We get it. Enabling online payments for your online shop feels like it's just an additional cost to your already small operation.
After all, you have many customers who happily transfer you their payment via bank transfer or e-wallet--and a lot even ask for cash on delivery, after all.
And enabling online payments often come with extra fees, either on a monthly or per-transaction basis. And you can't always transfer this fee to your customer, too.
Is it truly worth it to enable this extra payment option for your customers? Are you losing sales because you don't let them pay via credit card or other options?
Let's find out.
How are People Buying Things Now?
Most people, partly because of COVID-19, buy things online these days. But it's not just because everyone's on lockdown: even before, many people are now shopping online to get their needs and wants.
While bank transfers and e-wallet payments are common, more and more people are expecting more convenience when it comes to paying for their online purchases.
Oftentimes, a separate step to email screenshots or pictures of deposit slips can leave a negative impression due to the extra steps required before they can get their purchased items and services.
An integrated online payment solution, however, does away with these extra steps and allows the customer to go on their day without hassle.
When customers see that they can pay for their items immediately and get instant confirmation, it's just another reason for them to purchase from you--even if you're a small online shop.
Why? We know of three reasons why you'll get more customers if you enable online payments.
Reason #1 - Convenience is King
Nobody wants to be put out of their way, especially if you're already giving up your hard-earned cash. Whatever’s easiest for your customers to do, they go for it.
Many times, the hassle of having to go and line up to buy something, or to head to a bank to pay through a deposit, can mean lost sales for your business. Sometimes even having to screenshot a payment transfer can take days for your customer to do.
Plus that extra time for them to think about their purchase can mean possible buyers' remorse. How many times have you decided not to send a payment transfer for something you ordered, because you thought better of it?
Reason #2 - Savings for Both Businesses and Customers
Online payments can speed up processing for your customer's orders: once they pay for their order via an automated system, the order is quickly confirmed and they just need to wait for delivery (that's you!).
Your business spends less time checking orders for payment status (less errors, too!) and your customers don't have to go back and forth just to pay for their order. Win-win!
Reason #3 - Trusted Transactions
Impulse buyers are a thing. When you've got an impulse buyer, they want to make sure they've "sealed the deal" with you and get their valuable item. And as a business, of course you also want to make sure they're not backing out of their purchase!
Plus, these days, it's important for your business to look savvy and forward-thinking. If you've got an online business that allows customers to pay online, your shop looks more trustworthy for customers who are wary of getting scammed online. It also says that your business isn't stuck in the past, and customers can rely on you.
Don't Stay Stuck in the Past
There are many ways to enable online payments these days, many of them quick and easy to get set up.
Many online marketplaces and e-commerce services have it already built-in. With only a small fee, you can accept instant online payments, whether it's via credit cards, bank transfers, e-wallets, etc.
Chatbuddy's done the hard work for you here, too. You can easily accept credit card payments, bank transfers from any bank, payments from e-wallets, or even over the counter payments if you need them, without any extra work on your part, too.
Don't make your customers do any extra work to pay for their order, either: just enable online payments and watch the money come in.