The Importance of a Simple eCommerce Checkout Process

All online business owners can agree that the most critical component of your online store is the eCommerce checkout. It takes a lot of work (and sometimes paid advertising) to ensure that your website is even found on Google, so it would be tragic to lose your customer at checkout!

For sure, customers who shop online want an easy and relaxing shopping experience.  There is a  reason they are shopping from the comfort of their own home after all.  A confusing or long check out process is frustrating to online customers. In fact it is very common for an online shopper to browse an online store and put items in their basket only to abandon their cart come checkout time. The average number of online shoppers that do this is a whopping 69.3%.  While a portion of those customers who abandon their cart were browsing and not ready to buy, 27% abandoned an order solely due to a too long or complicated checkout process.*

Many of the problems can be fixed through your website design.  The following are some ways that you can simplify and streamline your eCommerce check out process and retain more sales:

1. Don’t Require an Account

Many online stores require a customer to sign up for a new account before they can finish the checkout process. These accounts typically require a lot of extra information and the time it takes to fill out the extra fields can frustrate a customer.  Also, most account sign-ups require a customers to supplying private information such as phone numbers and email addresses which can be a turn-off.  No one wants to be on the receiving end of unwanted calls and emails trying to sell more products, and we don’t want our personal information to be sold.  Being required to create an account caused an average of 35% of customers to abandon their cart*, even more than those facing a complicated checkout!  This problem is easily solved by offering your customers a guest checkout.  Almost all shopping carts offer this option in the cart setup.  If you do not have such an option with your shopping cart software, it would be smart to look for new software!

2. Make Shipping Costs Clear & Easy to Find

Customers like to know the full price of an item, including shipping, before having to go through the hassle of adding their contact and credit card information.  Can you imagine the reaction of a customer who has to sign up for an account before they can see shipping costs?  Adding a shipping details page to your website or a shipping calculator is an easy fix.  A full 24% of customers abandon their cart because they cannot calculate the full cost up front.*  To bring it closer to home, that is 24 out of every 100 customers!

3. Communicate Out of Stock Items on the Item Page

There is nothing more frustrating than filling out all your payment information only to find out the product you want is not available. Out of stock items should be clearly labeled before a customer tries to put the item in their shopping cart.  You should also include information about when the stock will be replenished.  The out of stock item will most likely be found on another website, so if you want to keep the business your customer will need to know how long they have to wait.

4. Give Customers a Chance to Review their Order

Having the opportunity to look over the details of your order one last time before hitting submit is reassuring to a customer. It also benefits you as a merchant by reducing errors in shipping addresses, etc.  You should be sure to include:

• The product photo
• Link back to the item
• Quantity of each item
• Price of each item

By offering this option, a customer has the security of knowing they didn’t accidentally add an unwanted item to the cart or select the wrong size or quantity of an item before confirming their purchase.

5.  Keep the Shipping Information Simple

Does anyone shop at a brick and mortar store anymore? Fortunately, we can say yes!  But the level of expectation is much different.  When we shop at a physical store we expect a line at the checkout counter, so we settle in and wait patiently… most of the time.  However, the internet is all about speed and getting things done quickly.  Even a slow loading website can result in a customer clicking out of the site and going elsewhere.  Because of the fast pace of online sales, you should keep the required fields in the shipping area at checkout to a minimum.

The following is a list of extraneous fields you probably do not want to use:

• Title.  It makes no difference to a purchase if the customer is a Mr., Mrs., or Miss.
• Company name.  This should only be included if you are offering discounts to business owners or selling directly to businesses.
• Date of birth.  Requiring this type of information is too intrusive.  Unless you are selling an age restricted item or have a birthday club, etc., you should leave it out.
• How did you hear about us?  Unless you are in the middle of an active advertising campaign, this question is unnecessary.  Much of that information can be gleaned through analytic software.
• separate billing and shipping address fields without the use of a button or link that copies the information from the billing address into the shipping address.  For example, “Use billing address” or “Copy address above”.

6.  Keep the eCommerce Checkout Process Short

Simply! Simplify! Simplify!

Whenever possible, it is best to use a single page checkout with all of the required fields on one page.  That will help reduce the amount of times a customer has to click the back button when they fail to fill out a required field.  If it is not possible to use a single page checkout, you should limit the pages to two at most.  And remember not to surprise customers with the cost of shipping on the second page!  If for whatever reason you need to use more than two pages, make sure you incorporate some type of bread crumb trail so customers know where they are in the process and how many steps are left.

