How to Choose the best WooCommerce Gateway for Credit Card Processing

Know what key factors to consider when choosing a payment gateway for WooCommerce credit card processing.

Many customers have experienced the frustration of trying to make a purchase and getting to checkout — only to realize that a merchant does not accept their preferred payment method. If a merchant’s checkout process is not efficient, convenient, and accommodating, eight percent of surveyed consumers would abandon their purchase entirely (Koksal, 2019). However, by making more payment options available, you can appeal to a broader consumer base both locally and globally. That’s why it is important to choose a payment gateway that is secure and can accept hundreds of the most popular payment methods and cards from around the world. 

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a WooCommerce Credit Card Processor

1. Is it Direct or Redirect?

One of the first things to consider when shopping for a payment gateway compatible with WooCommerce is whether or not the payment solution redirects away from the online store or is a direct integration. When a customer goes to check out, a redirect will take them to a different payment site to complete the transaction.

The advantage of a redirect is that it is simple for the merchant because a redirect gateway combines the security and convenience of a supported platform like PayPal. However, the process gives less control to the business owner and adds a second step for customers who can abandon their cart due to slow load times. 

2. What’s the Cost?

Costs for payment gateways can be confusing for merchants to compare because they are not standardized. Where some require monthly subscription fees, others have varying transaction fees. Some may charge you a sign up fee or a fee for purchasing the plugin. On top of that, there may be any combination of those charges in one gateway. It is also important to pay close attention to country-based payment options. While many merchants initially serve local customers, accepting online payments can open up the global marketplace. While this is one of the benefits of accepting diverse payment methods, it can create extra costs for businesses if they are not choosing their payment gateway wisely.

3. What Security Features are Available? 

Chargebacks have been increasing by 20% year over year, and the number one reason is fraud.  Check that your WooCommerce credit card processing provider has varying layers of fraud protection, clear chargeback policies and comes with built-in risk, compliance and identity verification. Businesses lost 4% of their revenue to chargebacks in 2019, making strong security features and clear chargeback rules a must-have for any business using WooCommerce.

4. Is there Support for WooCommerce Subscriptions?

Not all payment gateways can handle subscription services like online courses or membership plans. On top of that, merchants may need a gateway that can work in multiple currencies and across many different payment types for their subscriptions. Businesses that rely on these services need to carefully select a payment processor that can process recurring payments. Some payment gateways may require manual processing of subscriptions, whereas others will be able to do them automatically. 

5. Is it GDPR Compliant?

GDPR is Europe’s data protection and privacy law. When conducting business internationally, it is essential that merchants make sure to follow these guidelines with whatever WooCommerce payment processing platform they choose. This law is not just relevant to businesses in the EU; but also covers EU citizens traveling abroad. Merchants can face hefty fines if they unknowingly choose a payment gateway that is not compliant and a security breach occurs for an EU customer, which is why it is important to be sure that your gateway is GDPR-compliant, regardless of where you are located.

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Don’t Miss Out on New Locations and New Customers 

Merchants can now expand the reach of their services and products internationally simply by expanding the payment methods and currencies they accept. Make sure the payment gateway you choose accepts both local and international credit cards. Accepting a wide variety of cross-border payments can greatly boost conversion rates, reduce cart abandonment, and help services and products have the widest reach possible. The best payment gateway for WooCommerce is one that seamlessly integrates with your online store and provides payment options that not only serve the local community but also the preferences of international consumers. 

Grow your Business Internationally with WooCommerce Credit Card Processing

Cart abandonment is averaging 70% in recent years, so choosing the right WooCommerce credit card payments processor is critical to retain customers (Mrkonjrć). The best payment providers, like Rapyd, offer support for diverse methods of payment locally and internationally such as bank transfers, ewallets, and cash on top of credit and debit cards. 

Rapyd’s WooCommerce plugin has everything a merchant needs for their WooCommerce store, with a cost-effective, secure, and robust payment gateway that is available in over 100 countries and offers global support. Start quickly accepting payments with easy setup and management.

Add Secure WooCommerce Credit Card Processing to Your Store with the Rapyd Payment Plugin for WooCommerce.

Sources

Koksal. (2019, 03 11). Why Businesses Need Diverse Payment Options. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ilkerkoksal/2019/08/31/why-businesses-need-diverse-payment-options/?sh=5a465fbc7ebd

Magenest. (2020, 06 19). 6 Best WooCommerce Payment Gateways for WordPress. Magenest. https://store.magenest.com/blog/direct-or-redirect-payment-gateways/

Mrkonjrć. (2020, 04 05). Shocking Shopping Cart Abandonment Statistics. Writersblock Live. https://writersblocklive.com/blog/shopping-cart-abandonment-statistics/

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