How to Accept International Payments on Your Website

Questions and Answers

Increase your website’s sales by adding alternative payments methods. Doing so will also reduce abandoned shopping carts. Credit cards are not the preferred method of payment in most of the EU countries, and emerging markets like Brazil so locally preferred options are essential.

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Steps

1. 

   1
   Determine the countries you need a local payment option for. Look at you website stats, or Google analytics for the referring countries. Perhaps your products appeal to a certain country or region.

2. 

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   Research the payment methods preferred in those countries. Many European countries use a form of direct debit rather then credit cards. Such as Giropay in Germany or IDeal in The Netherlands.[1]

3. 

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   Look for a payment option that will cover a larger region. All of the EU’s 529 million citizens will have SEPA (single euro payment area) compatible payment solution like EuroDebit available. This means the largest e-commerce marketplace in the world can use a single payment type as of February 1st 2014.[2]

4. 

   4
   Consider the rates and currency conversion. Typically the rates to use these payment types will be slightly higher than the credit card fees a US business is used to. However the increase in sales should more then offset this. Try to find a processor that settles with you in the currency you desire.

5. 

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   Find a processor that will handle billing support issues. You can avoid difficult support issues and language barriers by having support in the customers local language.