Collecting payments from customers online and choosing the right payment gateway where cardholder data will be securely processed isn’t as easy as one, two, three, but it doesn’t have to be mind-bending, either. This article sheds light on the different payment gateway integration methods and shares tips on how to make the most of your chosen one. Note that whichever option you select, the customer experience customisation you're looking to offer differs, and so is the level of control you wish to retain over the payment journey.
Lack of trust can drown your sales
Many eCommerce store merchants invest much of their time and money in creating a website that wows, with enticing UX design, eyeball-stopping product images and user-friendly front-end navigation. In doing so, however, they tend to overlook a critical cog in the user experience wheel – the payment step. Not only will a seamless and secure checkout journey help convert visitors into paying customers thanks to an intuitive user journey, but it'll also give consumers peace of mind that their private data won’t fall prey to fraudulent activity.
A survey conducted by Salescycle in 2021 indicated that 81.08% of shoppers abandoned their carts midway through without making a purchase. One of the main culprits of high cart abandonment rates is lack of trust. In fact, Statista reported that the total value of annual fraud loss was £574.2m in 2020. Given the high figures, it comes as no surprise that four in five consumers, according to Salescycle, refuse to input their payment information on websites they perceive as untrustworthy.
Inevitably, when visitors hit the exit button without placing an order in fear or cyber attacks, they strip merchants off revenue necessary to keep their business a living and breathing being. If you relate to this, then it’s time to get yourself a payment service provider who will provide advanced anti-fraud measures alongside an array of payment integration methods that best suit your business.
Our video will give you insight into which integration option could be more beneficial for your business needs.
Types of payment gateway integration
Option 1: Hosted payment page
It feels like a no-brainer for eCommerce merchants to abide by security standards in defence of their customer’s sensitive card data. Consider integrating emerchantpay’s hosted payment page functionality to your existing site if coding isn't your forte.
A hosted payment page (otherwise referred to as web payment form) is a safe payment page hosted on emerchantpay’s secure server. In other words, the payment page is external to the merchant’s server, allowing customers to safely submit their card details and finalise the online checkout stage on this page. Apart from being highly secure, a hosted payment page can be modified to fit your company’s aesthetic. Give your customers a reason to return by adding a wide selection of currencies and payment methods – from debit or credit cards to digital wallets and one-click payments.
The biggest perk about hosting the payment page with your payment service provider’s secure server is that you'll have less PCI compliance liability, depending on the level of transactions you’re looking to process. At the same time, you can rest assured you’re delivering cardholder protection, as customers are redirected away from your store to the payment webpage that we host.
Option 2: Client-side encryption
Another payment integration solution that’s conducive to small to mid-sized enterprises is client-side encryption. This method is intended to limit the transferring of raw PAN data only between the user’s browser and your payment web-service. When you choose the CSE integration, the emerchantpay library will let you accept payments on your platform while encrypting financial data in your customer’s browser.
In essence, client-side encryption is responsible for securely encrypting cardholder data in your customer’s browser before sending them to your servers and on to the gateway, rendering PCI a total breeze with minimal costs. By using an encryption key, you make data unreadable to parties who haven't got the key to decrypt it. When it comes to implementation, you need little to no technical and coding know-how. All you have to do is lay out and validate the page content with something as simple as adding our encryption JavaScript script into your website, so that it encrypts the sensitive data in your customer’s browser prior to transmitting it through your server. This way, shoppers have the comfort to safely make online purchases without ever leaving your site.
With an easy and customisable set-up as such, you can integrate an onsite checkout page into your website and effortlessly build your payment flow.
Option 3: Server to server integration
If you want to have the upper hand and full control over the transaction process, you can go for the server to server integration which includes a direct integration between your server and emerchantpay’s robust server. In a server to server integration, there aren’t any external window popups involved. Equally, you’re fully responsible for providing a secure and PCI-compliant environment for all your customers’ payment transactions on your website.
Customers don’t get to leap between your website and an external payment page – everything takes place on your website. In other words, with the server to server integration you can keep the payment experience native to your brand and overall user experience. Server to server integration is the most receptive in customisation, which gives you the freedom to design your checkout page in ways most favourable to your brand. With this level of customisation, you can be in total control of the user flow throughout the customer journey.
However, it requires increased PCI compliance and an IT specialist to manage this type of integration. While you’re the one having control of the transaction process when choosing this integration solution for your website, you’re also accountable for transmitting and protecting confidential payment details.
This method is suitable for larger businesses handling a vast bulk of transactions or having specific processing needs, and works with them embedding an iFrame to avoid redirection and ensure speed during payments.
Designing a checkout page
Armed with these payment integration options, which play an integral role in your conversion funnel and encourage customers to pay with confidence, you should be able to choose the most suitable method to help reduce dropouts and recoup sales.
Below we rounded up tips on how to create your payment page to improve your website’s trustability and sway customers in the direction of checkout.
Customisation is key
A payment page is the final step of a customer transaction. Customising your page so it corresponds to your web store’s branding will ensure a super smooth checkout process and potentially repeat custom. It’s worth adding your business name or logo, because it’s essential for potential buyers to know who they’re buying from.
Page localisation and preferred payment methods
Localise your payment pages with as many languages and currencies as possible. Payment methods that are adaptable to emerging payment solutions are equally significant.
Include logos and elements of trust
Flexibility is of utmost importance, so displaying logos of all available payment methods will make it obvious what your customers can pay with. Feel free to weave elements of trust into your checkout touchpoint, some of which may include lock icons and logos of your trusted protection partners, or even sprinkling your pages with words such as ‘secure’ to underline your commitment to data protection.
Reduce friction
Think about the number of steps a shopper will take from the point of entry to the confirmation message on their screen. If you overbear them with too many requirements and touchpoints, they will abandon their purchase at the flick of a switch.
You might consider adding an error message which will notify customers whether the payment card data they submitted is incorrect, or why their payment has been declined. There are numerous factors contributing to payment failure, some of which may include insufficient funds from the customer's side or potential fraud. Either way, ensuring that the checkout process is as transparent and streamlined as possible remains key.
Securely save your customer’s card details
Save your customers time and they'll be eternally thankful. That said, allow your buyers to securely save their payment details via tokenisation to generate faster payments the next time they'll land to your website to shop.
Option to cancel
Offer your customers the option to cancel, so they'll feel that they're running the show with their purchase.
How emerchantpay can help
emerchantpay is here to remove the roadblocks off your way and guarantee a trouble-free end-to-end payment experience. With an intuitive payment journey thanks to an array of payment integration solutions, you'll be well placed to nudge your potential customers to complete the transaction and uplift your revenue. The common threads that link the different integration solutions is the need for a simple, optimised and convenient shopping experience along with customer confidence in making transactions within a safe environment. These will, in turn, add value to the brand, helping you generate sales, drive more conversions and encourage repeat custom.
Reach out to our qualified payment service providers and find out how you can streamline your checkout experience with the right payment integration method.