ONLINE PAYMENT: THE BEST E-COMMERCE SOLUTIONS AS A STRIPE OR PAYPAL ALTERNATIVE
Which online payment method to choose for your e-commerce store? Or what stripe or PayPal alternative if your account is blocked on these platforms?
This is a point that we do not immediately think about when we start e-commerce and open an online store. Indeed, the payment is at the end of the sales funnel. However, it is the most important moment in the sales phase that will determine whether the customer’s basket will be abandoned or not.
Without a payment method, your customers will not shop. If you offer unsuitable payment methods, they will abandon the transaction. Likewise, if your online payment page is poorly designed if the systems do not work, or if your site does not inspire confidence, the same result: you lose sales and therefore money.
Once the sale has been made, if the product is not satisfactory or if it has never received the goods, he will be able to make complaints, for example on his Paypal account, which can block your Paypal account for several weeks. or month.
The question of online payment methods on your online store is therefore crucial and requires your full attention.
It also asks that you be well informed on the subject to make the right decision. We will see together in this article the criteria to be taken into consideration in order to choose your online payment methods.
You will discover the two main systems in place in the field of online payments, Paypal and Stripe.
Finally, we present to you several other online payment solutions, which can be a good Stripe or Paypal alternative. Finally, we present the top current solutions for your online payment system.
stripe competitorsHow does online payment work?
The first fundamental point of online payment is of course security. It’s not just a matter of putting a module on your site and fields in which your customers can enter their banking information.
The payment area must be secure. That is, the information entered there must be encrypted to prevent hackers or malicious people from accessing and misusing it.
It is for this reason that you will be forced to use a third-party service, an online payment provider, which will take care of this secure aspect, a little too technical to deal with alone.
What are the available online payment methods?
There is a wide variety of online payment methods. It’s up to you to choose which ones best suit your online business and especially your customers.
The most common online payment options are:
Bank cards
You can offer all types of bank cards and there are many:
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Maestro
- American Express
Online payment solutions, such as PayPal, Google Pay, or Apple Pay
These options are particularly popular with millennials because of their ease of use.
The bank transfer
Very little popular with us, but very common in neighboring countries like Germany, a bank transfer is a very safe and simple option.
What online payment methods for your e-commerce store?
To be sure to optimize your chances of conversion on your website, it is very important to offer the right means of payment. You must therefore ask yourself several questions in relation to your business and your company.
Here are the criteria to take into account:
National or international delivery?
The means of payment mentioned above concern France. But if you are selling abroad, then you have to offer the payment methods in use in the country in question.
So remember to inquire and see if the payment solution is available in the country you are targeting so as not to have any bad surprises.Namely, some countries
It is, therefore, necessary to study the consumption habits of a country before entering this new market. To get a quick idea of the e-commerce potential of all countries in the world, we recommend that you read the Digital Report, which is updated each year.
What types of products do you sell?
The style of your store and the type of products or services you offer can also influence payment methods. If you are creating an online luxury goods store, you should offer as many payment methods as possible, including American Express.
Likewise, if you are selling expensive products, costing several hundred dollars each, it may be worth offering your customers payments in installments.
Who is your audience?
Here again, the social and demographic profile of your target is important in the choice of payment methods for your store.
If your customers are younger and/or students, focus on simple and mobile payment methods, such as PayPal or Google Pay .
Conversely, if your customers are mothers or businesses, for example, prefer traditional and reassuring payment methods, such as bank cards or bill payments.
What e-commerce online payment solutions?
As an entrepreneur, in dropshipping France or other, two main options are available to you regarding the choice of an online payment system for your site.
Banking establishments
One way or another, when it comes to official regulations, banks always have a role to play. They are indeed the guarantors of the security of Internet transactions.
As an e-merchant, one of your options is precisely to contact the banking establishment of your choice, to sign a distance selling electronic payment contract, or VAD contract (Distance selling).
This contract, between the payment provider and e-merchant, sets the framework for the transactions that will be carried out by the latter, using the payment module provided by the banking establishment.
