Online Payment Security
If you are new to online business, you best bet might be to outsource credit card processing. PayPal is the best example of outsourced credit card processing. Online vendors using this service dont have to worry about buying or renting credit card processing machines. In addition, they dont need to create a merchant account because PayPal is the gateway.
More established businesses usually opt for an in-house credit card processing solution. There are two basic methods of accepting credit cards online, real time processing and deferred processing.
Real Time Processing
The biggest advantage of real time credit card processing is that there is no delay in the buying process. The customer immediately knows if the order went through. This method is especially effective with companies selling downloadable products such as audio, video, or e-book. As soon as the credit card is authorized, the customer can download the product. The real time processing fulfills the need for instant gratification. If you are looking for automation, real time processing is for you. It requires more complex set up than deferred processing, but once it...