7.  Secure Your Credit Card Payment Processing

In a recent post, we mentioned that online identity theft has increased drastically since the issuing of chip cards.  That is because it has become almost impossible for identity thieves to use counterfeit cards at a physical store so they have turned to the online venue.  As identity theft continues to grow, you should offer your customers the highest security possible.  That will protect you as an online merchant as well!  You should purchase an SSL certificate to secure your checkout process. That little lock icon in the corner of a browser goes a long way to reassure your customers that shopping with you is safe.  It is also a good idea to display the logo of your SSL provider on the home page and checkout screens.

8.  Give as Many Online Payment Options as Possible

Most shoppers have a preferred way of paying for a product online.  Maybe one credit card offers more security, like instant alerts, while another card offers cashback bonuses on specific products or when used at certain stores.  Whatever the reason, it can be very frustrating for a customer to get all the way to checkout only to find you do not accept their preferred form of payment.  You should use a trusted and full-service payment gateway such as Authorize.net so that you will have the ability to accept all major credit card including American Express, debit cards, and telecheck.  Many people are still confused by PayPal’s antiquated check out process and it will cost you more in fees as your sales grow.

9.  Display Business Information Clearly

It is very important for customers to know they are dealing with a trustworthy business. For that reason, you should display your company information clearly throughout your website and especially during the checkout process. To ensure your customers that they are making purchases from a reputable business be sure to display:

• Physical address
• Contact phone number with a customer service or need help graphic
• Money back guarantee or button for return policy
• Link to privacy policy and security information

10.  Test Your Online Checkout Experience

After you have incorporated the above suggestions and believe your eCommerce checkout process to be simple and streamlined, check it out for yourself!  Visit your site as a shopper and go through the process, making note of any delays or problems you might not have noticed the first time around.  You can also sit down with a friend or two and let them pretend to be a customer.  Their insight may be invaluable.

 

* Baymar Institute – January 9, 2017

15.4 million consumers fell prey to identity fraud in 2016, the highest number of victims in the past six years.  Consumers lost 16 million dollars to fraud, 6.7% higher than losses in 2015.*

In addition, as the use of EMV (chip cards) becomes more common place, identity thieves are evolving and turning their focus to online stores.  While it is becoming more difficult, if not impossible, to use a counterfeit card at a physical store, a growing online market provides plenty of opportunity for abuse whenever a card does not have to be present.

 

A 2016 Identity Fraud Study* found 4 key trends:

• Even though the number of identity fraud victims was higher, the amount stolen was at its lowest point in six years. Over the past six years, identity thieves have stolen $112 billion. To put that into perspective, that works out to $35,600 stolen every minute. ($71,200 was stolen as I wrote this paragraph!)
• After the U.S. started requiring EMV in 2015 to reduce in-store fraud, thieves flocked to new account fraud.  New account fraud occurs on an account within the first 90 days that it is open.  The accounts are opened with the sole intent to commit fraud. In 2016 there was a 113% increase in new account fraud, and that now accounts for 20% of all fraud losses.
• The study noted that when a climate of distrust exists between consumers and their financial institutions, consumers are less likely to use monitoring services, alerts and credit freezes. This leaves the consumer more vulnerable to identity fraud.  In these situations, a consumer’s information is used 75% longer than someone with similar protections in place.  For the financial institution, this represents a 185% greater consumer expense over victims that have high trust in them.
• The study found that 18% of the identity fraud using U.S. credit cards, or $2.4 billion, was conducted outside the United States, making identity theft a global problem.

 

So what can you do to protect yourself as an online merchant?

 

Make sure you get all the information from a customer’s credit card

When taking an order or payment over the phone always ask for:

• The customer’s name exactly as it is shown on their credit card
• The full 16 digits on the card
• The verification number on the back of the card
• The cards expiration date
• Complete address (not just zip code)
• The phone number associated with the account

If someone cannot or refuses to give you full contact information, especially if the name and address seem bogus, you have every right to decline the sale.  In fact, many times fraudsters will use a credit card number from a receipt they found or stole.  Since the CSV code is not included on a receipt, in this case getting that number is one of your best defenses against identity fraud.

 

Beware of different “bill to” and “ship to” addresses

It is important to realize that this tactic is used by many credit card thieves, so be careful!  Asking for a telephone number for both addresses can be especially helpful.  As a matter of fact, before shipping any products you may want to run the addresses and phone numbers though a website like www.anywho.com to check for bogus billing addresses.

If you are suspicious, do some investigating

In the event that the purchase feels “off”, you should dig a little deeper.  Check data fields in your forms to determine if the buyer is a real person. Verify the ZIP Code used by the customer really exists. Check the customer’s e-mail address to make sure it is formatted properly. Check for incomplete names like Mr. Smith or bogus information like as Joe Smith or John Doe for the customer’s name, or an address like 123 Main Street. Checking http://www.ussearch.com/consumer/index.jsp can give the merchant some idea of the customer’s age. Fishy contact information, coupled with the fact that the cardholder is an 80-year-old and ordering the latest video game should consequently raise your suspicions.