As you can imagine, this service comes at a cost, which differs from one provider to another. You will therefore have to do a little market research before you decide. First of all, it should be noted that it may be interesting, from a practical point of view, but also with a view to possible negotiation, to first contact the same banking establishment as the one where your company is registered.
But if the prices are very high, it is better to compete and change establishment. The fees you will need to pay are as follows:
- Fixed costs for installing the payment module
- A monthly subscription
- Fees on each transaction
Banks usually offer packages based on the order volume of your Internet store. Depending on your plan, you benefit from more or fewer payment methods, different levels of assistance, and security.
As for commissions on transactions, they will be included in your package up to a certain level, then they will be 15 to 40 cents per transaction or calculated according to a percentage on the sale, which can range from 0, 5 to 1.5%. As you can see, there are a few costs that are worth a closer look at POS solutions for an online store.
Take the time to evaluate the different offers, to be sure to choose the right payment solution for your volume of activity. In all cases, you will need to make an appointment with an advisor to sign a VAD contract.
Also, don’t forget to factor these costs into your business plan and when you calculate your profit margin.
Non-bank collection solutions
In reality, there are no solutions outside the banking system, because any transaction must be done within a legal framework approved by the Prudential Control and Resolution Authority .
These alternative solutions are nevertheless interesting insofar as they negotiate the bank rates for you, which will therefore in principle be more advantageous.
But then again, the choice is difficult, because the options are numerous. Paypal and Stripe, the most used online payment solutions
It is obviously the star of online payment providers, with great worldwide popularity, even if this service is not entirely flawless. Paypal opinions are indeed mixed.
Paypal is the preferred online payment solution for entrepreneurs and very small businesses, due to its ease of operation and very low cost. If we were to retain just one number for Paypal, it would be the following: 87% of millennials use it to make payments or to receive and send money. In addition, 30% of PayPal transactions are done on mobile, making it an ideal tool for mobile-optimized online payment solutions.
Paypal gives you access to all major payment methods and allows you to sell in 200 markets, in 25 currencies. The modules are very easy to install and already integrated into most e-commerce solutions. Without subscription or registration fees, PayPal offers simple and transparent pricing: € 0.35 per transaction and 2.90% of the order amount.
Some Paypal reviews have mentioned some security concerns. The company takes all the necessary measures, but scams can occur due to third-party sites. Indeed, if you make a Paypal payment on a site victim of a hack, hackers will access your account. This is why it is important to change your codes regularly. Another issue raised in Paypal reviews relates to phishing. This scam consists of sending fake emails, bearing the Paypal logo. It’s up to you to verify the authenticity of these shipments.
That said, with 177 million users, Paypal is definitely an option worth considering.
Many dropshippers often have their Paypal account blocked due to too many complaints or returns. We have done a special article on dispute resolution for your Paypal account .
Stripe
Stripe is another company that allows entrepreneurs to offer a variety of payment methods on their online store.
Stripe Payments is also concerned with your shopping journey and does everything to optimize your customers’ shopping journey.
Stripe will integrate easily, both with your website and with a marketplace. This online payment provider offers packages based on your business profile.
In recent months, Stripe has been accepting dropshippers less and less, due to the large sums of money in transaction and especially the much higher potential for returns and complaints. So if you have too much turnover in a short period of time, Stripe has a good chance of suspending your account!
In the event of a blocked Stripe account, which Stripe alternative should you turn to?
Alternative Stripe: 5 online payment solutions to use in case of blocked stripe account or blocked Paypal account
Shopify Payments, the best Stripe alternative
Directly configurable from your Store, Shopify Payments is a complete online payment tool that of course offers you classic payment by credit card, but also payment via Google Play and Apple Pay.
Shopify Payments also makes it possible to pay via Sofort Banking and via Klarna Pay Later, which, as its name suggests, offers deferred payment, which can be an advantage for certain types of customers.
Regarding Shopify Payments fees, they are 1.5% and 0.25 cts for bank cards.
If your dream is also to open your own physical store, you can also link Shopify Payments and Shopify POS to have all your purchases centralized between online and physical store.
