Payment systems allow you to take in revenue over the Internet. These are the systems that make sure that the money that people paid for your product ends up in your pocket. They go through the process of taking the money from an account, possibly changing the currency and then re-depositing it with your bank. There are many different systems available all varying in options, features and of course cost.

For a list of sites offering payment systems see the 'Types of on-line payment' page.

Payment systems fall into categories:

1. Taking credit card numbers which are processed using an existing credit card system (known as PDQ). Payments are processed using the usual CNP option (car holders not present). This requires the security of a Digital Certificate to encrypt the transmission of the credit card numbers.
   
2. Credit card to merchant account. The transaction is performed on the high security computer of the company handling the payment. The money is deposited directly into the merchant's bank account.
   
3. Small cash payments can be handled through various systems where a credit card number is not used for the actual transaction. These systems have been referred to as 'electronic wallets'. They are popular with retailers who do not expect volume sales.

Full credit card payment systems - like that offered by World Pay - not only process the transaction, but also perform a number of security checks. The system will check to see if the number entered is a genuine credit card and will check databases for lost or stolen cards.

Maple systems can provide advice on the most suitable payment system, based on the customer's operating requirements and desired cost structure.