Be hesitant to ship extremely large orders for next-day delivery

If you receive an order that is much larger than what is normal for your business, and especially if the customer is requesting next-day delivery, proceed with caution. To be successful, credit card thieves need their sale to be approved and delivered before the identity fraud is discovered.  Since they do not plan to pay for the products in the first place, many times the order will be inflated.  Many developing nations use this type of scam, so if you are facing the above scenario AND the sale is international it should raise a red flag.

When in doubt, take extra steps to validate an order before you ship

If you are not sure a customer is valid, it is perfectly ok to take extra steps to prevent identity fraud.  Better safe than sorry!  You could ask the customer to fax you both sides of their credit card.  You could also ask them to fax a copy of their driver’s license or state-issued identification. If the sale is fraudulent the thief will mostly likely give up and go elsewhere.

If you have an eCommerce store, review your orders

Most payment processing companies automatically check orders for obvious signs of fraud.  Most will also allow you to set conditions yourself via your admin area i.e., requiring zip code verification.  The important thing is to not rely 100% on your payment processor to pick up on fraudulent orders.  You should manually review each order and look for signs of identity fraud.

Closely review and match all order totals with the totals within your payment provider control panel. If an order seems suspicious, check the IP address of the order. You can use the free tool at  Hexillion (or a similar tool) to match the IP address of the computer with the address of the customer. Other steps you can take are to:

• Double check orders where the customer uses a free email account such as Hotmail, Yahoo, gmail etc.
• Double check orders that ship to a P.O. Box.
• Pay close attention to orders where the shipping address is different from the billing address.
• Avoid accepting personal checks – they can easily be stopped.

Use Real-Time Authorization

Using this method credit card information is sent to the processor for immediate approval (usually 5 seconds or less). This method ensures that the credit card has not been reported as lost or stolen and that the number is valid. The customer is still in contact with the merchant, and incorrect information can be corrected.

Let’s say the worst happens and you accept a fraudulent charge

Take immediate steps!  First, call the police to report the crime. Once the police have been notified, call the cardholder’s issuing bank and ask someone to place a courtesy call to the cardholder and have them contact you. Ask the bank representative to mention that you have the shipping address for where the purchase was delivered. When the cardholder returns your call, ask them to report the crime to the police in the city where the product was shipped. You may be able to recover the stolen merchandise.

Are you using the WordPress platform for your eCommerce store?

Here are some tips for making your WordPress website more secure:

Stay current

It is very important to keep your WordPress software up-to-date.  When new updates are released they include improvements, bug fixes and, but most importantly, security patches.  Not updating the software will leave your website vulnerable to hacking.

Guard you back door

For the same reason listed above, plugins and themes should be kept up to date as well.  Plugins and themes are “back doors” that, when not being properly updated, leave your website open to hacking, viruses and provide access to your and your customer’s personal information.

Clean house

Delete all plugins that you are not using.  It is not good enough to deactivate the plugins you are not using, especially if they are not being updated.  By deleting them you are closing the back door and making your website more secure.  As an added benefit, you may notice your website running a little faster!

Be choosy

Be careful when downloading plugins and themes to choose reputable repositories.  WordPress.org is still the most secure website to download plugins and themes from since each are thoroughly scanned before they are admitted into the library.  If you purchase a premium theme or plugins, be sure to investigate the company background and reputation.

Lock it up

Make sure your files are set to the correct/secure permissions.  Folders should be set to 755 or 750, files 640 or 644, and the wp-config file to 600. If someone else uploaded your files (like a web designer) verify with them that the permissions are correct.

Make it difficult

Change your password frequently and make it HARD.  You can use the built in WordPress password generator found inside the user tab to generate a long, ultra-secure password.  Keep it in a document and simply copy and paste when needed.

Choose a good webhost

Buy the best hosting you can afford and use SSL (Secure Sockets Layer).  SSL is required by most payment processors anyway. A website is only as safe as the weakest link on a shared server. Once a hacker gains access to one site on the server, they can easily infect other sites that share the same server permissions. In the end though, as WordPress.org put it, “You will need to choose from shared-hosts, managed-hosts and a number of other variations. Each host will handle security differently, but each will be consistent in that the ultimate responsibility for your installations security will fall on the website owner (not the host).”

