An All-in-One Solution – Don’t try to make different components from various providers work for you; opt for an all-in-one solution that can meet your needs. You may need a provider that offers a payment gateway, credit card processing, and fraud management tools. Find the solution that can meet all those needs and meet them well.

Comprehensive Security Features – Considering the drastic increase of credit card fraud online, give yourself and your customers piece of mind by going with a payment services provider that offers a myriad of security features. From military-grade encryption to fraud detection, a payment provider should allow your customers to shop safely and securely on your website.

Extensive Customer Service and Technical Support – Inquire about customer service options before signing up with a provider. Do they offer customer support via telephone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? If something happens to your site on a Friday night that prevents payments from going through over the weekend, you don’t want to have to wait until Monday morning to get the problem fixed. A service is only as good as its technical support.

Competitive Rates – Look for service providers that offer competitive rates and make sure you inquire about upfront fees. There are often additional costs associated with the features and services you want that fall outside the rate quote. Discuss all costs upfront before you sign the dotted line!

Shopping Cart Compatibility – Before making any final decisions, talk with your IT department or web master to help pinpoint providers that are compatible with your site’s shopping cart. Most well-established, reputable payment services are compatible with the majority of shopping carts.