Payment Gateways: What's right for your kiwi business?

With more new and exciting ways to do business, and to do business better, knowing what's the right fit for your business can be a little to take on. Which is why we're breaking down what you need to keep in mind while choosing the right payment gateway to suit the needs of your business and you customers. 

What is a payment gateway?

Acting as a bridge between your business and your customers, a payment gateway lets your businesses accept payments by connecting payment processors and merchant account providers.

Basically, it's a conduit that passes card transaction information from the merchant to the relevant banks through physical EFTPOS card terminals and payment services and APIs for websites and mobile applications.

What to consider when choosing a payment gateway?

Payment gateways are incredibly beneficial for kiwi businesses, especially as more and more of our transactions move online! Payment gateways allow quick, seamless and easy transactions, so you can keep it moving. Here are a few things to keep in mind while choosing a payment gateway.

Security

Your customers are putting their trust and their financial details into your hands. So when you're looking for a payment gateway, look for one that protects against fraud and includes data encryption. Basically, make sure the security features are up to scratch. 

Transaction Fees

We've all encountered an additional surcharge for using a credit card or pay wave at some point, just like physical card terminals, your payment gateway will include fees. When choosing, have a budget in mind and consider the pricing structure of different gateways - whether these are per transaction, monthly charges and any additional costs. It's also worth considering how you'll cover these fees - will they be absorbed as a business cost, passed onto your customers or built into your pricing structure.  

Ease of Use

User friendly tech and interfaces has never been more important. After all, neither you or your customers want to use a platform that's hard to use. Ensure your gateway is straightforward, easy to use and integrated seamlessly into your existing business tools. It's also worth checking the quality and availability of customer support offered by the provider. If they're a global brand, make sure there call hours cover when you'll be doing business in Aotearoa. 

Payment Methods Supported

What payment methods do you want to support? It may not be economical to support all methods, but you want to cover off the most important ones to you and your customers. Ask yourself and your team what payment methods are requested the most, consider what you like to use, and be sure to keep existing popular methods. The key is that you're able to support all your clients (existing and potential). 

Scalability and Growth 

When it comes to your business, you might be looking to grow or you might be happy with where you're at and like to maintain. Either way, you want to future proof your payment gateway. Choose a gateway that can handle increasing transaction volume, as the ability to asap to future payment trends and continue to support your business as it flourishes. 

Want to talk more about payment gateways? Or still unsure of what your business needs? We can help with that! Book a call with one of our experts to see how we can help connect you to your new payment gateway.