 Finally, Trust your gut

Above all, the most important thing to do is trust your instincts. If a customer does not seem completely confident about the information he or she is supplying, or you do not feel comfortable sending merchandise, simply don’t do it. Should the transaction be fraudulent, not only will you be giving your merchandise away for free, but equally important, you will give fuel to the identity fraud epidemic.

(Source:  Javelin Strategy & Research, 2016 – 2017)

Crafters can accept credit cards with ease & flexibility
using a free, mobile credit card machine

Hold onto your dream

You started crafting because you love to work with your hands and found great satisfaction in the final product. Later, you made the decision to sell your crafts and have since coupled the joy of crafting with a desire to earn extra income. Now, the challenge is to create an atmosphere where you can continue to enjoy your gift in the midst of all your business demands. This can be accomplished by simplifying and growing your business at the same time by using a mobile credit card machine.

The easy way to grow your craft business

One of the easiest ways to grow your craft business is to accept credit cards as payment. It has been reported by crafters that their sales increased by as much as 35% when they began to offer their customers the option of paying by credit card.

Your craft sales will increase because:

• By accepting Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and other major credit cards, you are providing a means of payment to customers who do not like to carry cash to craft shows.
• Recent studies have shown that paying by credit card is now more popular then cash or checks.
• Furthermore, it has been proven that customers are more likely to make spontaneous purchases when they can use their credit card.  Of course spontaneous purchases are what craft shows are all about!
• Accepting credit cards enables you to expand into mail order, phone order, and internet sales as well.

Your expenses will decrease because

Taking payment with a mobile credit card machine provides a benefit to you as well! Credit card sales carry much less risk then personal checks that can bounce, because a charge is approved on the spot. Also, personal checks involve a paper trail, meaning additional time and expense.

Free to roam

Merchant Services Philadelphia offers the easiest, most affordable way to accept credit cards while maintaining the ease in which you move from location to location.

A wireless merchant account can often be the answer for a business that is on the move. By using a mobile credit card machine, a business owner can process credit card transactions at any remote location.

Sign up now and receive a free mobile credit card machine!

A mobile credit card machine is offered free of charge to all new retail customers and delivered right to your door. You can begin to accept credit card payments almost immediately.

Features include:

• No application or set-up fee
• No annual fee
• Low rates, free state-of-the art terminals
• Terminal is shipped free, 2nd day air
• Credit card machine is programmed for free & training is free
• Tech support is available 24/7
• Free online merchant account can be accessed 24/7

Tailor made just for you

At Merchant Services Philadelphia we take great pride in our ability to recommend the perfect merchant account for your craft show business. Our many years of experience, low rates, and desire to see your business succeed all work together to provide you with the best merchant account possible.

What you see is what you get

Integrity and honesty is our guarantee to you as a valued customer. We fully disclose all costs associated with opening an account so that you can make an educated decision. There are absolutely no hidden costs or fees.

Learn more about our free mobile credit card machine »

Merchant Account Services To Fit Your Unique Business

The first step to setting up your business for credit card processing is to choose your merchant account services provider. Before you open a merchant account though, it is important to know which account is right for you.  There are a variety of accounts and credit card machines, so it is important that you choose the best solution for your type of business.

What is a Merchant Services Account?

A merchant services account is a type of account that allows your business to accept major credit cards, debit cards and electronic forms of payment.  A merchant account is basically an agreement between you and a merchant acquiring bank for the processing of your customer’s electronic payment for goods.

How are merchant services accounts priced?

It can be complicated to find the right merchant account services provider.  Many processors have tiered pricing, so your monthly processing total and individual ticket make a difference.  Some processors offer low processing rates, but have additional fees.  Some processors have higher processing fees, but no additional fees.  Others will have a mixture of all three!  Make sure that you ask about fees before you sign!

Merchant Services Philadelphia offers low, competitive rates, with no set up fees, no contract, no cancellation fees, and no monthly minimum.  As an added value, new customers receive a free credit card machine.  The machine can be wired, wireless, mobile, or process via a payment gateway.

24/7 Customer Service

Our Customer Service Representatives are available to help you 24/7.  Whether you need help with setup, charge-backs, or simply have a question about your account, we are always available to help.

Are You Ready to Get Started?

As shown above, you will find everything you need to start accepting credit cards at Merchant Services Philadelphia.  With low rate processing and no hidden fees you can keep more of your hard-earned income.  We do not require a contract or impose cancellation fees, so you can try our services as no risk.  Add to that the fact that we will provide you with a free credit card machine and you will see that you actually save money!

Online Credit Card Processing

The benefits of accepting credit cards online

The ability to accept credit cards online is the lifeblood of any business selling goods through an online eCommerce store.  It is also important for businesses that are mobile or require flexibility.  There are several great options for online credit card processing, but there are things you should consider before making a choice.

