Introduction

There are a number of interrelated issues with regard to payment handling, some of which are not obviously apparent. This is one of those times when I recommend reading about payment providers and the different installation processes and currencies, perhaps the whole chapter before actually signing up to anything or installing any modules.

Which payment provider should I use?

This is an interesting question. The two big players that we will cover specifically are Google Checkout and PayPal. There are a few comparisons between them that should help you choose the best option for you. First, a few words about merchant accounts.

Merchant accounts

A merchant account is where you use a company, sometimes called a "gateway", to handle the actual transaction, but the customer's payment is deposited directly into your account. This sounds great and in some ways it is, but it's not all good news. Another advantage is that you are probably less prone to being defrauded by a customer. This...