GROUP THERAPY: "Where do I even start with setting up online payments for my ecommerce business?"

When setting up a business, there are a lot of things to consider. 

I've thought long and hard about the type of lady startup I want to own and run one day, but the first question I always ask myself is... 'HOW ON EARTH COULD I EVER DO THAT?' 

The second question is, 'Where the heck would I even start?'

And the trusty third is, 'How do I get someone else's money into MY account?'

Whether it's your side hustle or fully fledged full-time business, there is a way to make your life so much easier by implementing strategies that are absolutely key to success. Including how to set up accepting payments on your business' website. 

I'm a big fan of the ecommerce world, mostly because it's exciting to type in my card details and get a product delivered straight to my door within days. 

Purely because of this, I went on a research-based journey where I endeavoured to find how one actually sets up their business for success – because in all honesty, I was PUZZLED for a good minute. 

Thankfully, I found some incredible answers in the Lady Startup community and as such, I've compiled a nifty little list to keep in mind when setting up a payment system for your business, including where to start and how to make it run as smoothly as possible. 

Make your customer's journey with you ✨magnificent✨.

I've had many experiences where I've not wanted to shop with a business again because it was a 👏 STRUGGLE 👏 to make the payment. 

That's a big no-no in the world of ecommerce, one that business founder Vee tells Mamamia can easily deter a very willing (and possibly returning!) customer. 

"If your very keen shopper doesn't have an easy experience with you, they may not prioritise you or keep you in mind for a second time around," she explains. "Set yourself up for success by setting up every aspect of your business to be the best it can be!" 

In saying this, it's best to keep in mind the journey your buyer makes in order to buy your product or service. If you give them too many holes to jump through, guess what? They'll leave. 

Making a payment is just one small cog in the wheel to make an experience seamless, but it is just as important!

Ok, so... what payment gateway suits my lady startup best?

If you want to streamline your customers' payment process, then you might already know you need to figure out which payment gateway is best for you. 

Payment gateways not only make it oh so simple for customers to pay you, but it handles sensitive information and offers a way to make sure everything is secure. 

CommBank's Business Banking Executive Manager, Omaya Robinson tells Mamamia that it is essential to consider the needs for a website, shopping cart and payment gateway in order to accept payments online. 

"The website is the storefront of your business to prospective customers, the shopping cart lets customers browse and select products, and the payment gateway will securely take your customer’s payment information and communicate with the financial institutions to process the transaction," they shared. 

Enter: CommBank with the perfect provision to make everything just that touch less complicated – not just for a customer but a business owner as well. 

CommBank offers a range of different solutions to help sellers take payments online. The type of solutions that are perfect for small businesses who want budget-friendly options and a wealth of information that makes little details like creating invoices or collecting payment information easier to streamline. 

They support a heap of third-party online payment gateways that have already been integrated into their Internet Merchant Account – so you can receive payments straight away! 

Robinson tells Mamamia that CommBank offers a competitive Single rate per transaction that simplifies the various amount of payment options significantly. 

"You would be surprised the different ways your customers like to transact, making it as easy as possible for your customers to purchase in their preferred way can make a huge impact to your success. With new payment options regularly being launched in Australia, it is important to understand what that means for your business."

"But refunds! Exchanges! It's all so tricky?!"

Yes, it definitely can be. But refunds and exchanges are all really dependent on your own business return policy (which should be on your website). 

Of course, there are guidelines and processes that will help you to determine whether a refund or exchange should be guaranteed, but how to return the money might be tricky business if you've never had to process one yourself. 

In most cases, a customer will always go straight to where they purchased said item or service from to raise a request. It could be for being charged multiple times, or being charged the wrong amount or because the goods or service was not what was promised. 

In this case, if a refund is issued, the money does not get returned straight to the customer – but instead the credit card issuer, where their account will subsequently be credited. 

So really, if you've got some good policies in place, this will not be so hard at all to figure out (we promise)!

Achieve long-term success by offering variety, girl. 

Understanding your target customers is key, and that includes all the myriad of ways they'd like to pay for your business. 

This means accepting a wide variety of payment methods. Remember complexity is the enemy, especially when it comes to making a product or service viable for your customers. 

For one lady startup, Debbie, she describes how offering different payment options felt like one way she could offer incredible service. 

"When you eliminate all the yucky hassle, you make things easier for your purchaser," she explains. "People want ease and unlimited options in this day and age. Gone are the days of cash or card only!" 

Stay! Vigilant!

Hear us out, no one wants to give every detail of their credit card number to a business that cannot offer unconditional security and support. Prioritise implementing security and fraud detection measures to keep your customers (and if we're being real, yourself as well) very happy and reassured. 

Most online payment products offer protection, including CommBank who take care of all the PCI-DSS requirements for you (which basically means they're protecting cardholder information). 

CommBank found that security isn't often considered the 'main' priority when setting up a business. 

However, it is just as crucial as any other aspect, says Robinson. 

"CommBank found that security is a priority but not always top of mind when businesses are first getting setup. It only becomes a concern once something goes wrong," they explain. 

"There is an expectation that all e-commerce platforms have strong security measures and that businesses are protected from fraudulent customers."

Robinson tells Mamamia that businesses have a multitude of ecommerce solutions at their fingertips, which in the long run can save costs and streamline layers of unnecessary complexity.

"Businesses should consider their future goals, and what kind of tools they may need to help achieve those – looking at your competition is an easy starting point," Robinson says. "Consider the costs of accepting payments with these goals in mind, as 1 per cent difference in charges for $1,000 of sales is very different to 1 per cent for $100,000 of sales."

Create a schedule and commit to it.

One lady startup, Meghna told Mamamia that a consistent schedule is key when starting a new business so customers can know when to check back in for new goodies and services. 

"Stay on time with your schedules! For example, if I add new products each week, I release at the same time – seven days apart," she explains. 

"Committing encourages customers to be loyal and even builds a strong rapport over time that is invaluable to the overall success of a company."

To all those who have already kick-started their Girl Boss dreams, or to the ones who might still just be daydreaming about it (like me), go forth, be brave and jump right into the trustworthy hands of a bank like CommBank. You won't regret it. Promise. 

In the process of kickstarting your very own business? CommBank has tonnes of resources to help you through every step of the journey.

From knowing which digital payment methods will best suit your business' needs, to strategies for  protecting your business against credit card fraud, they've got your back — ready to support you for a brighter future. For more information, check out their  website.

This article is intended to provide general information of an educational nature only. It has been prepared without considering your objectives, financial situation or needs, you should, before acting on the information, consider its appropriateness to your circumstances. Please view CommBank's  Merchant Agreement, Financial Services Guide, and Operator and User Guides at their  Merchant Support Centre before making any decision about these products.

CommBank's Single rate per transaction is subject to eligibility criteria, fees and terms and conditions. 1.1% covers Mastercard®, Visa®, AMEX®/JCB®, eftpos®, and UnionPay® transactions (additional costs may apply for all other cards). Find out more  here.

Feature Image: Canva/Mamamia.

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