• People now expect to be able to pay online. If you want to sell products and services via your website, then you will lose customers if you do not offer them secure online payment by card or other means.

    When dealing with card payments online, the way in which the information is transferred from visitor computer to your website requires a greater level of security for communicating, as it involves personal and card details online.

    Payment Gateways (aka Payment Service Providers)

    As this Internet security tends to evolves as fast as the Internet, it is common to pass the management of secure data transfer to a Payment Gateway. (Sometimes called payment service providers).

    A Payment Gateway is at the centre of secure transactions online and can:

    • Accept transaction details from your online shop
    • Provide a secure connection for buyers to send card details over the Internet
    • Handle the request for funds from the buyer’s account
    • Handle requests for authentication from the buyer’s card association & issuing bank
    • Management of the transfer of funds into your acquiring bank
    • Provide a Virtual payment terminal for over-the-phone transactions
    • Respond to your online shop system with details of the transaction

    There are 2 main ways types of Payment Gateway. Those that require a separate Internet Merchant Account, and those that do not.