Syncing your website to accept payments through Authorize.net via a payment gateway will give your customers the advantage of never having to leave your website throughout the entire checkout process of a transaction. Once you have set up an account through Authorize.net, you have different options for how you would like to process transactions. The gateway itself may require you to utilize the skills of your website’s developer, or hire a contracted developer. However, if you have some coding skills and experienced with SSLs and APIs, it can be done. While the set-up may seem technical, the benefits are worth the effort. I will walk you through the process of choosing a payment gateway solution and some general tips about integrating the solution with your site.
Simple Checkout
There are four main ways to set up your account with Authorize.net. The first isSimple Checkout. With simple checkout, a “Buy Now” and “Donate” button can be added to your site to securely link the customer to the payment form where they can enter their payment information. Merchants will also have the ability to specify different shipping costs and create buttons for specific products.
Server Integration Method
A second way to create a payment account through Authorize.net is Server Integration Method (SIM). Since SIM is a hosted payment processing solution, Authorize.Net will provide the necessary web resources to handle every step involved in processing a transaction; this includes collection of the cardholder payment information through a secure payment form, generation of a receipt, and the secure storage of the cardholder’s information. This is a great solution for the merchant who does not want to handle all the processes of a transaction themselves, while affording the peace of mind that the customer’s information remains secure.
Advanced Integration Method
If holding control from the transaction to the storage of data is more to your liking, then installing Advanced Integration Method (AIM) is always an option. This installation offers the highest degree of customization over the checkout process. However, in order to have control over the process, a merchant must purchase and use a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate to be in compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).
Shopping Carts
Finally, Authorize.Net Certified Solutions (shopping carts) are an ideal solution for merchants with minimal resources devoted to web development. These shopping carts are internet companies that host payment solutions for websites. These companies integrate to the payment gateway by using AIM and adhere to the highest security standards.
Integrating Authorize.net with Your Website
This is where the process can get a little tricky. Remember, if you have doubts about your coding abilities, it is probably best to contact a web developer or an authorized Authorize.net integration partner.
- The first step is to acquire and API ID and a transaction key. These will allow Authorize.net to identify your website as the account that is submitting the transaction and authenticate that the transaction is legitimate.
- Next you need to set up what you want your checkout to look like. You can create and export this from within the Authorize.net website as well.
- Third, you will need to sync your website to the gateway API. For this, you will most likely (unless creating for Apple iOS or Android) need to generate a snippet of PHP, Ruby, Java, or C# code and add it to your site. The good news is that Authorize.net provides code snippets and has a guide that walks you through what to change in order to personalize it to your ID and transaction key.
Once up and running, syncing with Authorize.net will allow you and your customer’s the peace of mind that the transaction will be processed through secure avenues and cardholder information will be securely processed and stored through your website. Authorize.net also allows you to test the integration before going live to make sure everything is working properly. Remember, if the process is too advanced for you, you can always contact a freelance web developer or an Authorize.net integration partner.
If you would like help syncing your E-commerce payment processing, merchant services, and your accounting software, give us a call!
We have helped thousands of companies save time and increases accuracy by providing a software solution that can automatically link your E-commerce payment processing with your accounting and bookkeeping. The best news? Getting started is as easy as one ten minute phone call. Call us today at 866-949-7267.
