Transacting payments over the internet has become more commonplace today, from the first online shop in 1994 (research from Wikipedia) to the multi-billion dollar business it is today (see PayPal’s quarterly results). The public seems to be more confident about buying stuff online despite the phishing scams and fraud which also has increased exponentially.
As a web developer I have a number of clients with online stores and one of the issues that they face is getting their customers through the online payments checkout process as smoothly as possible. Cart abandonment is when the shopper fills up their cart and them does not proceed all the way with the sale. So getting the confidence and trust of our shoppers is a priority and there are a number of elements that need to covered to make a successful online shop. This article addresses one of them, payment gateways.
Payment Gateways
Most of my clients use PayPal as it is easy to set up and reasonably priced, however from the point of view of the shopper they get to the checkout and if they are not familiar with PayPal they baulk. It is not immediately obvious that you don’t have to be a Paypal member and that you can pay using a credit card. Also if you are a frequent visitor to the shop and do not have a PayPal account you will have to fill in your details over and over again to pay by credit card. This gets annoying. So I have been looking for a viable alternative to offer my clients and am pleased to say that I have found it! New Zealand’s very own Flo2Cash.
Flo2Cash – Why They Are So Cool
I decided to partner with Flo2Cash recently after meeting with Roger Wang (the CEO) and learning more about the company and the products they offer. Not only are they a payment gateway for online shops, they have a direct debit product and the totally awesome product which accepts payments over your mobile device! Their pricing is very competitive and I was particularly impressed with the fact that Flo2Cash handles the merchant side of things with the bank – so you are dealing with one company, not the company AND your merchant facility with your bank.
I have just done a test transaction on my iPad and all I have to say is “Wow!
Here is some info in their own words:
Introduction
Flo2Cash makes taking online credit card and direct debit payments quick, safe and easy.
Quick: Flo2Cash can have you setup to accept payments in just 3 working days.
Safe: Flo2Cash is PCI certified as a Level 1 Processor, an international standard that means you can trade with confidence.
Easy: You only need to complete one application to get everything you need to accept payments online. A Flo2Cash facility includes a merchant facility, paperless direct debit facility and payment gateway. There’s no need to deal with the Bank or payment gateway providers.
More on Credit Card Payments
Whether you need to take payments online through a shopping cart, ongoing payments from a credit/debit card or bank account, one-off payments over the phone/in person or allow your customers to pay for an invoice online or by IVR phone, Flo2Cash can help. The Flo2Cash payment suite allows you to process payments at virtually any location, now, and in the future. By offering more payment options, you can be paid quicker – improving your cash flow, or make it easier to make a sale. With real-time payment processing, no paperwork and automatic reporting you can also reduce your administration costs.
More on Direct Debit Payments
A Flo2Cash Direct Debit facility puts you in more control. They are more likely to be accepted as a payment method by your customers where billing is regular or installment payments are widely accepted. Flo2Cash not only can issue you a direct debit facility but also automate the processing of a direct debit schedule for you, taking away most of your processing and reconciliation costs. With paperless Direct Debits, Flo2Cash enables you to accept a direct debit instruction online or by phone, making the sales process much quicker and simpler, with less paperwork and associated costs.
Check out their website and if you are keen on finding out more give me a call. As a reseller I can help with getting you set up and making sure you have all the right information to make the transition as smooth as possible.
