In an effort to attract more enterprise e-commerce services to adopt the payment platform, PayPal is touting better security for larger merchants.
Since starting the Australian operations three years ago, PayPal now has some 8,500 merchants using it as a payment gateway, and this number is in addition to parent company eBay sellers.
Spokesperson for PayPal Australia, Daniel Feiler, said PayPal’s security story will help it attract more enterprises to use the service as people are still uncomfortable providing credit card details online.
“With PayPal the merchant has no need to store credit card details,” Feiler said, adding PayPal also acts like an online wallet giving the buyer more choice over the payment method.
PayPal now has a dedicated marketing team going after new business, and support staff to help IT departments with integration of its payment gateway with existing Web sites.
Enterprise customers include Big W, Rebel Sport, Roses Only, Sanity Music, and a number of charities.
Feiler said to his knowledge PayPal’s gateway offers businesses the full service they would expect from a bank or other merchant facility.
“The big difference is there is no setup fee,” he said. “Banks may have setup fees and other hoops to jump through. This is also not good for start ups.”
When integrating PayPal, businesses must adhere to PayPal’s branding requirements, but there are presentation options and “a more streamlined checkout process.”
The past three years has seen about 5 million local PayPal accounts created. This combined with some 168 million globally makes selling goods or services overseas easier, according to Feiler.
In the U.S. airlines are beginning to use PayPal for ticket purchases, and Feiler believes it’s only a matter of time before the likes of Qantas and Virgin Blue offer the same here.
