Learn More About Payment Processing Software
What is Payment Processing Software?
Payment processing software powers credit and debit card purchases. When customers make a purchase online, they enter their payment and shipping information into a payment gateway. The payment gateway gives that payment information to the payment processor, which then communicates with both the customer’s and merchant’s banks to complete the transaction. The transaction’s success or failure is reported back to the payment gateway and the customer. In a brick-and-mortar store, a customer’s credit or debit card is swiped into a point of sale (POS) system, which communicates with a payment processor to approve or deny the purchase. Many payment processors charge a fee for each transaction based on the size of the purchase.
Some payment processors have an embedded payment gateway or POS system to create a seamless experience. Any time a credit or debit transaction is attempted, a payment processor is needed. With the rise of digital wallets, payment processors have expanded their functionality to include digital currency and the transfer of money from a source such as Venmo or PayPal to an e-commerce or brick-and-mortar store. Some can process an e-check or set up recurring payments.
Key Benefits of Payment Processing Software
- Processing payments made by credit, debit, and gift cards as well as digital wallets
- Creating a seamless experience for customers
- Determining whether or not payment is valid before fulfilling an order or completing a transaction
- Communicating with a variety of banks to accept payment from anywhere in the world
Why Use Payment Processing Software?
Security — Payment information is extremely sensitive, so it needs protection. Payment processing software is held to high security standards to protect this sensitive information.
Scalability — A small business can use the same payment processor as a large enterprise, with little difference in functionality. Payment processors operate behind the scenes, and companies pay fees to use them. If a small business picks the right payment processor when it starts out, it may never need to change payment processors as their needs increase. Some payment processors handle billing and invoicing, so some internal processes are covered.
Flexibility — Most payment processors handle a wide variety of payments. All payment processors process credit and debit cards, but more are accepting payments from digital wallets, cryptocurrencies, and electronic checks. Some facilitate automatic payments to provide consumers and merchants an added convenience of regular payments. The more options provided to the consumer, the more opportunities a merchant has to make a sale, so it’s in a business’ best interest to utilize a payment processor with a variety of features.
Who Uses Payment Processing Software?
E-commerce businesses — E-commerce businesses rely on payment processing software because that is how they receive all payments. Payment processors integrate with the payment gateway an online business uses or the payment processor has its own payment gateway. Some e-commerce platforms have built-in gateways or processors, eliminating the need to choose a specific one.Because payment processors typically charge fees for each transaction, an e-commerce business needs to be mindful of the processor they choose because all their transactions are carried out by the payment processor.
Brick-and-mortar businesses — Brick-and-mortar businesses use payment processors to process credit cards and other non-cash payments. Typically, a processor is integrated with the POS system used by the store, but an all-in-one POS system might include a payment processor. Since most shoppers use some kind of card to make purchases, a payment processor is a necessity.
Business to business businesses — Every business collects payments in one form or another but businesses that cater to serving other businesses have a unique challenge. Some payment processors are equipped to accept e-checks and lines of credit, and integrate with billing and invoicing software to ensure payments are made and the proper documentation is created. Recurring and automatic payments are useful if a business functions on a subscription model.
Payment Processing Software Features
Encryption — Credit card and other payment information is extremely sensitive and must be protected from hackers and other threats. A good payment processor has strong encryption and likely more than one type of encryption to keep both customer and merchant data safe. If data is stolen the consequences can be dire for a business.
Reports and analytics — Some payment processors provide regular reports based on activity. This helps financial management import payment into analytics software. Knowing how customers make payments and ensuring they match a business’ revenue is crucial.
Processing fees — Many payment processors function by adding a small fee to each transaction. This is often a flat fee plus a percentage of the actual purchase. Some processors have different fee structures, but fees are nearly universal. Fee amounts vary slightly depending on the processor or based on the type of payment used.
E-commerce integration — Payment processor integration into e-commerce stores creates a seamless experience for customers when shopping online. Shoppers input both their payment information and their shipping information at the same time, and the business receives payment and all relevant information to fulfill the order quickly.
POS integration — For storefronts, payment processors integrated with a POS system create a seamless and quick checkout process so the stores receive payment on the spot and customers walk out with their purchase.
Payment methods — More payment methods accepted by a payment processor, means more customers. This includes mobile payments and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Many payment processors accept certain credit cards or work with specific currencies.
Additional Payment Processing Features
E-signatures — Some payment processors allow users to digitally sign (usually using a finger to write) their credit card purchase. This provides added security measures and prevents fraud. This is typically a feature of mobile and tablet-based POS systems integrated with a payment processor. E-commerce purchases do not typically require a signature because they cross-check billing addresses and the security code on the credit card.
Receipts — Some POS systems generate digital or physical receipts. This allows both the merchant and the customer to maintain records. Online purchases use email receipts that can be printed if necessary. For in-store purchases, digital receipts can be emailed or texted.
Card readers — For physical purchases using a credit card, a card reader is important for streamlining the process. It’s much faster to swipe a card or read the chip than manually input the credit card information. Many tablet-based POS systems have a stand that includes a card reader, but for those using a mobile phone, some kind of mobile reader is required. These may plug directly into the phone or connect via Bluetooth.
