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How to accept payments online
More and more businesses are taking online payments from customers. It can help you reach new markets, reduce costs and sell more efficiently. This guide shows what you need to consider.
Read time: 4 mins Added: 03/10/2025
The benefits
Make it easier to buy from your business
As of 2025, the ONS reports that internet sales in the UK account for approximately 26.5% of all retail sales1. The e-commerce market in the UK remains one of the most developed in Europe, with an e-commerce penetration rate nearing 85%2. The message is therefore clear: every business needs to consider taking card payments online.
As well as accepting payments and increasing sales, eCommerce helps businesses to:
- offer a broader range of products
- promote best sellers more easily
- offer discounts, promotions or sales more efficiently
- enter new markets
- reduce operating costs
- support the drive of greater consumer convenience.
And it doesn’t stop there.
Greater personalisation
By identifying your customers’ shopping habits, you can target promotions to individuals or groups.
Eliminate time and location restraints
You can trade all day, every day online and reach new customers or benefactors worldwide and in a range of currencies.
Scaling up
By accepting credit card payments online, businesses can grow more easily and at a lower cost than traditional, physical businesses. Lower storage and retail space requirements are just one area that demonstrates this.
How to do it
How you can set up your online payment system
An eCommerce website allows people to pay directly online for goods or services. They can do this using credit or debit cards or wallets such as Google Pay or Apple Pay.
To get started, you must purchase a domain name from a domain registrar such as Google Domains† or from your third-party website builder.
Then you set up a page on your website that can accept online payments. You’ll need to partner with a bank that can accept these payments and deposit them into your merchant account.
Whether you’re building a new eCommerce site or adding it to an existing site, you have three options:
Work with a payment gateway services provider
Several companies offer payment gateway services to small businesses in the UK, including Lloyds Cardnet.
- Hire a web designer
They can create or update an existing website to process online transactions. - Build your website using a third-party website builder.
You can build a website using simple, customisable templates from online providers. Simply select one of their themes, which come with pre-built integrations into common payment gateways.
Consider what information you need
Options could include inventory tracking, follow-up emails or advertising campaigns. There are even features that support social media extensions.
Make it easy for your customers
Your website should provide all the information customers need to decide whether to buy – with good descriptions and images. Consider what questions a customer might ask and answer them.
Above all, make sure customers can easily:
- find what they want to buy
- add items to their shopping basket and
- enjoy a smooth and secure payment experience.
Use tools to view online transactions
Consider what tools you need to gain oversight and management information from your gateway service providers. It’s helpful to think of these processes as a kind of online banking for your website. They could help you:
- track transaction details
- oversee order management – this is often built into the eCommerce cart software
- get reporting and reconciliation
- see reporting statements from the merchant acquirer.