Accept credit card payments and checks via online transactions with adding a payment gateway to your website. A gateway allows you to have multiple options available to accept payments from you customers on your website, mobile app, virtual call center or point of sale connection.

• Recurring Billing: Subscription-based pricing is more popular than ever, and a recurring billing feature can allow you to automate this process.
  You can also customize things like billing intervals and set up trial periods for your subscriptions or installment payments.
• One-Button Payment: One of the most appealing features of payment gateways is that they’re generally “plug and play,” meaning you can set them up on your website without having to do any coding.
  BUY NOW, PAY MY INVOICE, DONATE NOW ETC.
• API Connection: All selling software needs to be connected to a secure gateway as well. The software allows you to enter all the customer info, activity etc and then when you click PAY NOW within the software, it will open to a gateway where the customer credit card data will reside and be processed…never within the software!
• Mobile Apps: Mobile Apps also use gateways if they are selling services or products. The app opens into the gateway for a secure customer transaction. Some apps allow the customer to save his credit card information, behind the gateway’s firewall, for future purchases.
• QuickBooks Integration: Most major payment gateways will integrate directly with QuickBooks, potentially saving you many hours of manually transferring transaction data into the program, for an additional fee whether it is a “plug n’ play” or a true integration. (Resource: Merchant Maverick)

A gateway can connect a mobile app to a tablet or smartphone to order-in or takeout! Or you can send an invoice for payment and get the job started! Learn more about the features of a payment gateway below.

Encryption

All payment gateways encrypt sensitive credit card information before they pass it along to the processing bank. A gateway leaves NO customer data on your website or computer, instead it securely resides behind the gateway’s firewall.

Virtual Terminal

A virtual terminal is a browser-based version of the physical credit card terminal. A virtual terminal allows you to input a customer’s credit card information and process a transaction directly through your computer’s web browser via an online web form. Virtual terminals can also be set up to run on mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets. In a retail setting, you can attach a USB-connected credit card reader and take advantage of lower, swiped (or card-present) processing rates.

PCI Compliance

Several gateways on the market today simplify PCI compliance for eCommerce merchants. Transactions are conducted on the gateway provider’s servers, instead of the server hosting your website. Because the gateway interface is integrated into your website, the customer never needs to leave your site to complete an order.

Customer Payment Information Storage

Customers do not have to re-enter their credit card information every time they place an order with some gateways. Payment information storage builds a database of customer information, so the customer can simply choose a card they’ve used before when they come back to your site. Best of all, the gateway encrypts this information and stores it separately from your website. This provides an additional layer of security and eases your PCI compliance requirements.