The ABC of Payment Gateway for Gravity Forms

Payment Gateway Integration Methods for your Website

WisdmLabs is a Gravity Forms Developer and we get customization requests in all shapes and sizes. But one factor that has remained constant between most customization requests is the clients apprehensions about the Payment Gateway for Gravity Forms.

I don’t blame them for their apprehensions. After all, it is the payment gateway that is getting the money, literally! In such a scenario apprehensions are but natural. One interesting thing here though here is that the questions have a pattern. And this post here is to address these questions many of our readers might have too!

Factors to Consider While Choosing a Payment Gateway for Gravity Forms

In today’s age of options, purchasing any product has become a herculean task. You have hundred questions running through your mind before you have made a decision. Ditto with payment gateways. In such a scenario users often find themselves overwhelmed with the technical jargon flying around. That’s where I am going to help you out and ease your frayed nerves. Here’s a list of factors you must consider while considering a payment gateway for Gravity Forms.

1. Currency

• The first and most obvious thing to check would be if the payment gateway supports the countries and currencies that you intend to cater to. For example if you are in India and so is your user base, then a payment gateway such as PayPal would not be a good option as it does not allow domestic payments.
• If you are targeting a global audience you might want to look for a payment gateway that supports as many currencies as possible.
• So, checking feasibility of the payment gateway with your requirements tops the list of to do’s while choosing a payment gateway for Gravity Forms.

2. Security

• With money comes responsibility, and with responsibility comes the concern for security.
• Hence, it is important to choose a payment gateway for Gravity Forms which provides the highest standard of security. The levels of security will largely depend on the payment integration method you choose to use.
• Additionally, the payment gateway’s website coupled with the reviews for the payment gateway together will assist you in making a better decision on the choice of payment gateway.

3. Pricing

• One factor due to which clients often turn down payment gateways is their disagreement with the pricing model offered by the payment gateway service providers.
• So, if you’re on a budget then this might be an aspect to consider right after compatibility and security. Without a being on the same page about the pricing model investigating the payment gateway would just be a waste of time. As they say, time saved is time earned 😉

4. Support

• The details of this aspect are easy to gather as internet has indeed become a great platform for customers to voice their views and opinions on products. So, if the support provided by the payment gateway service providers is top notch you’ll get to know for sure through the conversations in various discussion forums.
• If you’re not sure of the support being provided then you might want to think again. You do not want to be stuck in a sticky situation with customers right?

5. Transaction Site

• Here’s the part where you have to decide if the transaction will be completed on your website or the payment gateway service provider’s website.
• A simple checkout method like PayPal completes the entire transaction on the payment gateway website. Although you will definitely have the option to redirect users back to your website after the payment has been completed.
• The advanced integration method allows users to complete the transaction while remaining on the purchase website.
• If you are willing to go that extra mile and get an exclusive SSL certificate then advanced integration method is the way to go.
• Now here, you’ll have to find out the options that are provided to you in this regard. If the checkout process provided by the payment gateway suits your needs suit your need then you are well on the right track and can continue investigating the gateway further.

6. Finding Out the Nitty-Gritty’s

• You could consider 90% of the work done once the five factors mentioned above have been considered and evaluated. The remaining 10% mainly involves the smaller details and can be incorporated through customization. These details would include features like fields on the checkout page, a confirmation email from payment gateway provider, page redirection options on events such as payment completion, payment cancellation, payment failure etc.

Payment Gateway for Gravity Forms: Integration

Now I am assuming you have decided on the payment gateway that you want to go ahead with. In case that the payment gateway is not already integrated with Gravity Forms then the following aspects should be considered at the time of development.

1. Register with Payment Gateway

• You will have to register with the Payment Gateway provider to integrate it with your website. On registration, you will receive some credentials to access the gateway API, Credentials will include details such as token id, access id, salt key. Of course these details could vary based on the provider you have chosen.

2. Dashboard Settings for API Credentials

• The access credentials that you receive on registration will have to then be added to the website at the time of development.
• While these details can be added to the code you should insist on dashboard settings as you will have control over it in case there are any changes to the credentials in the future.

3. Tool Tips for Checkout Form

• The checkout form should be enabled with tooltips to ease the payment process for users. A reason such as lack of clarity on details to be filled should not be a reason for losing a potential customer.

4. Confirmation Emails

• And lastly along with sending  a confirmation email from the payment gateway provider you could also consider sending an email to customers from your end. This feature can be integrated at the time of payment gateway integration.

So that was the ABC of Payment Gateway for Gravity Forms. Ok, agreed! It’s more than ABC and you might still feel overwhelmed in spite of the break down. If that’s how you feel then take a deep breath and evaluate each point at a time. If you’re still unsure then the comments section is the way to go!

Images by freepik

• WordPress Solutions
• With tags: Gravity Forms, Payment Gateway

• Tahseen K
• February 20, 2015