Running an online store isn’t easy. There are hundreds of things to check, test, run, and track to ensure stellar performance. Among these, one aspect you absolutely cannot afford to overlook is the ecommerce gateway.
An ecommerce gateway is like the bridge between your customers and the payment processors. It ensures transactions are smooth, secure, and efficient. Without it, you could lose customers who abandon their carts due to inconvenient payment processes, or worse, you could compromise their financial information with weak security.
So, you need the best ecommerce gateway not just to facilitate transactions but also to boost your business’ performance. Below, we have shared some of the important features you should consider when buying the best ecommerce gateway.
6 Features to Look For in The Best Ecommerce Gateway
- Multiple Payment Modes to Make Buying Easy
Almost 70% of people leave their cards, and around 9% do this because online stores don’t offer them enough payment methods. Now, this percentage may look small, but if your store is attracting a million, 9% is a huge deal. You cannot ignore it.
To beat this issue, the best ecommerce gateways give you multiple payment options. This includes:
- Credit/Debit Cards: Accepting all major credit and debit cards ensures that you can serve a global customer base.
- Digital Wallets: Integration with popular digital wallets like PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Amazon Pay provides convenience and speed for customers who prefer these methods.
- Bank Transfers: Direct bank transfers can be a preferred option for high-value transactions or for customers who are wary of using credit cards online.
- UPI and Mobile Payments: In markets like India, Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has become a dominant payment method. So, you need to invest in a gateway that supports such payment methods.
- Easy Payment Options to Boost Sales
It’s not just the mode of payment but also the type that matters. Nowadays, flexible options like “Buy Now, Pay Later” EMI, or discounts are encouraging customers to shop without stress.
For instance, imagine you have a customer who really wants to buy something but doesn’t have the cash upfront. In such a case, the best ecommerce gateway offers a “Buy Now, Pay Later” (BNPL) feature. This nifty option lets them get what they want now and pay for it later, often without interest, if they pay on time.
It’s a win-win: customers love the flexibility, and you get fewer abandoned carts and higher sales. Experts believe that merchants offering BNPL see more conversions and repeat customers. The same goes for other options like EMI, discounts, offers, etc.
- Customisation to Offer Personalised Features
The cookie-cutter ways are gone. Now, the best ecommerce gateways offer customisation. You can tailor the checkout experience according to your brand and customer preferences.
Such features allow you to add personalised messages, customise the interface to match your brand, or offer localised payment options. These small touches can make a big difference in how customers perceive your store.
Not only this, but the best ecommerce gateway also curates solutions that are specifically helpful for your industry. So, be it offering cashback on a particular purchase or giving a discount on a product, you can do it all with this feature.
- Matchless Security to Ensure Trust and Transparency
Security is a major concern among customers – 37% if we want to discuss numbers. This is why many customers also prefer buying from top companies or going to physical stores. The best ecommerce gateway prevents this by offering a highly secure platform.
Plus, it also offers a secure dashboard with an added layer of security to safeguard sensitive information. A few of the things you can check for security are:
- PCI DSS Compliance: Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliance is essential for any payment gateway. It ensures that the gateway adheres to stringent security standards to protect cardholder data.
- Encryption: Strong encryption protocols are crucial for safeguarding sensitive information during transactions. This includes using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption to protect data.
- Fraud Detection Tools: Advanced fraud detection mechanisms can identify and prevent fraudulent transactions. Features like CVV verification, address verification, and multi-factor authentication add extra layers of security.
You can also contact the ecommerce payment provider to get proper details.
- Easy Onboarding and Seamless Integration for Smooth Operations
The best ecommerce gateway is also the easiest to use and operate. So make sure you take a demo and learn how it works. Also, the payment gateway should integrate seamlessly with your existing ecommerce platform to provide a smooth operational experience.
Here are a few key areas to consider:
- API Access: Look for robust APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that allow for custom integrations. This way, you can tailor the payment gateway to meet your specific business needs.
- Plugins and Extensions: Many payment gateways come with handy plugins and extensions for popular ecommerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento. These tools make the integration process easier and reduce the need for extensive technical know-how.
- Mobile Compatibility: With so many people shopping on their phones, your payment gateway must offer a seamless mobile payment experience.
- Detailed Analytics and Reporting For Tracking Growth
Finally, the task of the best ecommerce gateways doesn’t end when you get paid. It keeps on analysing the data to offer you comprehensive reports of the sales.
Here’s what you should look for:
- Detailed Transaction Reports: These are essential for monitoring sales, tracking payment trends, and spotting potential issues.
- Sales Analytics: Advanced analytics tools can give you insights into customer behaviour, sales trends, and conversion rates. This information is gold for optimising your marketing strategies and boosting overall business performance.
- Customisable Dashboards: A customisable dashboard lets you track the metrics that matter most to your business, offering real-time insights and facilitating quick decision-making.
Start Your Journey Today
Choosing the right payment gateway for your ecommerce business can deliver remarkable results, especially for enterprises handling large volumes of online payments. So, if you are among them, you know how to find the best ecommerce gateway now.
Currently, Plural by Pine Labs is among the most trusted names in the market. Its Affordability Suite boosts sales by increasing the number of purchases made by your customers. Customer-friendly options, such as Buy Now Pay Later and EMIs, allow buyers to pay a large amount over a period of time.
Moreover, Plural’s Affordability Suite allows your business to include deals, discounts, rewards, and cashback at checkout. Ultimately, this leads to a word-of-mouth marketing of your brand by your customers. There are many such impressive features, which you can read about on Plural’s website.
