How can my business take payments online?

Taking your business online? Here are some things you may need to consider before taking online payments in your business.

1. How do you want to take payments?

There are a few ways you might like to take credit card payments from your customers:

• On your website
• By phone or mail 
• In batches or in bulk, such as recurring payments.

2. What do I need to consider before taking online payments on my website? 

If you are looking to start accepting payments online, here are some of the things you may need to consider.

Payment gateway

A payment gateway is a service that operates in a similar way to an EFTPOS terminal, just online. A payment gateway links online payment platforms such as websites, shopping carts and mobile apps, to enable businesses to accept payments online. 

If you have ever paid for anything online using a credit card, you have used a payment gateway.

Online merchant facility number

An online merchant facility number is issued to you by your acquirer. The number is connected to your gateway and will be required to accept and receive payments online. 

Business transaction account

Your online merchant facility number is linked to a nominated bank account. This is a business transaction account that receives the funds from the sales you make online. You might want to look for an account that settles on the same day so you can receive your money sooner.

Website requirements

There are some minimum standards your website must meet before you can accept card payments online. You should keep these in mind when you are designing your website. Read our Protecting business against credit card fraud (PDF 123KB) brochure to understand what you might need if you choose a Westpac online payment solution.

3. What is the best online payment solution for my website?

The online payment solution you choose will depend on the way you sell products and services on your website. There are different solutions for sites with and without a shopping cart.

Website with shopping cart

If you are taking payments on your website through a shopping cart and have access to IT experts, you could use PayWay Net. PayWay Net uses a trusted frame that integrates with your payment page.

Another way to securely process payments is to use an approved third-party payment gateway, which is an intermediary between your website and the bank. 

Both options communicate with the bank to enable online payments by credit card from your customers.

Website without a shopping cart

If you have a smaller eCommerce business, an off-the-shelf online payment system that is hosted externally to your site could be the way to go.

A hosted plug and play solution – such as PayWay Net (Hosted Payment Page) – takes care of payments in a secure environment, whilst avoiding the need to set up your own bespoke system. 

4. What are the options for taking payments over the phone?

If your customers do not physically present a card when you make a sale, you could take card payments via a secure web page (known as a Virtual Terminal). On a Virtual Terminal, you enter the card information much like anyone would who is buying from a website, without the need for a physical EFTPOS terminal.

If you choose a system such as PayWay Virtual Terminal, you’ll be able to process card payments online for orders that have been taken over the phone.

5. What are the options for taking payments bulk or recurring payments?

If your business receives regular weekly, monthly or annual payments for things such as subscriptions or repayments, it may be worth considering a solution such as PayWay Recurring Billing. PayWay lets you set up recurring payment schedules and securely stores your customers’ credit card and bank account details.  

6. What about fraud and security?

Accepting card payments in a safe, secure manner is essential to the operation of your business. It is important that you have a sound understanding of credit card fraud, how it can be detected and how it can be prevented. Read our Protecting business against credit card fraud (PDF 123KB) brochure to help you understand the risks associated with accepting credit card transactions online.

7. How much does it cost?

When choosing an online payment solution, you should be aware of the fees and charges from your service providers including your payment gateway and your online merchant facility (PDF 69KB).

8. How do I apply?

If you need some help choosing an online payment solution for your business, our handy selector tool may help.