The Problem We Were Actually Solving
Our goal was to sell digital products in Russia, a market with an abundance of eager customers but few payment options. We chose to use Stripe as our payment processor because of its ease of integration and reputation for reliability. However, as we started to onboard customers, we were met with an error that made it clear Stripe was not an option. In Russia, not only was Stripe unavailable but the alternatives were subpar. Our solution needed to be better than the platforms we had available.
What We Tried First (And Why It Failed)
We tried using a combination of PayPal and Gumroad. PayPal was available in Russia, but it would not allow us to sell certain types of digital products. Gumroad was an option but the fees were onerous and the interface was convoluted. Payhip was another platform that was available, but the interface was clunky and the conversion rates were dismal. These alternatives were just band-aid solutions to a larger problem. We needed a solution that was more robust and scalable.
The Architecture Decision
We decided to use a combination of a payment gateway and a custom-built API to handle digital product sales. Our payment gateway of choice was Crypto.com, a company that allows payments to be made in local currencies. Using Crypto.com meant we could bypass the limitations of Stripe and PayPal, and still get competitive conversion rates and low fees. The custom-built API allowed us to integrate Crypto.com into our existing system seamlessly, ensuring a smooth user experience. Additionally, using Rust as our programming language ensured that our API would be memory-safe and performant.
What The Numbers Said After
Our decision to use Crypto.com and a custom-built API paid off. Our digital product sales increased by 25% compared to the previous quarter, and our conversion rates were 3% higher than our previous solution. The fees associated with Crypto.com were on par with, if not lower than, our previous payment processors. Most importantly, we were able to connect with our target market in a way that was seamless and trustworthy.
What I Would Do Differently
While our solution was ultimately successful, there were a few things I would do differently. Firstly, I would spend more time researching our target market and their preferred payment methods. This would have saved us time and money in the long run, and allowed us to make a more informed decision about our payment solution. Secondly, I would consider using a more robust programming language like C or C++. These languages would have provided even more memory safety and performance, although they would also have required a steeper learning curve.
For me, the experience of trying to integrate Stripe in a foreign market was a valuable lesson in the importance of flexibility and customization in software development. While platforms like Stripe are convenient and appealing, they are not always the best solution for every problem. By taking the time to design a custom solution that meets our unique requirements, we were able to outperform the limitations of those platforms and connect with our customers in a meaningful way. And that's a lesson that I, and our system, will continue to benefit from for a long time to come.
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