System of small payments: businesses were denied low fees for accepting cards

The government abandoned the idea of limiting the acquiring rate for small and medium-sized businesses to 1% of the transaction amount. This follows from the materials for the national SME project, which Izvestia has at its disposal. Instead, entrepreneurs - under the same conditions - will be offered to accept payments using a QR code through the Bank of Russia’s fast payment system. For now, this is a new mechanism for most: today only 15 credit institutions provide this opportunity. Business representatives have already stated that it would be more expedient to carry out this transition in an economically stable time, and the reduced acquiring rate should be maintained until the crisis is completely overcome.

Keep the bar: the Cabinet of Ministers wants to reduce acquiring within the framework of the national project

For small and medium-sized businesses it should not exceed 1% of the transaction amount

How to accept payments on the site: optimal methods

There are different methods that make it possible to receive funds from buyers. They have different work schemes:

Bank cards. Their reception is processed by a special processing center.
Electronic services. EDS operators are responsible for their enrollment.
Payments from a cell phone number. Payment control is carried out by the operator - MTS, Megafon, Beeline.
Internet banking. With its help, you can issue an electronic invoice for a product or service.
Cash. Allows you to pay for purchases through the cash registers of a store or bank, courier, delivery.

How to choose an online payment acceptance service for yourself

There are 60 payment aggregators accredited in our country, so before connecting the service, it’s worth finding out the nuances and collecting the necessary information. After this, carry out an analysis and choose the best option.

What to look for when choosing:

Market presence. You should trust companies that have been operating for at least 10 years or have an impressive list of VIP partners.
What business is the service aimed at? Aggregators are designed for different types of businesses; some operate only with legal entities and individual entrepreneurs.
Number of electronic payment methods. A good option would be to choose a service that allows you to accept a wide range of payment methods: bank cards, electronic money, terminals, funds from a mobile phone account, transfer systems and others.
Rates. When choosing a large aggregator, clients are given a discount or individual tariffs are selected. It is also worth paying attention to the commission for withdrawal of funds.
Functional. It is better to choose those aggregators that allow clients to integrate additional options: the ability to customize via API, manual invoicing, CMS modules, customization, recovery, holding, information.
Technical support. Technical support staff can quickly respond to various situations and resolve problems with financial transactions. It is better to choose a service where daily support is available around the clock, including on weekends and holidays.
Compliance with Federal Law-54. Owners of online stores must comply with the requirements of Federal legislation, so it is worth taking into account whether the aggregator can connect to an online cash register.

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Plastic cards

Convenient for both sides of the purchase and sale. Connecting such an online payment service on the website allows you to instantly transfer funds to the current account of the selling company. To use this method, you must undergo verification from SEB Bank. Installation and optimization may seem daunting.

Yandex.Money, Qiwi and others

People actively use these systems. They have more anonymity and are easier for the buyer to use. Individuals and organizations can pay for labeled goods in this way. Finances are transferred at the same moment, the level of protection is quite high. Setting them up sometimes turns out to be more difficult than other schemes - WebMoney will require you to confirm your identity or go through a special procedure.

Mobile payments

The method is easy to use and is considered one of the most convenient for depositing small amounts. The visitor just needs to send an SMS and then send a message confirming his consent to the debit. Then the funds are written off in the agreed amount. The transaction is carried out instantly, but it is worth considering that almost half of these amounts go to the mobile operator.

Internet banking

Here applications and services are used for work. To log in, the user must enter a login/password. They should be issued in advance at a bank or a special terminal.

This is a secure payment method; you do not need to constantly enter numbers from bank cards or other personal data. Money is sent instantly.

Can I pay in cash?

The method is technically simpler and does not require complex integrations. But you will have to create a separate cash register or pin pad for the courier. Sometimes you need to go to the pickup point in person to pay for your purchase. This is convenient if there is an offline point or the delivery is equipped with suitable equipment for receiving money from the buyer.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the use of an aggregator. In this case, the visitor gets access to several methods at once under one agreement - cards, SMS service, electronic wallets are linked. This increases the loyalty of visitors to the site and profits.

Where's the money, Lebowski?

If you take an infinite amount of money, you might be able to build an infinitely reliable processing facility. But it is not exactly. And they didn’t give us much money. Just like servers of the “high-quality, but China” level.

Fortunately, this led to positive effects. When you realize that it will be somewhat difficult for you, as a developer, to get 40 physical cores addressing 512GB of RAM, you have to get out and write small applications. But they can be deployed as many as you like - the servers are still inexpensive.

