What Is International eCommerce?
International eCommerce is the ability of businesses to offer their goods and services over the internet to customers around the world. As a result, it allows companies to increase their reach and customer base beyond their local market.
A foreign payment gateway provides a secure way for customers to make payments online when purchasing goods and services from international vendors. They facilitate currency conversion, which allows customers to pay in their local currency with minimal fees.
Through international eCommerce, businesses can access new markets and increase sales without having to open physical stores in different countries or manage multiple currency accounts. Payment gateways make transactions between buyers and sellers safe and secure, allowing businesses to expand their operations without worrying about the complexities involved in dealing with different currencies or financial institutions.
What Is an International Payment Gateway?
An international payment gateway is an online service used to facilitate payments for customers who are located in different countries. This type of payment gateway allows businesses to process payments from customers located anywhere in the world. This is especially beneficial for businesses that have customers or suppliers located outside their own country.
Using an international payment gateway can be a great way for businesses to expand into new markets and reach more customers around the world. By accepting payments from different countries, businesses can increase their sales by providing more options for customers who are not able to use traditional payment methods due to restrictions on currency exchange fees or other factors.
Factors to Consider When Choosing an International Payment Gateway
When selecting a payment gateway, there are certain considerations that need to be taken into account in order to ensure the best possible outcome.
Experience Is Key
It's vital to select a payment gateway that has experience with international transactions. Gateways that specialize in global payments have specialized knowledge of local regulations, currencies, fraud detection systems, and taxation issues related to cross-border payments. This expertise allows for smoother transactions with fewer complications.
Being Well-Connected
Opting for an experienced international payment gateway allows merchants to benefit from its existing network of partners worldwide.
Security
Security is also paramount when choosing an international payment gateway. Payment gateways should be PCI DSS compliant in order to protect customers’ financial data from theft or fraud. Merchants should select gateways that offer strong encryption services as well as additional layers of security like tokenization which work together to protect against unauthorized access.
The Necessary Features
Merchants must evaluate which features they need from their international payment gateway in order to meet the specific needs of their business. For example, some businesses may require localized checkout experiences while others might need fraud prevention tools or advanced reporting capabilities. Selecting a payment gateway that offers all these features will enable merchants to streamline their operations and provide customers with an efficient buying experience regardless of where they are located in the world.
5 Steps to Accept Overseas Payments
Once international payment gateways have been vetted and the best option chosen, merchants are ready to start accepting payments from overseas. The process of accepting these payments will vary slightly depending on the chosen gateway, but the basics remain the same:
- Register: Merchants must first register with the gateway, and provide their financial credentials for authentication.
- Set Up: Merchants then set up a payment button or widget on their website that allows customers to make secure payments.
- Ensure currency conversion is enabled. This is a vital feature as it allows customers from all over the world to pay in their local currencies. It also helps avoid confusion due to conflicting exchange rates and eliminates customer frustration due to additional fees being charged at checkout. Therefore, currency conversion must be enabled through the gateway’s dashboard before any international transactions can take place.
- Keep Compliance: Merchants must ensure that all compliance requirements are met in order for them to be allowed to accept payments internationally. As different countries have different regulations surrounding online commerce, merchants may need additional verification documents or licenses depending on where they are located and where they are selling goods or services too.
- Keep Track of Taxes: Merchants may need to understand how taxes apply when selling goods or services overseas and ensure they comply with applicable laws in each country they do business.
Once these requirements have been met, merchants can begin accepting international payments securely and efficiently through their chosen payment gateway.
The Most Popular International Payment Gateways
Not all payment gateways are the same. With the variety of payment gateways available, it can be difficult to determine which are the most popular for international payments. Let's take a look at some of the most popular and what they can do.
PayPal
PayPal is one of the most popular and best international payment gateways, allowing users to securely send and receive payments online. It enables quick and secure cross-border transactions, making it an ideal choice for businesses and individuals alike. PayPal also provides a suite of tools for recurring payments, making it easy to set up subscription plans and automate payments.
Its services are highly customizable, allowing businesses to create custom checkout experiences for their customers. Additionally, its secure payment processing technology ensures maximum security for both buyers and sellers when transferring funds across borders.
Worldpay
Worldpay is one of the most popular international payment gateways. It provides a secure and fast payment process for businesses in global markets, allowing them to accept payments from customers in their local currencies. Worldpay offers services for businesses of any size or industry, including credit cards, debit cards, digital wallets, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Worldpay also provides advanced fraud protection and multi-currency support. It supports over 150 currencies worldwide so that business owners can accept payments from customers around the world without worrying about currency exchange fees or other associated costs.
Sage
Sage is a payment gateway provider that provides international payment gateways for merchants. It is one of the most popular payment gateway providers due to its range of features, ease of use, and competitive payments.
The advantages of Sage Pay include secure payments, flexible pricing plans, accepting international payments, and merchant account integration. In addition to these benefits, Sage Pay also offers excellent customer service and technical support.
