Accepting Payments Online

Affected by COVID-19 (Coronavirus) | updated March 30, 2020

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As we navigate social distancing and quarantining, remaining in contact with customers and clients is an essential way to keep revenue flowing into your business. Accepting payments online provides convenience for your business and customers alike. Transitioning to a digital payment system doesn’t have to be scary. We’ve outlined some quick tips on the hows and whats of creating your online payment system.

Easy Funds Transfer Options

Before we get into the details of adding products and services to your website, there are many funds transfer solutions that make sending and receiving money digitally seamless and — in many cases — instant.

Venmo is a free mobile app that connects to your bank account. You can send requests to customers via text to pay invoices or to make purchases.
Facebook pay requires nothing more than the Facebook messenger app if accessing on mobile or a Facebook account if working on a PC. It is also built into Instagram and WhatsApp.
Paypal is a versatile payment system that accepts bank transfers and credit card payments linking to your personal or business checking account.

In addition to these easy to use apps, don’t forget to check your bank and accounting software systems. Many banks offer competitive money transfer solutions, such as those mentioned above, and many accounting software solutions will even help you develop itemized invoices and receipts.

Zelle, for example, connects directly with over 700 financial institutions around the world, enabling your clients to send funds without requiring them to sign up for any additional accounts. The new, free accounting and finance software solution, Wave, integrates directly into your bank account, enabling you to send invoices and receive credit card payments, while balancing your budget.

Accepting Payments on your Website

The platform hosting your website, whether it’s Squarespace, WordPress, GoDaddy or Wix, all have different ways of accepting payments for products and services. Squarespace offers an incredibly easy solution to accepting payments online for products, services, subscriptions and one-time invoices. Squarespace’s payment processing system accepts currencies from around the world, making international purchasing a breeze.

Are you already using PayPal or Stripe, and would like to integrate it into your website? Squarespace offers solutions to connect your preferred payment methods to your commerce account. Visit the Squarespace Help Center for step by step instructions on connecting payments to your website.

An alternative to using e-commerce or invoicing through your website is to create a button linking to an alternative payment method, such as the ones discussed above. If, for example, you’re offering a limited number of video conferencing consultations specifically for established clients, you can post an informational blog with a booking link or payment button to a PayPal or Zelle page.

Some businesses set up a separate email address such as orders@ or payments@ which can help organize communications around online orders. This streamlines communication, keeping other addresses — such as the info@ address — open for general communications. Whichever method you choose, you’ll want it to be intuitive for you and your customer.