Sage Pay (now Opayo, Elavon’s payment gateway brand), a leading payment service provider in Europe, is committed to securely processing card transactions and other payment methods while also focusing on fraud prevention and security measures. Developed by The Sage Group, a company known for its accounting software, Sage Pay boasts impressive stats: over a year, it processes 4 billion payments and serves numerous European businesses with a staff of 300.
Initially founded as Protx in 2001 with backing from private investors aimed at supporting UK-based small and medium enterprises, the company gained early endorsement from major financial institutions like Lloyds TSB, Bank of Scotland, Barclays Merchant Services, HSBC, and American Express within two years of its inception.
Now that we’ve covered what Sage Pay is, let’s delve into how the platform operates.
Sage Pay’s features are designed to cater to the diverse demands of online retail enterprises.
Key Features of the Platform
Sage Pay offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to facilitate seamless and secure payment processing for your business.
eCommerce Website Connectivity: The platform can be easily connected with your existing eCommerce website, ensuring a unified and streamlined business operation.
Seamless Integration into Sage Accounts: For businesses using Sage Accounts for financial management, Sage Pay offers seamless integration, making it easier to keep all your financial data in one place.
Diverse Payment Types: Sage Pay supports a wide range of payment methods including credit/debit cards, digital wallets, and more, catering to the varied preferences of your customer base.
Industry-Leading Security: With its state-of-the-art security protocols, Sage Pay ensures that all transactions and customer data are handled with the highest level of security.
24/7 UK-Based Support: You can rely on round-the-clock customer support that’s based in the UK. Whatever the query or issue, professional assistance is always available.
Customisable Payment Pages: Personalize your payment pages to offer a branded and unique experience for your customers, further building trust and credibility.
Single-Click Checkout: Sage Pay’s single-click checkout feature minimizes the steps needed to complete a purchase, thereby enhancing the customer experience and potentially boosting sales.
Real-Time Analytics via My Sage Pay Online Portal (now MyOpayo): Track your transaction metrics and gain valuable insights through the My Sage Pay online portal, which offers real-time analytics.
Mobile Card Machines: For businesses on the go, Sage Pay offers mobile card machines to process payments anywhere, anytime.
Portable Card Machine: Need to move around your store? Sage Pay’s portable card machines give you the freedom to accept payments anywhere on your premises.
Countertop PDQ Machines: Ideal for fixed point-of-sale locations, these machines are robust and offer quick and secure payment processing.
POS-Integrated Card Machines: The card machines can be effortlessly integrated with your existing Point of Sale systems, allowing for a more streamlined operation.
How to Begin
Sage Pay no longer signs up merchants under that name: its website redirects to Elavon, which offers the gateway as Opayo. To join, start by visiting Elavon’s website to explore the variety of services and pricing plans they offer to suit different business needs. Once you’ve identified a plan that aligns with your requirements, you can initiate contact with Elavon by filling out an online inquiry form, using live chat, or calling their sales team directly for a consultation. During the consultation, an Elavon representative will discuss your specific needs to recommend the most suitable plan.
After the consultation, you’ll typically need to fill out an application form, providing essential company details, business bank account information, and possibly additional documentation for verification purposes. Upon the successful review and approval of your application and documents, you’ll receive an email confirmation along with instructions for setting up your Opayo account. This setup process might involve technical steps such as API integrations, installing ecommerce plugins, or configuring payment terminals, depending on the services you’ve selected.
Before going live, it’s advisable to conduct test transactions to ensure the system is functioning as expected. Once satisfied, you can begin processing real transactions. Elavon usually offers ongoing customer support through various channels to assist you as you start using their services.
