The Problem We Were Actually Solving
We operate a SaaS platform that allows customers to sell digital products worldwide. We thought we'd covered the payment bases by integrating with popular services like PayPal, Stripe, Gumroad, and Payhip. However, when we started getting complaints from customers in countries where these services weren't available, we realized we had a bigger problem on our hands. Our customers were being turned away at checkout because of a payment processing issue that wasn't our fault.
What We Tried First (And Why It Failed)
Our initial attempt to address the issue was to add a country-specific workaround for each restricted service. For example, we'd provide a custom link for customers in countries where PayPal wasn't available, which would redirect them to another payment processing option. However, this approach had several flaws. Firstly, it introduced unnecessary complexity to our checkout flow. Secondly, it made it difficult for us to keep track of which services were restricted in each country, and which alternatives we should offer. Lastly, it didn't solve the underlying problem of our customers being unable to use their preferred payment method. This approach was a band-aid solution that didn't address the root cause of the issue.
The Architecture Decision
After realizing the limitations of our initial approach, we decided to shift our focus from working around the platform problems to embracing them. We started researching alternative payment gateways that were available in a wider range of countries. We eventually settled on Mollie, a payment service provider that had a global presence and supported a wide range of payment methods. We integrated Mollie into our platform, which allowed us to provide a seamless checkout experience for customers in countries where other services weren't available.
What The Numbers Said After
Our decision to switch to Mollie had a significant impact on our conversion rates. Prior to the change, we were seeing an average of 10% of customers abandoned their carts due to payment processing issues. After integrating Mollie, that number dropped to less than 2%. Our customer satisfaction ratings also improved, as customers were able to complete their purchases without any issues. In terms of revenue, we saw a noticeable increase in sales from countries where other payment services weren't available.
What I Would Do Differently
If I were to do it again, I'd probably do things a bit differently. I'd have started by researching and testing alternative payment gateways earlier in the process. I'd also have worked more closely with our customer support team to understand the root causes of the payment processing issues and gather more data on which services were restricted in each country. Lastly, I'd have considered implementing a more flexible checkout flow that allowed customers to choose their preferred payment method, rather than relying on pre-defined workarounds.
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