Accepting Credit Cards Both In-store and Online
If you’d like to maximize your business returns, it’s a good idea to supplement your physical store with an online one. With time, it might feel like it’s the other way around, and your online store is your main business, because so many consumers are making the switch to online shopping.
The payment process
The back end of card processing is the same, whether the transaction is online or offline. When the customer swipes their card, shares their details over the phone, or types them onto a website, the data passes through an online payment gateway. This gateway links the traditional banking network to the internet, and is the same technology used to facilitate internet banking. Bank-based payment gateways communicate with payment processors.
The payment processor then completes the transaction and transmits the customer’s payment. This process is the same whether the customer swipes a card in-store or uses a web-store, so you will probably want a merchant account that can process both with a single account.
Electronic card readers
Open a merchant account with a verified payment processor. Check that they have high encryption standards, and publish testimonials. Industry awards are good signs too. For your in-store sales you have three options. You can use a portable card reader that customers can swipe their cards through. Some merchant processors offer these for free. Option two is a mobile app. These apps are free from some payment processors, and you can install them in any compatible mobile phone. The third option is a mobile terminal.
Online payments
If your service is delivery-based, your clients can order and pay online. When they check out, they can be redirected to your payment processor to complete payment. Alternatively, you can opt to have them pay directly on your site, even though your payment processor still facilitates the transaction.
For more information on accepting credit cards in-store and online, or to sign up for a merchant account, please call (888) 924-2743 or go to Charge.com.