Sofort is an online payment system that facilitates transactions between users via bank transfers. Additionally, this payment system enables users to make online purchases and pay for services cashlessly. In 2005, the Payment Network was established in Munich and was subsequently renamed Sofort. Despite the name change, the company’s core philosophy and operational methods remained intact. In 2014, Sofort entered into a collaboration agreement with Klarna, one of the largest European banks, which caters to over 60 million consumers across 18 countries.
Benefits of the System
Among various payment options, Sofort presents distinct advantages.
Economic Transactions:
Sofort’s competitive pricing structure distinguishes it from several other payment systems. For those regularly transacting, choosing Sofort could translate to notable financial savings over extended periods.
Enhanced Security:
With an array of payment choices available today, not all emphasize robust security. However, Sofort prioritizes safe and secure transactions, working in tandem with banks to implement a strict authentication mechanism. This ensures the genuineness of every transaction and provides protection for both your personal and monetary data.
Prompt Transaction Alerts:
After each transaction’s conclusion, Sofort ensures you’re immediately informed. Such instantaneous updates are pivotal, offering clarity on your payment’s progress and dispelling doubts about transaction outcomes.
All payments in the Sofort system are made exclusively in euros. The system does not charge transaction fees, but banks can set their own fees.
Sofort provides virtual venues with the following services:
- Opening a merchant account to receive payments on the site;
- Making outgoing payments;
- Electronic wallets of clients within the company’s settlement account (personal accounts);
- Possibility of automated payment cancellation (Refund);
- Ability to pay for goods and services for buyers from the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, Italy, Belgium and some other European countries.
For industries spanning various domains, collaboration with the platform extends to websites catering to trips, content, adult sites, dating services, and processing centers. Moreover, Sofort offers pre-configured modules tailored for seamless integration with leading e-commerce platforms, including xt:Commerce, Gambio, Magento, osCommerce, among others.
How to Begin with Sofort
Considering the incorporation of Sofort for your transactional needs? Here’s a concise roadmap to guide you: Begin by gauging Sofort’s compatibility with your needs, noting its prevalent acceptance in regions like Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Next, visit the official website of Klarna or Sofort and initiate an account setup, providing relevant personal or enterprise details.
Once registered, synchronize your banking credentials with your Sofort account, given its reliance on online banking portals. E-commerce entrepreneurs should consider embedding Sofort as a payment option, leveraging the straightforward integrations offered by platforms such as WooCommerce, Shopify, and Magento. Ensuring your website employs SSL encryption is essential for transactional security. When making online procurements, customers ought to choose Sofort during the payment phase, which redirects them to the Sofort environment for transaction verification before returning to the original vendor page.
Post-integration, vendors will observe a preference for Sofort among some customers; it’s crucial to monitor these payments and uphold a clear reimbursement policy. Before full-fledged implementation, merchants are encouraged to trial the Sofort mechanism for consistency and reliability, possibly using provided test environments. Keep pace with the ever-changing payment landscape and pertinent regulations. Finally, for an in-depth grasp of functionalities, merchants should explore Sofort’s detailed guides and seek assistance from Klarna or Sofort’s customer services when needed.
