takepayments blog.
Thursday, 25 May 2023
A complete guide to 3D secure authentication.
If you’re operating an eCommerce website, having a secure online payment gateway is fundamental to keeping business flowing. That’s where 3D secure authentication comes in. As well as protecting your customers’ card data when they make a purchase, it can help to reduce the risk of online fraud and gives potential shoppers the confidence they need to know your storefront is legitimate.
Thursday, 25 May 2023
6 Benefits of Going Cashless: The Rise of Card Payments
Cash has been the backbone of local businesses for decades, but in today’s society, that’s changing. Consumers are making the move to card payments at a rapid rate: UK Finance’s Payment Markets Report for 2021 found that debit and credit card transactions made up the majority of all payments in the UK, rising to 57%, while cash payments fell by 1.7%. As digital payments are our speciality, let’s dive deeper into the current state of card transactions and what it might mean for the future of cash…
Wednesday, 26 April 2023
3 card payment security types: how small businesses can secure their payment methods
In 2020, research from UK Finance shows that the total amount of cash payments made in the UK fell by 35% while contactless transactions went up by 12%. With this increase, scammers are increasingly targeting digital payments. In fact, Juniper Research reported a 16% growth in eCommerce fraud losses in 2022, with the global total cost to merchants at over $41 billion.
Tuesday, 18 April 2023
How to take payments safely over the phone
Taking card payments over the phone is a great way to scale your business, connect with customers near and far, and speed up billing cycles. That said, we understand that you don’t want to do anything that could infringe on yours or your customers’ financial safety — especially when the UK was named as having the ‘highest rates of phone spam and fraud’ in Europe.
Wednesday, 12 April 2023
How to create an email newsletter people actually want to open
Sending out a regular email newsletter is a great way to keep in touch with your customers and remind them what your business has to offer. However, if you want people to actually open and read your newsletters, you need to put some thought into the structure, content, timing, and a lot more. In this article, we'll outline how small businesses can create email newsletters that people will actually look forward to receiving, discuss the benefits of launching one in the first place, and detail the steps to take to ensure your newsletter is as successful as it can be. So, let's get started. If you're anything like me, half of all email marketing you receive will either head straight to the trash or be 'saved' for a later time that, deep down, you know will never come.
Wednesday, 22 March 2023
The Best Small Business and Start-Up Grants: Updated for 2023
Every penny counts for small businesses. Whether it’s your store that needs a revamp, a project in the pipeline, or, let’s face it, you just need a helping hand, a cash injection can be a vital source of funding for many start-ups or SMEs in the UK. But applying and successfully securing them can sometimes feel like an uphill challenge.
Tuesday, 21 March 2023
What Are Remote Payments and How Do They Work?
In today's modern world, it's more important than ever to offer customers the convenience of being able to pay for goods and services in whichever way they choose, including over the phone and, of course, online. In this article, we'll discuss what remote payments are, how they work, and shine a light on some of the benefits of using them. So, whether you're looking to start taking card payments over the phone or want to add online payment functionality to your website, read on for all the information you need.
Tuesday, 14 March 2023
How you could boost profits over Easter
Making the most of seasonal celebrations is a crucial opportunity for businesses to engage with their customers and increase sales and profits – and Easter is no exception. Here at takepayments, we’re sharing some key spending insights from the Easter period in 2022 to help businesses take advantage of the event this year. We’ve collected data from card machines, online payments, and point of sale (POS) systems from April 10th-17th, and here’s what we found:
Wednesday, 01 March 2023
How to process returns in-store: best practice for managing product refunds
As a small business in the retail industry, no doubt you’re au fait with the ins and outs of accepting payments; it’s the backbone of trading, after all. But when it comes to refunds and returns, not everyone is as clued up despite the fact they’re a byproduct of working in sales. With nearly one in ten (9%) of all products purchased in brick-and-mortar stores being returned, businesses need to have an efficient product refund system in place to make the exchange as streamlined as possible for all parties. As well as this, 62% of shoppers said they were more likely to shop online if they could return items in-store. This shows just how important in-store refunds are to customers and how much of an impact they can have on eCommerce overall.