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Article Index
Electronic Payments
The Benefits of Electronic Payments
Deciding to Use an Electronic Payment System
Electronic Payment Methods
Traditional Card Payments
Mail Order
Online payments
Payment Bureaux
Secure Order Forms
BACS
Alternative payment options
How to choose the right method
Secure electronic payment systems
Preparing for an electronic payment system
Implementation Checklist
Research & Analyse
Consult
Plan & Test
Act
Further help & advice

Electronic Payments

Electronic Payment Methods

Alternative payment options

Other ways of taking payments online can work as a first step to enabling payments on your website or allowing payments from customers without credit cards.

  • Person-to-person - an entry-level payment solution where consumers set up an account using their bank account details which is then debited by eligible merchants.

  • Mobile commerce - allows a sale that has been conducted over the internet to be confirmed by sending an SMS to the customer's mobile phone.

  • Pre-paid cash card - these cards can be "charged up" and then used at participating websites and high street stores. Useful for small transaction amounts (even down to a few pence) where the credit card transaction charges might make the sale.

  • Micro-billing - these offer a premium telephone number billing service that is essentially pay-per-view internet content hosted in a private area of the web. Customers pay for this content via their Internet Service Provider (ISP) or their phone bill.

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