Even in our world, any servers tend not to come back to life after a reboot, or even experience a power supply failure at the most inopportune moment.

With an eye on all these horrors, we have learned to build a system with the expectation that any part of it will suddenly break down. It is difficult to remember whether this approach caused any inconvenience for the development of the online part of the processing. Perhaps this has something to do with the Erlangist philosophy and their famous LetItCrash concept?

But it’s easier with servers.

We figured out where to place applications, there are many of them, they are scalable. The database is also distributed, there is no master, we don’t mind burned out nodes, we can quickly load the cart with servers, come to the DC and leave them with pitchforks in the racks.

But you can’t do that with disk arrays! The failure of even a small disk storage is a failure of part of the payment service, which we cannot afford. Duplicate storage system? Too impractical.

But we don’t want to afford expensive branded disk arrays. Even out of a simple sense of beauty, they won’t look next to the racks where nonames are crammed in neat rows. And all this is unreasonably expensive.

As a result, we decided not to use disk arrays at all. All our block devices run under CEPH on identical inexpensive servers - we can put them in racks in large quantities as needed.

With network hardware, the approach is not much different. We take average people and get good equipment suitable for the task at very low cost. In the event of a switch failure, a second one works in parallel, and OSPF is configured on the servers, convergence is ensured.

Thus, we got a convenient, fault-tolerant and universal system - a rack full of simple, cheap servers, several switches. Next stand. And so on.

Simple, convenient and overall very reliable.

Learn more about payment methods

To make choosing easier, we suggest considering each of them in detail.

Cooperation with the bank

This connection of a high-quality payment system to the site is familiar to almost everyone who makes purchases online. With its help, the transfer of finance is carried out from the card of the buyer to the account of the selling party with the participation of a banking intermediary and a processing company. Payments will require integration of a special service.

Interaction is ensured by the center, which conducts clearing and controls the debiting and crediting of money. It may be part of a bank or a separate independent company. To enable people to purchase goods in this way, you need to start collaborating with credit and processing organizations. For his work, he will take a percentage of completed transactions.

How to make and connect online payment via the website with bank cards:

formalize contractual relations;
pay on time;
integrate acquiring into the portal.

Introducing this payment system for a small project or a couple of goods is not very profitable - the tariffs will be significantly higher than for large contracts and Internet projects.

Among the advantages:

instant transfers of funds;
convenient service for clients;
high security against burglary.

Among the disadvantages, it is worth noting the lengthy registration process - you need to collect and send a large package of documents by mail or personally take it to the bank. Then wait for a response and signing.

Special gateways

These are banking providers whose job is to process transactions. They act as a router. The online gateway becomes the terminal that connects the bank and the merchant to the buyer. For the last use it is free, all commissions will be paid by the selling party.

Among the advantages:

secure domain;
separate account.

Payment systems

Operators allow you to connect and accept finances at any time online. To use this type, you need to submit an application and conclude an agreement. After this, you can integrate your own software. The owner of the online store will have full access to install and download services in accordance with the contractual terms.

Settlements move quickly, there is no commission for intermediaries. Therefore, the cost will be comparatively lower. Customer confidence will be higher, because there are no transitions to third-party sites - only to the gateway.

One drawback can be noted - the payment system takes a long time to check received funds. In addition, only a technical specialist can develop the software. Among the popular ones:

Yandex money;
Elexnet;
WebMoney;
Visa.

Aggregators

This is one of the most convenient methods among the forms of accepting payment on the site. It can be used to combine several different services. The application itself will not retain the client’s money; it will be transferred to the seller’s account.

This is how small and medium-sized entrepreneurs prefer to act. This allows you to make the online store multifunctional - paying for your purchase becomes simple and convenient. The buyer will be able to choose the appropriate e-wallet or card for transferring the amount for the purchase.

Among the advantages:

SMS notifications;
the ability to issue invoices manually;
logistics tracking;
simple integration with the platform.

Some businessmen talk about inflated tariff plans for using the aggregator. The service may charge a commission first from the purchasing party, and then from the store owner at the time of withdrawal.

Several companies that provide suitable services, Yandex.Checkout and PayU are actively developing. They have different terms of cooperation, working technology and commission size. Sometimes integration requires the involvement of additional specialists.

Hasty compromise

The transition to SBP is preferable to reducing the rate on acquiring commissions, since the system does not depend on the tariffs of international payment systems such as Visa and Mastercard, and is fully regulated by the Bank of Russia, noted Andrey Shubin, executive director of Opora Rossii. In addition, the rates for working with SBP are more attractive than acquiring rates, he emphasized. The main question is for as many banks as possible to connect to the system.

