Enterprises looking to allow customers to buy products and services directly from their Web sites must consider hosted payment services. Today's outsourced offerings can streamline back-end processes, speed up fulfillment, and reduce staff overhead and cost.

A Front-End Necessity

Enterprises that make it easy for customers to buy online enjoy lower abandonment rates, more and larger transactions, and fewer errors that require IT intervention.

Failure to prioritize the Web site's online payment function will lead to fewer transactions and lost customers. The enterprise ends up leaving money on the table as customers head to competing sites that make it easier for them to spend money.

Be a Good Host

Although it is entirely possible for an enterprise to build its own Web-based architecture to manage online payments, it makes little sense for most. The fast-changing, complex nature of the online payments industry makes it difficult for even the most financially-savvy...