First things first

The first step is to sign up for online credit card processing services, otherwise known as a merchant account.  Your merchant services provider will help guide you through the steps necessary to accept credit cards online depending on the solution you choose.  If you are running an online store, you will be required to use a payment gateway.  A payment gateway is basically a “bridge” between your store and your merchant bank.  It ensures that transactions travel securely from one place to the next.

What happens next

Once a customer enters his credit card information, the information is securely forwarded to your Merchant Bank’s Processor through the payment gateway.  Next, the specific credit card network (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) receives the transaction from your Merchant Bank’s Processor. Finally, the bank that issued the credit card receives the transaction and makes the decision to approve or decline the charge.  Once approved, the money from the transaction is deposited into your bank account, minus the processing fees.

It is important to choose a online credit card processing company that makes setup easy and offers low fees.

What to look for when choosing a merchant services provider

When you start to investigate merchant services providers you will find that some don’t charge any fees but have higher processing costs.  Others charge an assortment of fees. Make sure you know which fees you will have to pay with your online merchant account.
If you are required to sign a contract, read the contract carefully and look for extra costs such as cancellation fees, setup fees, or monthly minimums.

A point of confusion is that terms may be different depending on the solution you choose to accept credit cards.  Retail credit card processors usually offer “tiered pricing” that is generally determined by how a card is swiped. For example, if you own a retail store and swipe a card into a terminal that would most likely generate lower fees than if you took the information over the phone.  However, the exact opposite might apply for an internet based company. In addition, the majority of mobile credit card processing services offer flat-rate pricing.

What will it cost to accept credit cards online?

In addition to the different pricing packages set out above, there are a wide variety of additional fees depending on which processor you choose. While it is common for processors to charge a per-transaction fee, some charge an additional monthly or gateway fee. Some merchant accounts do not include any additional fees, but have higher processing costs. Others charge an assortment of fees but have lower processing rates. In the end, the amount of your monthly transactions and the average amount of your individual sales will be factored into whatever terms you are offered.  Keep that in mind when looking for a solution that fits your budget.

What you should expect from your online credit card processing company

Accept all credit cards

Regardless of which merchant services provider you choose, you should expect to be able to accept all major credit cards and debit, including MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express.  As a result, you will never miss a sale!

Secure transactions

Your processor should offer use of a well known, trusted payment gateway like authorize.net.  This ensures that all of your transactions are encrypted and securely transmitted to your Merchant Bank’s Processor.

No lengthy contracts

A processor that is secure in his services will not require a lengthy contract.  Instead, he will provide high quality services that will keep you coming back month after month.  If a processor is requiring a lengthy contact, you may want to look elsewhere.

No cancellation fees

Another important thing to avoid is cancellation fees.  If you are unhappy with the service provided to you, or even choose a different path, you should not incur a fee for services you won’t be using.

Excellent customer service

Your processor should provide you with the customer support you need in the case of questions or issues.  You should be given a phone number and email address to reach them.  Most importantly, a customer service representative needs to be available when you need them.  24/7 support is always best.

Data Security

Make sure your processor is proactive when it comes to data encryption and security regulations.  All solutions should meet the Payment Card Industry’s Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). But security doesn’t stop there.  Processors will expect you to comply with the standards too.  You will be required to complete a Self-Assessment Questionnaire on an annual basis.  Your processor may charge an annual fee for reminding and helping you to complete the questionnaire.  Why is this so important?  A recent study revealed that 96% of merchants that had data breaches in 2011 were not PCI compliant.

What are my choices if I want to accept credit cards online?

Online Stores / eCommerce
If you are running an online store, you will want to look into a payment gateway.  It provides security for online credit card processing.  You can use a payment gateway in two ways.  First it can be used to process sale on your eCommerce website.  Second, you can key credit card information in directly from your computer keyboard. Read more about payment gateway services.

Mobile businesses
If your business is on the go, mobile credit card processing could be the thing for you.  Credit cards are scanned using a mobile credit card swiper.  Read more about mobile credit card processing solution.  Another option is wireless credit card processing.  Wireless credit card processors are light weight and flexible.  They have an internal battery that charges for many hours at a time.  Read more about wireless credit card processing.

Now you are prepared!

In conclusion, no matter what type of solution you are looking for that enables you to accept credit cards online, it is important to carefully research your options.  Ask LOTS of questions. Specifically ask about additional monthly, setup and cancellation fees.  If you are required to sign a contract (no lengthy ones please!) make sure you read it thoroughly.  If you do this you will find the perfect online credit card processor for your business.