Braintree
Braintree supports different currencies and payment methods such as credit cards, Apple Pay, PayPal, Google Pay and Venmo, making it easy for customers to make payments in any way they choose. Furthermore, its secure payments system and fraud management tools help protect merchants from any fraudulent activities.
Braintree also offers an array of features such as recurring billing and subscription plans that make it easier for businesses to manage their subscription-based services. Its user-friendly dashboard makes it easy to process and manage payments without any hassle, and if there is a problem, the customer support team is available 24/7.
Stripe
Many people consider Stripe to be one of the best international payment gateways for online payments. Its seamless integration into websites and mobile apps makes it an attractive option for international ecommerce merchants. Stripe also offers fraud protection, subscription billing, and support for multiple currencies.
From a security standpoint, Stripe has robust measures in place to protect customer data, including two-factor authentication and PCI compliance. Additionally, Stripe offers low transaction fees and flexible pricing plans that can fit any budget. This makes it an ideal choice for both small businesses and large enterprises looking to increase their international reach.
Amazon Pay
Amazon Pay is nothing short of revolutionary when it comes to online payment gateways. It has revolutionized the way customers pay for goods and services online and has become the go-to choice for millions of online shoppers around the world. With Amazon Pay, customers can easily pay for goods and services in an online store without having to enter their credit card or bank details.
Its streamlined checkout process makes it simple for customers to make purchases quickly and securely, without having to fill out lengthy forms or provide personal information. Also, its fraud detection technology keeps customer data secure, meaning that customers can shop with peace of mind knowing that their information is safe from hackers. Amazon Pay also offers buyers rewards points which can be redeemed for discounts on future purchases or cash-back options.
Ayden
Ayden is an international payment gateway that offers a variety of payment solutions for both online and in-store purchases. It enables customers to pay with their local currency, regardless of where they are in the world. Ayden also facilitates currency conversions, allowing customers to shop across borders without worrying about exchange rates.
In terms of security, Ayden uses advanced encryption protocols and fraud detection technologies to protect customer data from unauthorized access. It also provides merchants with dispute resolution services and chargeback protection to help reduce the risk of losing money due to fraudulent transactions.
Checkout.com
Checkout.com offers both online and point-of-sale solutions that can be integrated into any existing system with ease. With its extensive range of features, merchants can manage their payments quickly and efficiently while having access to real-time analytics and reporting tools.
Checkout.com enables customers to pay in their preferred currency thanks to its multi-currency support capabilities. This allows businesses to easily manage international transactions while taking advantage of local currency discounts. Checkout.com's payment gateway solution is also highly secure, backed by stringent fraud prevention measures coupled with 24/7 customer service support for any issues that may arise during the transaction process.
2Checkout
2Checkout is popular among international payment gateway providers, known for its fast and secure payments. It supports a variety of payment methods including credit cards and popular digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. It also offers a range of currency exchange services that help merchants to accept payments from customers around the world in their local currency
The main advantage of using Checkout is its intuitive user interface, which makes it easy for merchants to set up their online store and start accepting payments quickly. Checkout also provides merchants with access to powerful tools that can help them optimize their checkout process for better conversions. This includes features like dynamic pricing optimization, which allows merchants to customize prices based on customer behavior or offer discounts at certain times of day or month.
Authorize.net
Authorize.net provides everything needed for a merchant account, including recurring billing and secure data storage. Its payment gateway is set up to handle transactions in multiple currencies and languages, making it an ideal choice for businesses operating across borders. Authorize's fraud detection tools are renowned for their accuracy and efficiency in detecting suspicious activity on accounts.
Authorize.net also offers powerful customer support options to help customers with any issues that may arise during the course of business. This includes 24/7 phone support and detailed tutorials that guide users through different areas of their accounts so they can get back up and running quickly if something goes wrong.
GoCardless
This payment provider allows businesses to process payments from global customers through direct debit and ACH. It is especially popular with organizations that need to collect recurring payments, such as subscription-based services or online marketplaces.
GoCardless is renowned for its secure infrastructure and an easy-to-use dashboard that allows merchants to manage their payments in one place. Additionally, the company provides low transaction fees and no additional setup costs.
GoCardless integrates with a number of popular eCommerce platforms, including Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce. This makes it easier for merchants to accept international payments without having to build custom integrations for each platform.
Verifone
Verifone is a leading global payment processing solution provider and payment processor, offering secure and comprehensive payment solutions for businesses. It provides retailers with innovative products such as Verifone's mobile point-of-sale (POS) platform and Apple Pay.
The company enables merchants to accept debit, credit, prepaid cards, contactless payments, digital wallets, and other forms of payment quickly and securely. Verifone also offers analytics to help businesses better understand their customers’ needs. Its advanced security features ensure the safety of customer data and transactions. It also provides value-added services such as fraud protection and loyalty programs that help businesses increase revenue streams and maximize their profits.