Choosing your payment provider: 6 key criteria

A lack of diversity in the payment methods offered, an overly long and complicated ordering process, or a feeling of insecurity when paying (reassurance problem) are among the main reasons for visitors’ retractions.

In fact, France is the European country with the highest shopping cart abandonment rate, at 93%(source: Fevad).

The choice of your payment service provider, and therefore your payment platform, should not be left to chance. To help you find your way around, we’ve identified 6 key criteria to consider when making your decision.

Payment is a sensitive subject, subject as it is to numerous regulations. It is therefore essential that your PSP (payment service provider) offers complete security for your customers’ banking and personal data in a standardized environment. PCI-DSS . This reassurance will enable your customers to fill in their data with confidence on secure forms, and relieve you of the legal constraints associated with managing this data.

To be better protected against the risk of card disputes due to fraud, make sure your PSP offers a strong authentication system (3D Secure 2.0) and a risk scoring service. 3D Secure is a secure Internet payment protocol that limits the risk of fraud by authenticating the cardholder using an SMS code or a dedicated banking application. Add to this a risk scoring service that can cross-reference various buyer-specific data (visitor geolocation, basket value, successive payments, stolen card declaration, etc.), and your payment platform can judge the potentially fraudulent aspect of the payment, and reduce your risk of dispute.

When you created your e-commerce site, you probably chose to use an open-source CMS (Magento, Woocommerce, Prestashop), like more than 80% of e-commerce sites. However, it’s quite possible that you’ve decided to develop your online store not through them, but through a freelance developer or an agency.

No matter how you set up your business, check that your payment solution offers the right modules. Generally speaking, service providers offer either CMS plug-ins, which are very simple to integrate and require little or no technical expertise, or APIs, which may be a little more complex to implement but offer more advanced customization.

In terms of both trust and consistency in the purchasing process, the various personalization options are a real added value.

Not all payment service providers offer the same level of personalization. It’s up to you to define your needs before choosing your service provider. However, there are two types of personalization that are important for customer experience and loyalty :

• Customize your bank label (called ” descriptor “) : this allows you to use your merchant site name in the bank label and avoid any misunderstanding for the buyer. And build trust between you and your customers.
• Customize your payment page/form : personalize your payment page with your logo, color, and establish a real identity. Maintaining this visual identity throughout the purchasing process creates a real sense of consistency, reassuring customers and making it easier for them to proceed to the checkout stage.

It is therefore preferable to choose a payment service provider that offers at least these two options.

You should also check that your payment page is responsive. In other words, it has to adapt to all media (computer, tablet, phone). A poor display can cost you sales.

Whether your company sells nationally, Europe-wide or internationally, the preferred payment methods differ from country to country and customer to customer (bank transfer, direct debit, wallet, credit card). Choose a payment provider that offers the widest possible range of payment services. This will enable you to offer the most appropriate payment method for each of your customers, and adapt to each culture, whatever your catchment area. This will significantly increase your conversion rate.

Choose a payment provider that allows you to use multiple payment methods (multi-participant, X times, subscription, multi-support, 1-click, etc.). Offering different payment methods enables you to adapt to each customer’s needs, and also ensures higher conversion rates and potentially higher average shopping baskets (for example by offering payment in 3 instalments or an additional purchase in 1 click).

The VAD (distance selling) contract is the contract that binds you to your bank, enabling you to collect online transactions as part of an e-commerce activity.

Setting up a VAD contract with your bank is often complex. It’s not uncommon for banks to require you to have all your accounts domiciled with them, which means a lot of extra paperwork. It’s also worth noting that even if you sign a VAD contract with your bank, you’ll also need to sign up with a payment service provider to integrate the solution on your merchant site.

To reduce and simplify administrative procedures, choose a payment platform that manages both technical implementation (i.e. integration on your merchant site) and VAD contracts. You’ll have a single point of contact, control over the entire payment chain, and benefit from faster, simpler implementation.

You should also choose a payment service provider offering a complete back office. The more comprehensive its features, the easier it will be to manage your day-to-day transactions.

Among the indispensable tools in your back office functionalities are those related to reconciliation. Bank reconciliation is a repetitive, tedious task with no real added value for your company. Choose a payment service provider that offers statistical, reporting and export tools, making it easier for you to manage your accounts.

You’ll have more time to concentrate on your strategic priorities and developing your business.