Payment methods
When a customer places an order on your Magento store, you'll naturally want to provide a means of capturing payment, whether it's immediate (credit card, PayPal, and the like) or delayed (COD, check, money order, or credit). Of course, the payment methods you choose to provide are up to you, but you'll want to provide methods that reduce your risk of not getting paid, as well as provide convenience to your customers while fulfilling their payment expectations. Consumers expect to pay by credit card or through a third-party service such as PayPal. Wholesale buyers may expect to purchase using a Purchase Order, or by sending you a check before shipment. As with any business, you have to decide what will best benefit both you and your buyers.
How payment gateways work
If you're new to online payments as a merchant, it's helpful to have an understanding of how payments are approved and captured in e-commerce. For this explanation, we're focusing on those payment gateways that...