How to accept payments on your merchant website

A reliable online payment setup isn't just a technical upgrade. It's a baseline requirement for businesses aiming to sell across borders. Whether you're operating a niche ecommerce site or managing a high-volume international site, offering customers an easy way to pay shapes both perception and performance.

This guide outlines the foundational steps to build an online payment system that supports global growth. You'll also find advice for those steering payment strategy and financial decisions.

Why accept payments online?

The appeal is clear. Accepting payments online allows you to:

• Serve customers anywhere, any time
• Reduce the friction of physical transactions
• Automate billing and reduce manual effort
• Increase conversion rates with convenience and flexibility

E-commerce sales are expected to surpass US$4 trillion globally this year. Even if your initial customer base is local, digital storefronts can attract international buyers as long as you support their preferred ways to pay.

For companies selling across borders, accepting online payments also opens the door to localised pricing, region-specific offers, and recurring billing – a strategic advantage in competitive markets.

Choosing the right payment gateway

Think of a payment gateway as the digital handshake between your website, your customer, and their bank. It moves funds securely while providing the framework for how—and where—you accept payments.

Here's what to weigh:

Global reach

• Does it support expansion into your target countries?
• Are popular local methods—like GCash, Paytm, or Kakao Pay – already included?

Security

• Is it certified under PCI DSS?
• Are fraud controls built in and adjustable to your needs?

Integration

• Does it fit with your existing systems?
• Are developer tools (SDKs/APIs) straightforward and flexible?

Fee structure

• Go beyond the per-transaction headline. Watch for FX margins, dispute handling fees, and minimum usage charges.

Operational load

• Can your team get clear reports and automate reconciliation?

If you're expanding in Asia or emerging markets, a provider with local acquiring rights may help lower decline rates and reduce FX overhead.

Setting up your payment gateway

Once you've chosen your gateway, getting operational can move quickly:

1. Register your account

• Complete KYC and verify your business.

2. Activate payment methods

• Go beyond cards – add wallets, transfers, and regional options.

3. Connect to your site

• Use available plugins or APIs to embed payments. Some setups are plug-and-play; others may need developer input.

4. Validate end-to-end

• Simulate live transactions and check that payments flow into your account as expected.

Bringing your finance and engineering leads into this process early will help avoid roadblocks later.

Enhancing the checkout experience

A clean, fast checkout often decides whether someone buys or bails. To keep customers moving:

• Keep it short: Ask only for essential info.
• Offer local options: For example, shoppers in Thailand may want PromptPay, Kakao Pay in Korea or PayPay in Japan.
• Show progress: Let users see how many steps remain.
• Communicate clearly: Use plain language and intuitive UI cues.

Make sure the checkout works on mobile, too. In some regions, over 80% of transactions happen on phones.

Ensuring security

Payment security needs to work quietly in the background—but it has to be thorough. To protect your customers and your business:

• Encrypt transactions with SSL
• Work with PCI DSS-certified providers
• Add extra fraud controls, like tokenization and biometric checks
• Be transparent with customers about your safeguards

A secure environment builds trust and can improve your approval rates – especially when processing payments from unfamiliar geographies.

Expanding your payment options

As your reach grows, revisit your payment offering. New customer segments often bring different expectations. Here's where to look:

Local payment methods

• Meet local norms across key markets
• Example: Alipay in China, ShopeePay in Malaysia, Paytm in India

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)

• Help buyers spread larger purchases
• Can increase order values and improve accessibility

Recurring or subscription billing

• Great for SaaS, media, and consumables
• Keeps customers engaged without reentry friction

Crypto currency acceptance

• Attract a niche audience seeking alternative methods

Currency flexibility

• Show prices in buyers' local currencies
• Minimise confusion and cart drop-off at checkout

Managing cost and compliance

For CFOs or Heads of Payments, the challenge isn't just about accepting payments—it's about doing so efficiently and safely.

Fee control strategies