Editor’s note: This article was first published in October 2010; online payments have changed a lot since then (card security checks, digital wallets, virtual cards), and prepaid cards are no longer the little-known option the article describes.
Many people are still wary of shopping online, and to be fair, we do need to take certain security precautions. Then again, sometimes, even once we’ve decided to buy, our credit cards cause problems that stop us from completing the purchase, and naturally we abandon it and prefer to buy somewhere else.
Few internet companies are promoting so-called “prepaid cards“. In fact, an online casino advertises these cards more than any other sector does, and the end result is that people trust putting their money into an online casino more than buying an everyday essential.
For those who don’t know, these days it’s possible to buy online without giving out your account number or credit card details. You just buy a prepaid card, top it up with the amount you need and use it as your payment method for online purchases.
That way we lose the fear of someone getting hold of our account number and of running into problems later. This payment method and PayPal are the two most used by online shops that currently get 100% of their sales over the internet.
The first companies to promote these “little-known cards” among their future and potential customers, and even find ways to get the cards into those customers’ hands, will have a double business opportunity.
The customer, in turn, will have double peace of mind when shopping online. Depending on the country, you can get these prepaid cards at tobacconists (estancos, in Spain) and banks.
See also: Free website and hosting with Wix for your new business
Featured image: © European Union, 2022 (photo: Bogdan Hoyaux), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
