Payment gateways in a simple definition

In terms of commerce, the most important change brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic were online transactions. Many of us get used to ordering pharmacy products, groceries, clothes and more, through our computers or smartphones. In order for all this to be possible, it is necessary for the websites to have a payment gateway.

What is a payment gateway?

A payment gateway it is a system that is installed on websites and makes transactions possible. In other words, it is what allows if we enter our bank details to make a purchase, the money is withdrawn from our account without being physically in a business.

Thanks to payment gateways, e-commerce sites can accept debit and credit cards. The transaction is carried out through sensitive data transfers. They are safe options for both sellers and buyers.

One of the best-known footbridges throughout the world is PayPal.

How to integrate a payment gateway to a website?

Las online stores They are developed on platforms from which they can be modified.

Some of those platforms are: WordPress, Joomla, Magento, Drupal, Shopify, BigCommerce, Weebly, GoDaddy, Wix. Regardless of where the site has been built, one or multiple payment gateways can be integrated.

In simple terms, the integration of the payment gateways, is done through codes and programming. And depending on its characteristics is the complexity of the integration.

Types of payment gateways

• with direct connection. The entire transaction is carried out within the e-commerce website, that is, no extra windows are opened to pay. This type of integration requires programming knowledge and several hours of work, especially to ensure security in all steps.
• with indirect connection. The transaction “takes” the person out of the website, taking them to a different window where they will make the payment. This solution is ideal for SMEs and their online business because it is simple. For example, if you choose to use PayPal, in an indirect connection, the customer leaves the ecommerce and goes to a PayPal page.

Tips for buying online

1. Verify that the address or URL of the site where you will pay shows a small padlock or that it starts with https. The “S” indicates that this page has a security certificate that protects the data from cyber attacks to steal data.
2. As far as possible, do not store your bank card information anywhere. It is always advisable to use digital cards, whose characteristic is that the CVV (security code next to the signature) is dynamic and changes from time to time. Through bank applications, you can access digital cards.
3. Before buying on a site, check that it is trustworthy. In addition to checking if it has the lock, mentioned in point one, check if it has reviews on Google or social networks. Do not trust those pages that do not have clear descriptions, a way to contact the seller and well-defined delivery times.

itzayana.rios@eleconomista.mx

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