Diverse payment methods play a crucial role in facilitating online transactions, so they’re pretty much mandatory for all businesses trying to make it in the world of e-commerce. In this guide, we’re taking a brief look at the different types of payment gateways that can process the most common online payments and seeing how you can incorporate them within your platform.
What Is a Payment Gateway
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A payment gateway is a technology that enables online businesses to receive and handle diverse electronic payment methods on their websites. Essentially, it is an intermediary between the merchant and the customer’s preferred payment network. As such, it ensures secure transmission of payment information and guarantees the authentication, processing, and immediate completion of all transactions.
The Types of Payment Gateways and How to Choose One
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E-commerce is vast (and it’s constantly growing), so naturally, different businesses call for different payment gateways. However, we can divide them into two main categories according to how they are hosted:
- Hosted payment gateways: Hosted payment gateways, such as PayPal, are external services. That is, the customer is directed to a separate payment page provided by the gateway provider. There, the customer has to enter their payment/card details before they return to your website and finalize the order;
- Self-hosted payment gateways: Self-hosted gateways are the opposite. That is, the merchant hosts them on their page. This benefits the customer experience but places greater responsibility on the merchant;
Can You Create Your Own Payment Gateway
Yes, you can create your own payment gateway. Such an endeavor, however, is demanding, so you will have to invest a substantial amount of time and resources to accomplish your goal.
You will have to define your business requirements, find your target audience, predict transaction volumes, etc. Then, you will have to ensure compliance with financial regulations. That entails obtaining certifications, conducting audits, implementing robust security measures on your website,
Then, you will have to forge partnerships with banks and credit card companies that will integrate your gateway with their systems. You will also have to develop the payment gateway software, which can take a toll on your finances, not to mention all the testing you will have to do to ensure the gateway functions as expected and that it can handle expected transaction volumes.
How to Integrate a Payment Gateway With Your Website (Step-by-Step)
Creating your own payment gateway is possible, but most businesses are likely to go for an already existing one and integrate it within their website. You can do that by taking the following steps:
- Choose a payment gateway: First, you will have to choose a gateway that suits your business and is compatible with your e-commerce platform. There are many payment gateways out there, so you will have to do a lot of research;
- Register and verify your status: Next, you can sign up with the gateway provider, provide them with the necessary business info, and undergo identity verification. The duration of the verification process will vary depending on the gateway;
- Develop API keys: Next, you can create API keys within your gateway account, as they are a crucial element of the system used to identify and authenticate each user;
- Install and configure the gateway: Next, you can install the gateway plugin or manually integrate it. The provider will provide you with all the necessary instructions;
- Test it and implement some security measures: Nest, you can do some test transactions before launching the gateway to ensure everything is working as smoothly as possible. Then, you can look for SSL certificates and security measures to protect customer data;
Go live: Launch the gateway and start accepting real payments.
How ReactivePay Can help
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The ReactivePay API comes with a plethora of essential features that can help your business seamlessly accept payments from both individual and corporate accounts, no matter the transaction load and nature of your niche.
The API is designed specifically to allow for seamless integration with leading payment processing providers in the market (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, WeChat, AliPay, China UnionPay, etc.), and it can help you easily generate invoices and integrate user-friendly checkout widgets into your web and mobile platforms.
Moreover, it has alert functionalities to help you stay informed about transactions conducted on your platform in real time. This can streamline your operations and allow you to respond quickly should you have to process refunds, handle disputes, and manage settlements.
In short, with a single ReactivePay API, you can have a comprehensive solution that can help your business stay flexible and up to the task in the highly dynamic world of e-commerce.