| Summary Only you can decide what type of payment system is best for your business. Know the costs and get expert technical support and adviced to ensure your system is compatible with your needs. You can choose between traditional card payments and mail order, online payments, payment bureaus, secure order forms, BACS, alternative payment methods or no electronic payment option. |
The basics
Implementation of an electronic payment solution can be approached from many different angles. We demonstrate an approach for each of the payment types mentioned in previous sections. We also recommend the following:
- If using a shopping cart, make sure it is compatible with your solution. Use their technical and customer support to establish this.
- Use technical support - e-mail and phone number contacts mentioned in the tool to establish your implementation strategy.
- Contact your local Business Link advisor for help - you can request free advice through the “Expert Advice” system after you have used the free online and e-payments diagnostic tool.
- Know the costs of implementation. These vary wildly dependant on solution. Some integrate with literally 5 minutes of easy configuration. Other may involve expensive development running into thousands of pounds. Ask the solution provider before you commit.
- Don’t be put off if some advice appears to be contradictory. The Electronic payments industry is constantly changing and improving - a second opinion can clarify your decision.
Implementation tips specific to solution types
Traditional card payments and Mail order
If using your swipe card terminal or old fashioned imprint sales vouchers to take face to face or mail order payments, you only need to manage the collection of the credit card information before inputting it if the customer is not present. Do not keep credit card details in an unsecured electronic environment as these are vulnerable to credit card “sniffer viruses” or Trojan horses.
The first stage for a standard payment solution is to negotiate an application with an acquiring bank. You should have the choice of most or all of the payment service providers (PSPs). All the integration with the banking systems is done as standard by the PSP so all you need is to inform your PSP of your acquiring bank and -your internet merchant number. The next step is integration of the PSP with your website.
As the PSP provides the software, secure hosting and transmission environment for processing transactions, it needs to be integrated into your website. Integration technologies are featured on all the supplier’s datasheets, but PSP is commonly used in conjunction with a shopping cart. Implementing a PSP by integrating it with a compatible shopping cart can be done from that cart’s admin area by selecting that payment solution from a list and setting the appropriate PSP ID. If integration is not supported as standard, programming of integration may cost extra.
A further option is using a standard template, provided by the PSP. These suit simple one click purchases where e-commerce software is not necessary. Many PSP’s will allow an HTTP post to their server of transaction details, which they will support and which present a minimal programming requirement.
Implementing a bureau solution is almost identical to integrating a PSP, except the acquiring bank ID is not relevant. The bureaus that operate in the UK can actually be upgraded to PSP services with the addition of a merchant ID and without the need for any major changes to the website or e-commerce software integration.
As bureaus are entry level payment solutions, it is very important to keep implementation costs down. As with PSP implementation, this is best done by picking your e-commerce software from the list of accepted shopping carts. Similarly simple one click purchases can be kept simple with the standard templates.
Secure order forms can be implemented via encryption technology on the website e-commerce platform. Speak to the suppliers of that platform to ensure they support the secure taking and storage of card details. Normally this will be integrated with that e-commerce platform. If this is not an option, third parties can offer SSL facilities to do this from your own site – at extra software and hosting costs and possibly the purchase of a certificate.
You bank will supply you with the necessary software to run BACS transactions. These are usually processed as batches or files for payroll but can also be processed as a cost effective way of scheduling multiple regular supplier payments. We recommend publishing important BACS details on your website to help customers.
Integration of alternative payment methods is similar to the PSP or bureau type solutions. Mostly these solutions will sit alongside a PSP solution as an alternative for consumers keen to use new or alternative payment technologies.
- Person-to-person methods
As these are not designed for large volumes of transactions, they don’t come with a large number of e-commerce software options. They do have simple to customize template wizards that make it very easy to create individual transactions from pages on your website. - Mobile commerce and Pre paid cash cards
Integration with these e-commerce platforms is specialised and the solution provider carries up to date information and costs of this.
No electronic payment option
Is no option an option? It could be, if your product cannot simply be sold. Maybe your industry sector is just not ready for Electronic payments (why not be the first?) or maybe they are not appropriate.
There are almost certainly ways to can facilitate Electronic payments, even if you have never received them before. To gain a competitive advantage when offering Electronic payments, simply keep your website up to date and ready to be the first to move.
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