We are confident that payment convenience and security are undoubtedly the most important aspects of a successful online business. And yes, it may seem that there is nothing complicated about it, that all you need to do is offer a quality product, direct the customer to click a couple of buttons, and the order is placed.
But in reality, behind the facade of all this simplicity lies a complex system of competent integration of payment systems, where every detail is important. From personal experience, we can say that it is necessary to maintain a certain level of comfort, intuitive understanding, and, most importantly, high security for everyone who makes purchases on your website. Otherwise, even the most awesome product will remain in the shopping cart.
“Online payment is the last stage of the sale, and if the buyer stumbles at this point, they will simply leave. Therefore, our task is to get them to the “Thank you for your purchase” message on their screen faster than they can change their mind! – emphasizes Yevhen Kasyanenko, an expert from our KISS Software team.
Have you noticed how quickly you sign up for Netflix or book a taxi? Today’s users expect instant responses because they have been conditioned by instant services. Food delivery in 15 minutes, taxis in two. If online payment takes more than half a minute, conversion rates drop.
Our metrics show that if the path to checkout takes longer than 30 seconds, up to 27% of customers abandon their cart. By reducing the route to three steps, we increased our clients’ stores’ paid orders by an average of 17%. This boost is possible if you follow a few simple rules:
“Offering only one payment method is like opening a store once a week,” says our expert.
Before connecting payments, it is important to understand exactly how money will get from the customer to your account. There are essentially two simple scenarios: something like paying someone else’s cash register for rent or setting up your own cash register in your store.
“By transferring the form to the bank, we save on certification. But we also give them part of the conversion,” explains Yevhen Kasyanenko.
We are talking about such common types of integration as Hosted Gateway and API.
The buyer clicks “Pay” and in a couple of seconds is taken to the secure page of the partner bank. There, they enter their card details, confirm the payment, and return to you.
The advantages include the following:
But there are also drawbacks:
This may be enough, for example, in the first year of operation, when turnover is not very high. It is important to start accepting money quickly, without spending money on complex settings.
The payment form is built right into your website or app. Customers enter their details without leaving the page, making it a smooth, seamless experience.
Benefits for your business:
Cons:
This option is suitable when there are more than 10,000 orders per month. An additional 3–7% conversion quickly covers the costs, usually within six months.
Yevhen Kasyanenko is confident:
“If you are just trying out online sales, a hosting gateway helps you get started without any headaches. When your business is growing steadily, switching to your own built-in payment system gives you complete control, a consistent style, and a noticeable increase in revenue — those very percentages that turn into good monthly profits.”
Before signing a contract with a payment service provider, we know from experience that you should always take your time to check all the important details.
Below is a short checklist that we at KISS Software go through with every client. Tick each item and you will immediately understand whether the service is right for your store:
“Businesses often only look at the percentage. But the real bill comes with the first customer complaint,” warns the expert.
Below you can see the roadmap that we at KISS Software use for every project.
By following these steps in sequence, you can avoid 80% of typical mistakes and get into the right mode without any surprises.
First, you need to set up a payment provider, namely create a personal account, confirm that you are a real company, and get access to the system. Only then can you connect payments to the website. The process looks something like this:
“Don’t save an hour on verification, better save weeks on analyzing blocks,” reminds Yevhen Kasyanenko.
Once you have access, it’s time to connect the payment system to your website. The method depends on how it is made: on a ready-made engine or on custom code. The options are as follows:
Don’t forget to test at the end. To do this, go through the full cycle: payment, return, cancellation.
“For non-standard CMS, we immediately set aside time for SDK, otherwise the deadline will eat up the profit,” Kasyanenko shares his life hack.
Even the most beautiful checkout will lose its value if the customer becomes worried about their card. Therefore, in parallel with integration, we connect security:
Our expert, Yevhen Kasyanenko, draws attention to integration errors:
“The most expensive bug cost the business €48,000 overnight because the test key was left in production,” recalls Yevhen.
Making a payment module work automatically seems simple on paper. In practice, however, it involves dozens of settings, tests, and checks, where any small detail can result in a loss of money or reputation. Here’s what you get when you work with a team for whom payments are a daily routine:
“Our job is to prevent a failure before the user sees it,” emphasizes Kasyanenko.
Our real-life case study
A fashion retailer sold in the EU but only accepted cards. We added PayPal, Klarna, and Apple Pay via Stripe, implemented dynamic 3-D Secure, and anti-fraud scoring.
After three months, conversion increased by 23%, the average check increased by 11%, and returns fell from 0.9% to 0.3%.
This shows how important it is to think everything through and go through the seemingly mundane analysis we described earlier in this article.
“Every extra second on the payment screen is a dollar that stays with the competition. We help you get that money back,” says Yevhen Kasyanenko, an expert at KISS Software.
Integrating payment systems is not just a line on a checklist, but the foundation of trust and sales. The right choice of provider, competent configuration, and constant monitoring turn payment from a routine step into a competitive advantage. To achieve this, it is important not to forget the basics:
The KISS Software team, led by Yevhen Kasyanenko, provides turnkey integration with payment systems. We accompany the client every step of the way, from choosing a provider to post-launch with anti-fraud analytics.
