How to Take Credit Card Orders Over the Internet

Providing an option for customers to complete and pay for an order on your website is becoming the norm. Most businesses selling products have an online store, and most consumers use a credit or debit card to process online transactions. If you don't have the ability to take credit cards online, you will likely lose valuable business to competitors who do.

Plenty of Options

There are several venues available to take credit card orders over the Internet. The companies mentioned within this article are well-known payment processors, but there are alternate companies that can also process your online credit card orders.

PayPal

PayPal offers two options for accepting credit card payments directly on your website. PayPal's Website Payments Standard program allows customers to purchase items using a credit card or PayPal account, but is recommended for small volume processing. If you anticipate high sales processing, consider PayPal's Website Payments Pro, which includes a credit card terminal and gateway in one. Both options work with existing shopping cart functions. Sign up to take credit cards through PayPal on the PayPal website.

Free Digital Photos

Features of Website Payments Standard

  • No credit application
  • No monthly fees
  • Compatible with most third-party shopping carts
  • Suitable for customers who purchase single or multiple items
  • Works for donation websites
  • Calculates sales tax and shipping costs and automatically adds these items to the customer's total
  • Ability to process foreign currencies
  • Provides monthly invoicing, reports and activity logs

Features of Website Payments Pro

  • $30.00 monthly fee (does not include volume or transaction fees)
  • No gateway fees
  • No monthly minimums
  • No early termination penalty
  • No downgrade fees (for downgrading to Website Payments Standard)
  • No statement fees
  • Automatic sales tax and shipping cost calculations
  • Accepts foreign currencies
  • Monthly reporting tools including statements, reports and activity logs.

Fees for PayPal Website Payments Standard and Pro

Based on monthly sales volume:

  • $0-$3,000 - 2.9 percent of sales total, plus 30 cents per transaction
  • $3,000 - $10,000 - 2.5 percent of sales total, plus 30 cents per transaction
  • More than $10,000 - 2.2 percent of sales total, plus 30 cents per transaction
  • Foreign currency conversion - 2.5 percent of foreign transaction sale, plus exchange rate

Google Checkout

Google Checkout is a feature you can integrate into your website's shopping feature. Google checkout can be used to create a checkout feature, or to enhance an existing shopping cart feature you already have. It allows customers who have a Google Checkout account to expedite the shopping process. Google Checkout is safe and secure, and increases traffic and sales from customers because websites who use the feature are posted alongside Google search pages. Sign up for Google Checkout through your business Gmail account, or on the Google Checkout website. A merchant application and credit check are both required.

Features of Google Checkout

  • Increased leads
  • Automatically alerts you when a customer places an order. Visit the Google Merchant Account center to process the credit card. If you order a customized shopping cart from Google Checkout (Google Checkout API), then the customer's card is charged automatically.
  • A wealth of order management features, including search options, partial payment acceptance options, tracking information and order reports.
  • Fraud protection - Google Checkout stops invalid orders from being placed.
  • Chargeback protection

Fees for Google Checkout

Based on monthly sales volume

  • $0-$3,000 - 2.9 percent of sales total, plus 30 cents per transaction
  • $3,000 - $10,000 - 2.5 percent of sales total, plus 30 cents per transaction
  • $10,000 - $99,999 - 2.2 percent of sales total, plus 30 cents per transaction
  • More than $100,000 - 1.9 percent of sales total, plus 30 cents per transaction

Intuit Merchant Service for Web Stores

Intuit, the maker of Quickbooks, offers credit card processing for merchant websites, even if you do not use Quickbooks. However, you must use an e-commerce website program that is approved by Intuit. This option is best for those who are starting from scratch and do not already have a website. Sign up for WebStore merchant service on Intuit's website. A merchant application and credit check are required.

Features of Intuit WebStore Merchant Service

  • Automatically syncs with Quickbooks if you are a Quickbooks user. This provides instant revenue and inventory updates for your financial statements.
  • Accepts all major credit cards
  • Free GoPayment equipment; you can process card-present transactions on your smartphone with GoPayment.
  • Free GoPayment service (regularly $9.95 per month)
  • No setup or cancelation fees

Fees for Intuit WebStore Merchant Service

  • $19.95 monthly fee (subject to sales volume requirements). Fee is waived for first two months.
  • Processing fee of 2.47 percent of sales, regardless of monthly volume
  • Transaction fee of 27 cents per transaction

Other Merchant Services

There are many alternative merchant service companies that you can use to take credit card orders over the Internet. If you use another service, research the fees and policies of the company and make sure your merchant needs are sufficiently met through the provider. Alternative merchant service companies may be a viable option if you have difficulty securing a successful application or credit check with one of the merchant companies listed in this article.