Stripe: Why Your Business and Nonprofit Should be Using it

In today’s society, online payment systems are a vital part of your business. No matter what kind of organization you run, big, small, nonprofit, startup, side projects, etc.

The topic of online payments can be a touchy one. Consumers, as well as business owners, are looking for comfortable, secure, affordable, and efficient online card processing systems. With many options available, it can be difficult choosing which system best fits your needs. Below we have highlighted three reasons as to why your business or organization should be using Stripe.

Check out: 10 Reasons Why Nonprofits Choose Donorbox Over PayPal

First things first, Stripe is an online payment system, and the best alternative to PayPal that helps all types of business owners and organizations expand their e-commerce directly on their website interface. Stripe was started by two individuals looking to simplify the way online payment works. They were tired of the tedious setup and checkout processes, making it difficult for both the developer (or organization) and the consumer.

Therefore, they took matters into their own hands and created a system that allows the use of credit card purchases directly from your businesses and/or organizations website- no redirects, no lengthy checkout process, just happy customers making payments on your businesses/ organizations branded page. Read why your organization/ business should be using Stripe.

#1 Cost

The pricing behind Stripe is simple, 2.9% + 30 cents for all successful transactions. No monthly or annual fees and no fixed costs. Everything relating to the cost is transparent -no additional fees for recurring payments, subscriptions, or failed transactions. For your convenience, Stripe accepts all major international credit cards for free. However, there is a currency conversion rate of 2% which is applied automatically.

#2: User experience and satisfaction

When deciding on which online payment platform to use, it is important to take into account its user experience and satisfaction. Is it easy to use, attractive, and/or appropriate? Does it meet your users needs? Stripe does just that; it provides an effortless online money transaction system both for the business/ organization as well as the customers themselves.

For businesses/organizations:

1. An effortless and straightforward setup making it easy to get your account up and running in no time.
2. Offers a clean, precise, and minimalistic website design.
3. Connects with the other apps you already use, so you don’t have to. (Lyft, Shopify, Donately, Xero, among many others)
4. A comprehensible and clear interface with graphs and charts for real-time analytics.
5. A seamless checkout process on your company’s/organization's website, leading to increased conversions or sales
6. A straightforward control panel, proper documentation, and powerful API.
7. As a nonprofit, this is an excellent way to increase donations on your website. You should consider the donation collection method while you are at the early stages of starting your nonprofit organization. Check out Charity:water’s page to see how they are using Stripe.

For the user:

1. The user gets what they paid for.
2. Provides a piece of cake checkout process, streamlined with minimal steps to ease your way through the experience.
3. Extremely user-friendly including one-on-one support, how-to guides, and online chats for all your uncertainties.
4. Allows users to save credit card information for future purchases (making it easier for one-time customers to become regulars).
5. The user makes the payment directly on your webpage; it is that simple.

#3: Security

Security is most likely your company's primary concern, especially when dealing with online money transactions. Without a doubt the best feature Stripe has to offer is that it creates a secure platform so you don’t have to.

This is done through Stripe.js. Stripe. js is a javascript that allows you to integrate your customized Stripe payment forms. It handles all validation and errors and securely transmits credit card data to the Stripe server. This means all payment information never actually touches your servers.

Why is this important? First and foremost, this prevents hackers from accessing your company’s and/or customer’s credit card data. If there is anything holding a customer back from a purchase, it’s their hesitation to input confidential credit card information. By using a secure money transaction system, clients are more at ease with purchasing on your site. Which in return, can lead to more continuous buying.

In conclusion, implementing Stripe in your business or nonprofit’s website is straightforward, trouble-free, and will ultimately take away the stresses of accepting payment transactions through online channels. It takes just a few minutes-- get started today!

About the Author

Becca Bloch is the communications & partnership manager at Elevation Web, a full- service nonprofit website design design agency. As a lifelong volunteer for nonprofits, Becca has taken her passion to the next level, assisting nonprofit organizations in developing an online presence in order to influence greater change within their community. When she isn’t working, Becca enjoys snapping photos, Netflix movie marathons, and catching up on her favorite blogs.

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Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay