for the remainder of the day. Instead, you can stack several gateways simultaneously to provide the best coverage for your customers’ requirements.
- Make sure you evaluate your options with the most important factors keeping your primary goals in your head. For example, verify the PCI security of the potential payment method to ensure its security. Also, always search for prices per transaction to understand the impact of a gateway on your bottom account.
Conclusion
Online payment gateway functions as a mediator between the customer and merchant, ensuring the transaction takes place safely and quickly. An online payment gateway could simplify the way that merchants integrate software. In the role of a middleman during payment processing, it manages the cardholder’s sensitive details between the acquirer and merchant.
Zaakpay is one of the best payment gateway for India that provides you with over 0% per transaction via UPI and Rupay. You can accept instant and secure payments from your clients across India with no setup fees or maintenance costs.