What is the role of Authorize.net?
Authorize.net serves as a gateway for businesses, facilitating payment processing and the management of customer information. Its primary emphasis is on delivering versatile payment solutions catering to various businesses, regardless of whether they function in the online sphere or have physical storefronts.
In our previous article, you can read in more detail about what other payment methods are available for online business and there will be a guide on how to choose the best of them. Use it.
Key Features of Authorize.net
Each of these functionalities is crafted to provide adaptability and user-friendly experiences, catering to the diverse requirements of businesses while ensuring a seamless and secure process.
- Enhanced Fraud Protection
This service offers customizable tools and filters to meet the unique needs of each business. By establishing tailored rules, businesses can enhance their defenses against fraudulent activities.
- Customer Information Manager
Designed to streamline the purchasing process for repeat customers, this feature securely stores payment details, enabling quicker transactions without the need for re-entering information.
- Payment Variety
Authorize.net accommodates contemporary purchasing habits by enabling businesses to accept a range of payment methods, ensuring customers can choose their preferred mode of payment.
- Recurring Payments
The platform is adept at handling recurring or installment payments, particularly advantageous for businesses operating under a subscription-based model.
Digital Invoicing: This functionality empowers businesses to dispatch personalized digital invoices via email, expediting payments without relying on physical paperwork.
- Effortless Checkout
A simple method to integrate purchasing options, such as Buy Now or Donate buttons, into a website, adapting to the evolving preferences of customers who prefer streamlined online shopping experiences.
Who does Authorize.net suit best?
- Ecommerce businesses. Authorize.net is well-suited for businesses in the online retail sector, offering features like contactless payment and invoicing. Its emphasis on fraud detection and IP filters provides an additional layer of security crucial for online transactions.
- Subscription-based businesses. Companies operating on a subscription model can leverage Authorize.net's integration capabilities and payment flexibility. This allows for seamless recurring billing and customization tailored to their specific business requirements.
- Local physical stores. Small retail establishments aiming to offer diverse payment options, including contactless payment, may find Authorize.net attractive. The relatively modest monthly fee, coupled with the ability to authenticate and process various payment methods, aligns effectively with the needs of local retailers.
What issues might arise with Authorize.net?
Sometimes it may be really useful to have line items recorded in the transaction information. This may simplify your accounting or help you in debugging some issues, so no wonder that different extensions that allow you to implement the Authorize.net payment method at your store have this feature enabled by default.
Although this handy feature may cause some issues. Authorize.net API docs describe that the maximum is 30 line items per transaction. This is not a big number, and it means that eventually, your customer may face a problem. They won’t be able to place an order that contains more than 30 positions. The chances are even higher for the B2B stores or stores with a wide choice of goods during the sales.
The issue is not a complex one but still may cause sales revenue losses. Unfortunately, this limitation is not documented in detail, so it may be easily forgotten. The problem may not appear during the website development and testing but will show up later when the store is up and running. So if there’s a chance that your customers will buy more than 30 items per order, you may consider disabling sending line items to Authorize.net.
Summary
Founded in 1996, Authorize.net has become a recognizable name in payment processing, offering features such as advanced fraud protection and customer information management. Addressing diverse transaction needs, including in-store, online, or mobile payments, Authorize.net aims to simplify the complex landscape of digital transactions.
If you require professional technical assistance with integrating a payment system into your online store, feel free to submit a request on our website.
