A payment gateway is an online service that authorizes and processes payments for online retailers, brick-and-mortar stores, and businesses that want to accept web-based payments. Essentially, it acts as the middleman between a payment portal (like a website or mobile app) and a bank, ensuring that the transaction is carried out securely and efficiently.
How It Works
- Initiation: A customer chooses a product or service on a website and proceeds to the checkout page.
- Data Encryption: When the customer enters their payment information (like credit card details), the web browser encrypts this information.
- Data Transmission: The encrypted payment data is then sent to the merchant’s webserver via SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption.
- Merchant’s Request: The merchant’s server then forwards this encrypted payment data to the payment gateway.
- Transaction Forwarding: The payment gateway sends the transaction information to the payment processor used by the merchant’s bank.
- Payment Processor’s Action: The payment processor forwards the transaction data to the credit card association (like Visa, MasterCard, etc.). If it’s a debit card, it goes to the customer’s bank.
- Approval or Denial: The credit card association or bank then approves or denies the transaction and sends this information back to the payment processor.
- Gateway Receives Response: The payment processor sends this response to the payment gateway.
- Merchant & Customer Notified: The payment gateway sends this response back to the merchant’s website. The response is interpreted and rendered as a relevant message to the end customer, letting them know if the transaction was approved or declined.
- Completion: If the transaction was approved, the bank will send the appropriate funds for the transaction to the payment processor, who will then settle the payment with the merchant.
This entire process typically takes only a few seconds.
Costs
Payment gateway costs vary depending on the provider. Generally, the costs associated with a payment gateway can be categorized as:
- Setup Fee: Initial fee to set up the gateway.
- Monthly Fee: Ongoing fee for using the service.
- Transaction Fee: A small percentage or flat fee charged for each transaction processed.
- Additional Fees: Some gateways might charge for services like fraud protection, chargeback fees, and other additional services.
It’s essential to thoroughly research and compare prices, as well as to be aware of any hidden fees or contractual obligations.
Additional Points:
- Security: A primary role of payment gateways is to encrypt sensitive information, like credit card numbers, to ensure that information passes securely between the customer and the merchant, and also between the merchant and the payment processor.
- Integration: Different eCommerce platforms will have varying levels of integration with payment gateways. Before committing to a specific gateway, it’s essential to ensure it’s compatible with your chosen eCommerce platform.
- International Transactions: If you’re planning to sell internationally, it’s crucial to choose a payment gateway that can handle multiple currencies and payment methods popular in the regions you target.
The link you provided points to eCommerceCEO, which likely offers a more detailed dive into the topic. My explanation provides a general overview, but for more in-depth insights and updated information, it would be beneficial to visit the source directly.
