Did you know that most Americans think that they will eventually be a cashless society?
With a surge of online payments using bank cards and other electronic payment methods, it actually isn’t surprising. If you run an online business, as a merchant, then it’s good news for you! But, it can be a little overwhelming when it comes to choosing the right payment processor. The good news is there are some great options. The even better news is that you don’t have to stick to one option.
In fact, the more payment options you provide your customers, the more likely they are to buy from you. Having easy payment methods to offer your customers is crucial for your business. So, here are five payment options you can offer your customers.
Point Of Sale Consumer Financing
By far the most affordable merchant on the market is POS financing. Consumer financing is when a business offers a finance option to their customers so that they can pay in monthly installments. For example, let’s say you have a product or service that comes with an expensive price tag. Your customers or potential customers may want the product but cannot afford to pay for it all in one go.
This is where Point Of Sale consumer financing comes in to help you win over those customers. By offering the option to buy now, pay later, you are also offering another form of customer service. This means that a customer is likely to stay with you long-term and it gives you more power to offer incentives and deals.
POs finance partners like ChargeAfter.com provide merchants with an innovative platform that can be integrated into custom built platforms and others including Magento, Shopify, WooCommerce and more. Merchants are also given direct access to a network of multi-lenders who are able to facilitate the instant loans and legal terms without any hassles and provide up to 85% approval rates to your shoppers.
PayPal
PayPal needs no introduction, it’s reliable, credible, and secure. According to Statista, it reported that in 2019, PayPal had over 277 million users worldwide. With that amount of users, you can’t really afford not to offer a PayPal option. Plus, when people see the PayPal sign, it gives them a sense of security, they know their information will be safe.
Stripe
Stripe is another popular choice, and rightly so. It is versatile and easy to use.
If you have an e-commerce store or a subscription-based service, then Stripe is definitely worth considering. It actually works for any type of website. The great thing about Stripe is that it accepts all major credit and debit cards globally. American Express, Visa, and Mastercard are all excepted by Stripe.
Perhaps the best feature about Stripe is that it allows you to integrate alternative payment options like Apple Pay, Google Pay, Microsoft Pay, and so on. For you, the merchant, it costs 2.9% + $0.30 for each card charged. For international cards, there is an added 1% charge.
Square
As for POS systems and in-person payments, Square is a popular choice.
But, it also offers online payment options. So, if you run a business in a physical location as well as online, Square is one of the best options. Square is a breeze to set up if you already use online platforms like WordPress, WooCommerce, Wix, and many more. Square’s pricing is competitive. Just like Stripe, they charge $2.9 + $0.30 for each transaction. One great thing about Square is they do not charge you any monthly fees for adding their gateway to your website.
Google Pay
Like PayPal, Google needs no introduction. But, you may not be aware that Google has a digital wallet called Google Pay. Google Pay can be easily integrated and works well, with mobile apps and eCommerce stores. It also offers in-person checkouts.
That’s why big companies like Airbnb use Google Pay.
Google Pay is compatible with most other payment methods you may already be using. After all, this is Google we are talking about here, they know what they are doing.
Similar to PayPal, when consumers see a Google Pay option, they know you are serious. When StubHub integrated Google Pay onto their platform, their conversions skyrocketed.
The Bottom Line
Your online store is pointless if it doesn’t get you paid. However, it is important to understand that not all consumers think in the same way.
That is why you need to offer a range of payment options. The more options you provide, the more it will pay off in the long-term.