If your business sells products, you likely offer payments through your website. Thanks to a wealth of cloud options, retailers can safely and reliably accept all major credit cards, as well as e-checks and recurring payments. But when it comes to cloud solutions, not all payment processing services are equal. Here are a few things you should look for when choosing a company to handle your credit card processing.

PCI Compliance

Any business accepting credit card payments is required to comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DDS). This standard stipulates that you don’t store customer credit card data unless necessary and you submit compliance reports showing that you safeguard consumer data.

SSL

A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate ensures that data is being encrypted as it’s sent from Point A to Point B. Customers have learned to watch for a padlock and “https” in the browser’s address bar, leaving merchants without those features at a disadvantage.

Fraud Prevention

As a merchant, one of your biggest concerns will be fraud. Whether you’re accepting credit card payments in-store or on your website, you’ll also want to ensure your own interests are protected. To help prevent fraud, request both the user’s credit card number and the three-digit verification code on the back. Also make sure your credit card processing service immediately verifies the customer’s billing name and address to see that it matches what the credit card company has on record. To reduce the risk of chargebacks, clearly state your return policy on your website and encourage customers to contact you if there are any problems with a purchase.

Cloud technology has made it easy for businesses of all sizes to access powerful payment processing. With so much competition, businesses have the luxury of searching for a provider that provides the security and compliance necessary to keep customer data safe.