Small payment system

Photo: IZVESTIA/Alexander Kazakov

Reducing acquiring fees for SMEs was important as a temporary measure during the pandemic, noted Vladimir Gamza, Chairman of the Council of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry on financial, industrial and investment policy. Under normal conditions, this would violate fair operating conditions: a reduction in the rate is more profitable for companies with high turnover. At the same time, the expert was not embarrassed by the small number of banks participating in the SBP for business: a new mechanism is always tested on a small audience, after which it is extended to everyone, he said.

Neither SMEs nor people: banks threaten to reset cashback for purchases in small stores

They will have to do this due to the forced acquiring limit of 1%

SBP has a chance to become a compromise between retailers and banks, but it would be more expedient to carry out the transition in an economically stable time, Anna Nesterova, a member of the General Council of Business Russia, is sure.

“Until the crisis is completely over, it would be worth maintaining the reduced acquiring commission rate for small businesses,” she said.

How to choose

Among the variety of choices, you need not only to figure out how to link or attach a payment system to the site, but also to understand which one is worth choosing.

If it’s difficult to make a choice or you don’t have time to delve into the nuances, contact Cleverence. The company’s specialists will help identify the main tasks that the online store will face.

The easiest way

The easiest way is to indicate on the product page a wallet or card to transfer money for the purchase. And if there is more than one product, then the price and invoice number must be indicated separately on each one.

But it has a significant drawback - not all clients will trust such a system. You need to prove your honesty; the platform must be well-known and verified so that people trust it.

What business can do without online cash registers for accepting online payments?

Payment aggregators provide different conditions for individuals and legal entities. At the same time, the largest payment systems may not work with unregistered businesses. In turn, an aggregator for individuals implies more expensive tariffs, as well as a small range of services provided.

Who needs to use CTT to make online transactions:

If the product is sold at off-site points of sale.
If the product is delivered by our own delivery service.

According to Federal Law-54, there are some categories of Internet businesses that can operate without a cash register:

If the online store has entered into an agreement with a payment agent, which stipulates the conditions for the transfer of payment acceptance functions.
If the online store works exclusively with legal entities and individual entrepreneurs. Transactions are carried out only between bank accounts.
If the store uses the services of a third-party delivery service.

Business Solutions

clothes, shoes, products, toys, cosmetics, appliances Read more

material, in-production, sales and transport organizations Read more

tobacco, shoes, consumer goods, medicines Read more

meat, procurement, machining, assembly and installation Read more

radio frequency identification of inventory items More details

automation of accounting operations with alcoholic beverages Read more

How to link payment for services through a website: tips for choosing

If you have not yet registered as a legal entity, many services will reject your application until official status appears. But some aggregators allow activities as an individual. This is convenient when you need to test how profitable a project will be. After such a check, you can decide whether to launch it.

Among the popular ones that allow time for testing before registering a business:

Robokassa;
Wallet One;
Webmoney Merchant.

We advise you to pay attention to the following points when choosing:

how many years has the system been on the market;
How stable is it accepting payments;
development of customer support;
speed of funds receipt;
flexibility, ease of integration;
tariffs, commissions, no hidden fees;
is it possible to test the work before creating a legal entity;
Are there certificates confirming performance?

Review of popular services

There are several programs that are often used to accept money for purchases on websites. Among the multifunctional ones:

United Cashier. To work on the network, you must register and complete all recommended settings. Additionally, you can install several add-ons so that the service works with innovations - different methods of paying for an order, modules on pages.
Interkassa. Connects all possible payment systems to the online store. Good functionality, commission 3% of the purchase amount. Does not receive sensitive data from the buyer, so the transaction remains secure.
CyberPlat. To use it, you just need to register and receive instructions from the manager. A package of documents is sent to the business owner, they must be filled out and sent back. When the documentation is accepted, important information for installation will be sent. On the one hand, completely safe and legally sound work, easy linking of any type of payment. On the other hand, there is a lot of paperwork.
Kiwi. Popular multifunctional service, proven. You will have to submit your data for moderation and wait for approval. Then you should select the type of wallet - there is an account for an individual and for a legal entity. They have different commissions, capabilities and functions. The connection period and the number of documents to be signed also differ.
Robokassa. This is a well-known system in the field of entrepreneurship, albeit an old one. When a businessman is looking for information on how to add and accept payments to a website, he most often comes across this site. Over many years of work, it has established itself as a high-quality and efficient company.

