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The internet is a dangerous place for personal information, and when you look at ecommerce sales it shows.   A recent survey indicated that nearly 32% of purchases are abandoned due to customers being uncomfortable with the site, and an even higher amount (41%) are lost because the checkout process is too long.  However, if you use a website builder like WordPress to manage your content, you can utilize the convenience and good name of industry leaders to push your customers through the final process.

Payment gateways allow your customers to make purchases on your site.  Here are the three most recognizable gateways currently available to WordPress users:

PayPal

Paypal is internationally recognized as the industry leader in payment.  Most of your customers probably already have a PayPal account, so if you use it as a gateway you’re one step ahead.  Money through PayPal takes about 3-4 days to go from purchase to your bank.  Install the plug-in “Are Paypal” and your customers can use their accounts to buy anything you wish to sell, instantly.

Google Checkout

Though a relative newcomer to the scene, Google Checkout is a great payment option for your customers.  People appreciate the convenience of not having to re-register for every site they visit, and with Google Checkout they can make purchases just by staying logged in to their Google accounts.  The all-in-one “WordPress E-Commerce Plugin” is Google Checkout compatible, so it’s easy to implement for the novice website builder.

Authorize.net

The name might not be as familiar as Google or PayPal, but Authorize.net has been a powerhouse in e-commerce payment processing for some time.  Essentially, Authorize.net allows you to accept credit card or electronic check payments directly from your customers, without the need for a PayPal or Google account.  They also offer free customer support (for you), one of the fastest payouts in the business (1-2 days), and advanced fraud protection.  As with Google Checkout, the “WordPress E-Commerce Plugin” suite will allow you to use this payment gateway.

With convienience and name recognition on your side, you will be far ahead of the curve when it comes time for you customers to make a purchase.  Avoid some of the most common causes of abandoned shopping carts and lost sales by using these simple plug-ins and watch the positive impact it has on your sales.

Finally, integrating one of these payment gateways into your WordPress is a strong step towards monetizing your WordPress and impressing your customers, but we recommend you make a purchase through one of these gateways or any plug-in you use to ensure the customer-side experience is streamlined.

Remember that your customers aren’t concerned with how easy something is for you.  If they find your payment options to be unwieldy or inconvenient, they’re likely to take their business elsewhere, so make sure you’re choosing the best tool for your customers and your business alike.