By accepting payments on your WordPress website, an enormous potential for making money will open up from what you do. Whether your website sells products, services, or something else, having the correct payment method on your website will allow your customers to shop at their leisure, which is an add-on convenience for them and you.
But first thing first.
How does a payment gateway work?
First of all, a payment gateway is a middleman between customers, your websites, and the payment processor. It is software that connects your website to its processor servers.
This is how it works:
Your customer has already selected a product or service from your website, and they enter the checkout. All the processes beyond this till the response page are handled by the payment gateway providers or the payment aggregators.
1. The checkout page renders for customers to select a payment method
2. The customer enters their payment details, and it securely transfers the payment data to its payment servers.
3. The payment server contacts the servers and authorizes the payment.
4. Upon authorization, it will report to the gateway that payment has been agreed upon, and the gateway will inform your eCommerce platform that the payment has been accepted.
5. The product or service to download or deliver will be released from the website informing the customer.
6. Finally, the gateway will transfer the funds to your bank account.
7. Thus, the transaction concluded.
The process may seem long and complicated, but in actuality, it takes only a few seconds to complete the process.
Adding a Payment Gateway To a WordPress Website
Now that we have covered how a payment gateway works, let’s get into how to add a WP payment gateway plugin to your website. It is a five-step process that is not as difficult as you might imagine, so let’s begin!
- Step 1: Determine the compatibility of your website host with different payment gateways
- Step 2: After reviewing, select a payment method or gateway
- Step 3: The fees and service charges must be compared
- Step 4: Adding the chosen payment method
- Step 5: Lastly, create a Merchant Account
The detailed process—
Step 1: Determine the compatibility of your website host with different payment gateways
The very first step is to see different payment gateways and review their compatibility with each payment method with your website host. Various website hosts have varied guides and instructions to provide you with a comprehensive list to see what your website is compatible with. So we recommend you begin with this. Before deciding the payment gateway for your website, it is vital to understand the different types available and how that particular Gateway is compatible with your WordPress website.
Also Read: Best Website Builder for WooCommerce
Step 2: After reviewing, select a payment method or gateway
After reviewing, you will be able to find which payment method or gateway is compatible with your website host, and this brings the next step of choosing the payment methods to add to your website. It is always recommended to select multiple payment methods that will provide your customers with more options to choose from. Moreover, it is always wise to select the payment methods that are most popular for your customers.
Step 3: The fees and service charges must be compared
Although the integration and set-up fee is a standard charge, depending on the payment gateway you choose, there might be an extra fee for additional security measures and every transaction, including refunds. Review these service charges, and once you understand the fees and extra service charges, you might be able to make an informed decision regarding which payment gateway to choose.
Step 4: Adding the chosen payment method
With the assistance of your web host provider, you can easily integrate the payment gateway into your WordPress website. This option can be operated through the admin page or the control panel.
You may use any payment method and self-verify that the payment gateway is functioning correctly and that transactions are proceeding without an unforeseen incident.
Step 5: Lastly, create a Merchant Account
After installing the required payment gateway, create a merchant account to link all payment methods.
A merchant account is a business bank account with fraud protection, enabling businesses to accept and process electronic payments and card transactions. Creating a merchant account will require your website to link with a merchant-acquiring bank that will facilitate all communications in an electronic payment transaction, acting like a middle-man.
Wrap Up
Those are the main ways to add a payment gateway to your WordPress website. Payment Gateways are fast and secure and enable you to manage your WordPress payments securely without the need to handle any financial data. As per research, in the next five years, the global payment gateway market will register a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 22.2% from 2022 to 2030. Thus, adding a payment gateway for your website is necessary, as it is crucial to your business’s success.
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