Various Payment Processes in Today’s Online Marketplace

Various Payment Processes in Today's Online Marketplace

The Internet has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the late 1990s. Nearly any kind of transaction can occur online with the proper payment type. There’s no need to mail in a payment when it can be instantly pulled from your account with the product shipped to your address in a heartbeat. Explore the various payment processes used in today’s online marketplace so that your next transaction can be as smooth as possible.

Electronic Fund Transfer

A tried-but-true process to pay for your online items is by electronic transfer. You type in your checking-account information, including the routing and account number, so that the funds are simply swapped between financial institutions. If you don’t have a credit or debit card, this transaction is a safe and simple way to keep up with the modern age. Websites use a lot of security software in order to keep your information safe from any unwanted attention.

The one downside to this payment method is that it usually takes three to five business days to clear, depending on the applicable rules from the financial institutions involved. However, most financial institutions and merchants compensate for that small inconvenience by waiving any “convenience” fees.

Credit Card

The majority of consumers have credit cards because they’re used to spread costs over a month or longer. They also have safeguards in case of fraudulent charges. In essence, the consumer doesn’t have to pay for an item that wasn’t authorized by the holder. Regardless of its size, any merchant accepting credit card payments must abide to the appropriate Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) to prevent fines from credit card companies in case of a data breach.

For these reasons, you can use credit cards online for most purchases. You have the option of saving the information on the website’s server too. This option makes your next purchase easier because typing in the information isn’t necessary. Merchants storing your credit card data must also follow PCI DSS guidelines to protect it against malicious hackers.

Debit Card

Your bank usually issues a debit card along with your checks so that you can charge items to your checking account. Use this card in the same manner as the credit card, and the funds are simply taken out of your checking account the same day.

You’ll still need to type in the number and expiration date so that the transaction can move forward. In most cases, you won’t want to save the account number on the website’s server. Because it’s directly linked to your checking account, any misappropriation of the card number might compromise your funds.

One disadvantage of using a debit card for payments is that some financial institutions may put a hold on your funds larger than the payment that you’re trying to complete. You may have run into this situation when renting a car or filling up gas. These rules vary per financial institution so contact yours to learn what rules apply to your debit card.

Electronic Alternative

Many consumers are turning to third parties to charge their online goods. PayPal, Venmo, and other companies create a middleman for transactions. These companies secure your debit or credit-card information as you charge a purchase to your third-party account. All of the transactions are protected by extra software as a result.

To boost time spent on apps, some social networks have jumped on board to allow their users to exchange payments. Snapcash allows first-time users of its Snapcash service to send up to $250 per week and receive up to $1,000 per month. Not to be left behind, Facebook allows its users to send and receive even higher amounts from the start through Facebook Messenger.

Both Snapcash and Facebook charge no fees to process payments funded with debit cards.

Smartphone or Watch

One of the newest ways to buy online items is through your smartphone or advanced watch. Program your payment information (generally a checking account or credit card) into your device, and you can quickly check out without typing in a long number. Online purchases have never been easier to buy.

Some credit card companies are going the extra mile to add extra security when linking your credit card to your smartphone. For example, Mastercard is rolling out a “selfie payment” option in which you take a selfie, instead of typing a password or entering a CVV, to verify your identity. The Mastercard selfie payment software requires users to blink before they take the picture to prevent people from just holding up a picture. So, the next time that you see somebody winking at their phones a couple of times, you know that they might be buying something online!

The Bottom Line

Virtual retailers are always updating their online shopping cart software so that your experience has no hiccups. As you work through a transaction, be sure that the website has an “https” before the URL. This designation means that the transaction is secure. Avoiding online theft is a daily battle, but most consumers will have no problems as they pick and choose favorite items to buy.

Report on “EMV for a Week Challenge” in Hawaii

emv for a week challenge hawaii report

In partnership with Gemalto, I spent a week visiting business across the island of Oahu using only a chip debit or credit card for payment. Three other personal finance bloggers joined me in investigating the state of EMV support in their communities.

My “EMV for a Week Challenge” included ten tasks, ranging from buying a magazine at a gas station to hitting a tourist attraction around town. After visiting several neighborhoods and talking with members of the local business community, here is my report on what you can expect when using a chip in Hawaii.

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Gemalto’s “EMV for a Week Challenge” in Hawaii!

gemalto emv for a week challenge

By now you should have already received a notice from your financial institutions about updating your debit or credit cards with EMV technology. Cards equipped with “chip” technology have played a key role in reducing payment fraud in many countries, including England where counterfeit card fraud on locally-issued cards went down from a high of 169.8 billion euros in 2008 to 47.8 million euros in 2014.

To showcase the many ways that chip cards make life easier, I’m participating in Gemalto’s “EMV for a Week Challenge”. Starting this weekend I will visit several businesses on the island of Oahu, Hawaii to complete ten tasks using a “chipped” card:

  1. Get coffee at a local (not chain) coffee shop
  2. Make a purchase at a big-box store
  3. Get a meal inside a fast food restaurant
  4. Buy a magazine at a gas station
  5. Get $50 worth of groceries
  6. Buy a tacky t-shirt
  7. Get someone special a bouquet of flowers
  8. Hit a tourist attraction around town
  9. Buy office supplies
  10. Mail the folks at Gemalto a postcard from a local post office

My objective is to provide a real-world take on the EMV card experience. This includes the security benefits EMV cards present, support for the new technology in your community, and other observations I may have while making payments with a “chipped” card.

As part of  Gemalto’s #ChipAwayAtFraud campaign, I will be tweeting my tasks through Twitter (@idaconcpts) and posting updates through Linkedin (ddavila). Also, I will post a “wrap-up piece” detailing my experience during the challenge.

During the challenge, I’ll be competing with other bloggers, including personal security and identify theft expert Robert Siciliano and Maryalene LaPonsie from MoneyTalksNews, for the opportunity to win $400 for a charity of my choice. My charity is the University of Hawaii Foundation.

Follow my updates (RTs and @ replies are welcome!) about my EMV card experience in Hawaii and help me win $400 for the UH Foundation.

Let the “EMV for a Week Challenge” begin!

(Image Credit: Aranami)

Credit Card Processing Assistance

credit card processing

Every business needs help managing its credit card processing and payment solutions. While there are many ways for a company to make money, most companies can only make money when the majority of their customers can make payments easily.

In the new, global economy, most people carry debit cards and credit cards rather than cash. This means that every business must have some kind of credit card processing system that allows their customers to quickly make payments for all of their purchases. Without a system like this, a business could find itself lagging behind the competition in the store and online.

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Advance Your Business With Credit Card Processing Options

Visa - image by Declan Jewell on FlickrAnyone who a operates a business knows that taking credit cards is important. Not everyone carries a lot of cash around with them, and there are risks with taking checks that might not clear the bank. Credit card processing is a safe way to let people make purchases. It helps protect both the buyer and the seller, and can be used in almost any industry. Whether you have a business in a brick-and-mortar location, online or both, you can definitely benefit from taking credit cards.

Processing Costs

The downside is that processing credit cards is not free, and different cards charge different amounts. Some businesses raise their prices to compensate for this, or tack on a “credit card charge” to the order of anyone who uses a credit card to make a purchase from them. Doing this is accepted practice in many businesses, as long as they make it clear that they’re doing so.

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