Before choosing, we recommend checking the number of days for connection and commission. The existence of a contract is important; its terms must be read carefully. There are also additional functions, each program has its own. Some of them allow you to create automatic payments for clients so that you don’t have to enter all the data again each time.

A shopping cart you can put your groceries in even during a tornado

Our approach to creating payment processing is to provide the ability always start a payment. It doesn’t matter what’s going on inside us - the server burned down, the admin got confused in the networks, the electricity in the building/district/city was turned off, we hmm... lost diesel. Doesn't matter. The service will still allow you to start the payment.

The approach sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Yes, we were inspired by the concept described in Amazon Dynamo Paper. The guys from Amazon also built everything so that the user should be able to put the book in the cart, no matter what horror was happening on the other side of his monitor.

Of course, we do not violate the laws of physics and have not figured out how to disprove the CAP theorem. It is not a fact that the payment will be processed immediately - after all, there may be problems on the banks’ side, but the service will create a request, and the user will see that everything worked. Yes, and we still have a dozen backlog listings with technical debt before the ideal, to be honest, we can answer 504 occasionally.

Business Solutions

clothes, shoes, products, toys, cosmetics, appliances Read more

material, in-production, sales and transport organizations Read more

tobacco, shoes, consumer goods, medicines Read more

meat, procurement, machining, assembly and installation Read more

radio frequency identification of inventory items More details

automation of accounting operations with alcoholic beverages Read more

How to connect an online payment acceptance service

Let's look at how to connect an online payment acceptance service, using Yandex.Checkout as an example:

First of all, the owner must register for the service.
After registration, you must fill out the appropriate form.
After checking the data, company specialists will contact the client to clarify the information. If everything is filled out correctly, you will be asked to sign the agreement. Data verification is carried out within 1-2 days from the date of application.
Next, you will need to configure the payment methods that will be used on the site. After this, the system is completely ready for operation.

Paying agent: responsibility

A payment agent for accepting payments from individuals may be held liable if they violate legal requirements regarding the use of a special bank account or failure to transfer funds from payers to it. According to paragraph 2 of Art. 15.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation provides for the following fines:

Legal entity – 40-50 thousand rubles;
Officials and equivalent individual entrepreneurs – 4-5 thousand rubles.

In addition, if the payment operator does not have registration with Rosfinmonitoring, he may be held liable for carrying out business activities without registration or in violation of established registration requirements.

How to open an account in a payment system and reduce operating costs?

Over the past 5 years, payment service providers have been actively developing and implementing modern payment methods. However, they are all different and use different methods and approaches in online transactions. And if you know what payment method a particular supplier uses, you can make a lot more money.

Therefore, when choosing a financial partner, be sure to study how the payment process itself works, for example:

the customer completed a transaction using his card to an online merchant
the seller contacted the payment gateway
the payment gateway passed the transaction to the processor
the acquiring bank contacted the card payment system
the international card system has received confirmation from the issuing bank
the issuing bank confirmed or rejected the transaction
transaction processing occurs in the same way, only in reverse order to authorize or reject the cardholder's transaction

It is important to understand that in the entire process described above, each party will take their own fixed commission. Of course, if your volume of transactions per month is small, your company’s budget will not particularly feel the large expenses for paying commissions, but if you send transfers daily, also in different currencies, the volume of transactions will definitely increase the budget expenditure for paying commissions.

In such situations, we recommend that our clients opt for a single payment solution and unite all stakeholders in your business. For example, open an account in a payment system and transfer most of the financial flow to it.

What is an electronic wallet

The legislator outlined the concept of “electronic money” in paragraphs. 18th century 3 of the Federal Law of June 27, 2011 No. 161-FZ. This is money that is previously provided by one person to another with the help of a special operator, without taking into account a bank account. All orders are transmitted to the operator exclusively using electronic means of payment.

Previously, e-wallets could be topped up anonymously. After the innovations, the user needs to follow one of the rules:

Verify, that is, provide the system with passport data and identify yourself as a citizen to transfer the data to the tax office.
Top up wallets only through a bank account.

To put it simply, an electronic wallet is like your account in a large database where information about payments is exchanged. And the electronic system already independently communicates with banks and carries out transfers.

Nowadays, such electronic wallets as Yandex.Money, PayPal, QIWI, VK Pay are popular.

An entrepreneur needs e-wallets primarily to improve customer service. In Russia, the turnover of electronic money, according to the National Association of Electronic Commerce Participants, annually amounts to 1.7 trillion rubles. More than 10 million people use e-wallets. If you connect wallets to your online store, people will be able to pay you through payment systems.