All the possible payment methods for an online shopping

 Configuring the methods of payment that are available for customers to use is often one of the last tasks when it comes to launching an e-commerce shop.

The options that we provide to pay may seem like something trivial, but it can mean the difference between success and failure in an online shop.
PayPal, Stripe, your bank’s payment gateway… Which to choose?
A customer might decide not to make a purchase if they option they prefer isn’t offered. Can you imagine losing sales just because they don’t have a way to pay?
It’d make you want to pull your hair out!
That’s why in this article we are going to tell you each and every possible payment method to offer your customers.
To start, remember this sentence:

For the customer that wants to pay, even having all the options isn’t enough.

These are the options and tools that we are going to tell you about to make sure you don’t lose even a single sale.

1. PayPal

It’s been around on the Internet since 1998 and, though it wasn’t easy in some countries, it has become a 100% trusted payment platform for online buyers.
Trust is the key factor. While it’s been a slow process, little by little Internet users are losing their fear of making online payments. Users have to be completely sure that their money is in a safe place.
PayPal has worked hard at that and is now considered to be an almost compulsory payment method in any e-commerce shop.

2. Payments with Stripe

In a market that was dominated by PayPal, a new online payment service has emerged with a vengeance, and there’s no surprise there.
Stripe is a payment method that is being installed more and more and that you should know about, value, and probably include as a payment option.
Unlike PayPal, users don’t need to have an account with Stripe since it only offers the option to pay with the most common cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express…

3. Virtual POS

This form of payment is the one offered by banks in order to directly send payments to your bank account.
The payment is made in the same way as when a customer is in a physical shop and pays with their card, except without the card reader.
In other countries, each bank has its own payment gateway, but in Spain there are two main options:

• Redsys: for Servired, 4B, and Cajas Rural banks.
• Ceca: for savings banks.

The main inconvenience, aside from the payment being made off of your website, is the commission.
They normally charge you a minimum, which is typically quite high, just for having a POS. If you don’t invoice enough to start making up for that fixed payment, stick with other services that don’t come with any minimums.

4. Other forms of online payments

There’s more out there than what we’ve covered. These are the ideal complementary services to make sure not a single customer escapes because of a lack of options:

• Cash on delivery: years ago it was essential because of the lack of trust online. It’s starting to disappear now.
• Check: the truth is that it’s not really understood why WooCommerce and others continue accepting checks. It’s typically done for verification purposes.
• Transfer: for those who are still reluctant to give their card info, this is a good alternative. It gives them a 4-5 day window for you to receive the money before sending the product.

Too many options?
You’ve already seen the huge amount of variety, which is exactly why it’s so important to see which of them most suit you.