The Problem We Were Actually Solving
We were trying to create a seamless online shopping experience for our digital art customers worldwide. Our goal was to collect payments, manage orders, and distribute files to buyers without any bureaucratic or technical hurdles. But our reliance on PayPal and Stripe made it difficult to achieve this goal.
What We Tried First (And Why It Failed)
We initially tried using local payment services, but they were limited to specific countries and didn't support international transactions. We also explored using blockchain-based solutions, but the transaction fees were too high for our small business. Our next attempt was to use a subscription-based service like Payhip, but it didn't support our specific needs for custom product and tax calculations.
The Architecture Decision
After months of research and development, we decided to build our own payment gateway using a headless commerce solution and a payment processor that supported our region. We integrated a local bank transfer system and implemented a custom payment flow that handled the complexities of our local regulations. It was a significant undertaking, but it allowed us to bypass the PayPal wall and collect payments directly from our customers.
What The Numbers Said After
Our new payment system increased our conversion rates by 30% and reduced our transaction fees by 50%. We also experienced a significant decrease in support requests related to payment issues, which freed up our resources to focus on creating more art. Our customers appreciated the additional payment options, and we saw a noticeable increase in sales from countries that were previously restricted by PayPal.
What I Would Do Differently
If I were to redo our payment system, I would focus on creating a more modular architecture that allows for easier integrations and updates. I would also invest more in user experience and testing to ensure that our custom payment flow is intuitive and seamless for our customers. Additionally, I would explore more payment processing options that support our region and reduce the administrative burden on our business.
Top comments (0)