| Online payment processing may sound | | | | accept credit cards online. It's one of the two |
| complicated and high-tech, but rest assured, even | | | | things you need for successful online payment |
| the smallest of non-profit organizations can easily | | | | processing. Merchant accounts simply allow or |
| process payments on its website. Here are the | | | | authorize you to accept credit cards and manages |
| three things you need for online payment | | | | the back-end of accepting payments with the |
| processing: | | | | banks. If you already have the ability to accept |
| 1. A Payment Gateway - The second thing you | | | | credit card payments offline, then getting a |
| need is a payment gateway. An easy way to | | | | merchant account solely for online payment |
| think of a payment gateway is to think of it as | | | | should be relatively simple. Talk to your primary |
| the Internet's equivalent to a machine that swipes | | | | bank or financial institution or a third-party |
| credit cards. A PG actually authorizes a credit card | | | | payment processor to get your online merchant |
| for use in real-time. It processes the customer's | | | | account up and running. |
| credit card information, order information, etc. | | | | 3. A Payment Prompt - This refers to a visible |
| Make sure any payment gateway you are | | | | button or link on your website that users can click |
| considering is compatible with your website, | | | | if they want to donate money. Putting the link on |
| particularly your shopping cart software. Most | | | | your website is simply a matter of copy and |
| payment gateways offer a myriad of features | | | | paste; most payment gateways and third-party |
| including comprehensive support and fraud | | | | payment processors (such as PayPal) can provide |
| protection and tools (which many non-profits don't | | | | you with the code needed to properly display the |
| have to worry about anyways). | | | | link or button. Have your web master or designer |
| 2. A Merchant Account - Similar to a traditional | | | | (or whoever handles the back-end operations of |
| bank account, a merchant account is a | | | | your website) put the code wherever you want it |
| bank-issued account that simply allows you to | | | | on your website. |