# Need an online payment system - suggestions required **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [September 6, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-an-online-payment-system-suggestions-required/194508 "2010-09-06T16:39:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zurich\_by\_night](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/d78d45/32.png) [@zurich\_by\_night](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zurich_by_night)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-an-online-payment-system-suggestions-required/194508/1 "2010-09-06T16:39:52Z")
Hello all, We are about to launch our site. One of the features that is missing at the moment is a way for users to fill in their credit card details and click send to purchase our products that we offer on our website. We are relatively new to this concept, so we do not know where to start? I am guessing we have to open up a merchant account? Is this the right term? Or Is it an “online gateway payment system”? So far, I’ve come across the following: Braintree, PaySimple, TrustCommerce, BeanStream, Shopify, [Authorize.net](http://Authorize.net) Ive also come across a plugin called ActiveMerchant, which, I assume handles the interface to send data to whichever merchant account I end up signing with. Is this correct? What should I look for when considering one of the above services? Fees? Processing fee per transaction? Monthly billings, etc? Any additional information will be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![zurich\_by\_night](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/d78d45/32.png) [@zurich\_by\_night](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zurich_by_night)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-an-online-payment-system-suggestions-required/194508/2 "2010-09-11T15:05:03Z")
Hi, On Sat, Sep 11, 2010 at 3:22 AM, tonypm [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > We are relatively new to this concept, so we do not know where to > > What should I look for when considering one of the above services? > > Fees? Processing fee per transaction? Monthly billings, etc? > > > > Any additional information will be appreciated. > > This question interests me too. Strange not to have got any response > to this- I wonder how many people have actually implemented a payment > gateway on a rails site - it doesn’t seem to appear in posts lately… The situation with regard to taking credit card payments has changed substantially, perhaps fundamentally is a more accurate word, in the last year. Long-story-short, your best option is to get set up with a Payment Gateway that will handle your interactions with Payment Processor(s). If you Google ‘credit card payment gateway’ you will find many. The change that has taken place results from legislative action responding to system breaches that have resulted in credit card info being compromised. ([credit card breach statistics - Google Search](http://www.google.com/search?q=credit+card+breach+statistics)) What has emerged is a ‘system’ wherein your site never sees the actual credit card information that the user enters. It gets submitted directly to the Payment Gateway which passes it to the Payment Processor and then passes the response back to you along with a ‘token’ for that credit card which you can use to make charges against it for future purchases. The token is only recognized as valid by the Payment Gateway if it comes from your system. What that means is that you are not storing anything that could be used by someone who broke into your system. You have no credit card info, and the tokens aren’t usable by any system but yours. My experience with this began about a year and a half ago. The company I work for sells a SaaS POS system that provides our customers with the ability to take credit cards. The Payment Processor we initially talked to told us that we needed to either go the Payment Gateway route (which they strongly recommended) or to get ready to spend around $50K, not counting our time, for a PCI audit / certification. In order to deal directly with Payment Processors you now must be certified as PCI-compliant. If you need more help, particularly with respect to the ‘what should I look for …’ question, I’d be happy to offer it off-line as this really has nothing at all to do with Rails. You can reach me at the work email address below. Best regards, Bill bill AT shopkeep DOT com ---
**Author:** ![zurich\_by\_night](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/d78d45/32.png) [@zurich\_by\_night](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zurich_by_night)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-an-online-payment-system-suggestions-required/194508/3 "2010-09-11T15:33:44Z")
On Sat, Sep 11, 2010 at 1:22 AM, tonypm [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > This question interests me too. Strange not to have got any response > to this This same question was asked on the Active Merchant mailing list (google group) and generated substantial discussion. Check the mailing list archive. – Hassan S. ------------------------ removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid twitter: @hassan ---
**Author:** ![zurich\_by\_night](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/d78d45/32.png) [@zurich\_by\_night](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zurich_by_night)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 10:24am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-an-online-payment-system-suggestions-required/194508/4 "2010-09-11T10:24:43Z")
On Sep 6, 3:52 am, Christian F. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > So far, I’ve come across the following: Braintree, PaySimple, > TrustCommerce, BeanStream, Shopify, [Authorize.net](http://Authorize.net) > > Ive also come across a plugin called ActiveMerchant, which, I assume > handles the interface to send data to whichever merchant account I end > up signing with. Is this correct? > > What should I look for when considering one of the above services? > Fees? Processing fee per transaction? Monthly billings, etc? > > Any additional information will be appreciated. This question interests me too. Strange not to have got any response to this- I wonder how many people have actually implemented a payment gateway on a rails site - it doesn’t seem to appear in posts lately… Tonypm