Mollie, the strength of simplicity
Mollie is an online payment solution launched by Dutch developers which can prove to be a very good stripe alternative for online payments .
It offers traditional means of payment, but also others, valid in Europe and internationally:
- Apple Pay
- SEPA direct debits and transfers
- Sofort Banking
- Paysafecard
You will also have access to collection methods specific to the following countries:
- Belgium
- Netherlands
- Austria
- Germany
- Finland
- Italy
- Poland
For each means of payment, different rates and commissions apply, which you can study on the site, but which are grouped together under a single contract.
For example, for a payment by bank card, it will cost you 0.25 cent and 1.2% of the amount of the transaction.
Unlike other online payment providers, Mollie does not require a subscription or registration fee. You can easily install Mollie on your website with a free plug-in.
If you are more comfortable with the code, then you will have the option of creating a completely personalized payment page.
PayPlug, stripe alternative
PayPlug is another online payment solution which has a partnership with Shopify and which is a very good stripe alternative. Available for merchants and e-merchants, the solution relies on simplicity and security thanks to the Smart 3-D Secure format in accordance with the DSP2.
PayPlug also offers a payment page personalization with your logo, your company colors… everything to ink your brand image and inspire confidence in customers when they need it most.
Hipay, another stripe alternative
Hipay is another online payment solution and a good stripe alternative for online stores, particularly interesting for offering no less than 220 payment methods and 150 currencies. In addition, a 360-degree service allows you to analyze your customer data to determine the most suitable means for your e-commerce business.
The company works with both small businesses and large groups.
The easy integration with plugins still allows you to build fully customized pages.
Ingenico Group’s online payment solution
Ingenico is the leading provider of payments. The Ingenico ePayments service is the one that will be of interest to online store managers who need a stripe alternative and another online payment provider. With more than 300,000 customers and a presence in 170 countries, this is a solution that will provide you with all the functionalities in this field.
This online payment provider invests all its efforts to streamline the sales channel and ensure the highest conversion rate.
Its full service solution reduces all interactions related to online payment to a single point of contact. In addition, it easily integrates with all e-commerce platforms.
Ingenico offers three packages and you will receive price details on request. We advise you to test one of these 5 online payment solutions as an alternative stripe.
How to optimize your store’s online payment page
After all the effort you’ve put in to get a visitor to your checkout page, and with a good online payment solution, you might think the hard part is done.
Unfortunately, the figures will contradict you: 68% of Internet users abandon their cart on the payments page.
While a good payment provider is essential, the structure and appearance of your page are just as important. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and think about all the points that could hinder this shopping journey.
The watchword is: fluidity. Everything must take place in the greatest flexibility. Here are the tips that will make the difference on your conversion rate:
1. Minimize steps
This will influence your choice of a payment provider: simplify the payment process as much as possible and have everything done on one page.
2. Indicate the progress of the process
You will be able to find plug-ins on your website representing the stages of payment progress.
3. Offer the option to purchase without registration
This practice is unfortunately little used in France and it is a shame because as consumers constantly forced to enter their contact details everywhere, it is a real pleasure not to have to do so. We therefore strongly recommend that you offer an express checkout system to increase your sales.
Of course, it is tempting to keep a customer’s contact details to feed their mailing list, but those who wish can always do so. Ultimately, you get a sale and a captive customer for your email campaigns. Isn’t that really better than nothing?
4. Keep the design of your brand and your site
It is important not that the visitor has the impression of having changed site. Be sure to maintain visual harmony between all the pages of your site, including your payment page.
5. Take care of your call to action
Make sure your page is clear. You need to provide clear buttons, so that users immediately understand what actions will be triggered by clicking a particular button.
You are ready on the question of the means of payment of your online store. As you can see, this question is not to be taken lightly, since it heavily influences the financial aspect of your online store.
On the one hand, with the cost of the payment solution that you are going to select, which, as we have seen, will have an impact on each transaction.
On the other hand, on the conversion rate of your site and the volume of your sales.
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