ICEPAY: a new player on the Belgian payment market

ICEPAY is a collecting Payment Service Provider and still relatively new to the Belgian market. We are curious what they have to offer the Belgian merchant and talk to Nicolas Mertens, responsible Customer Care Belgium at ICEPAY.

ICEPAY is a new player on the Belgian market. What do you have to offer the Belgian merchant?

Unlike distributing Payment Service Providers, who focus purely on the connection of payment methods, ICEPAY is a collecting Payment Service Provider (PSP). This offers several advantages to webshops:

•  One contactpoint for all issues related to payments
•  1 single contract
•  Webshop owners receive their payments directly, without having to wait for actions of third parties
•  All payments in one clear review

Furthermore ICEPAY of course offers a wide range of payment methods with various local payment options including NL, DE, BE, FR, AT, CH, IT, IE & UK. Because we buy large volumes of payment methods we can also keep the transaction costs low.

Which payment method should a merchant in Belgium definitely offer? / What is the most common payment method?

In Belgium currently the credit card is the most widely used payment for online purchases. Furthermore also iDEAL and PayPal are used more and more often. The choice for certain payment solutions however, entirely depends on the unique situation of each merchant.

For a consumer two things are very important when it concerns payments: convenience and security. What advice can you give webshops about this? How should they set up their payment process in such way that it positively influences conversion rates?

First it is important to properly map out which targetgroup(s) you focus on and which products you offer. Depending on this you can determine what payment methods are best suited to your shop. The choice for the payment methods that have a positive impact on your conversion may also depend however on the country you’re selling online. For example, for the provision of luxury goods in France, the local credit card Carte Bleue is interesting but when you offer online games to a younger audience, payment methods like PayPal or SMS might have a positive influence on the conversion.
Overall, it is important when setting up the payment process, that you minimize the steps consumers need to take to complete a transaction. ICEPAY always likes to give advice on the most appropriate payment methods and processes.

Except for the consumer, the issue of security and fraud prevention is also important to merchants. How can ICEPAY help merchants with these issues?

The bulk of the payment methods ICEPAY offers can not be reversed by the consumer. The risk of fraud is thus smaller. In addition, ICEPAY offers several tools with which you can make your online store safer. For example by the use of 3DSecure, a protocol prepared by VISA and MasterCard, with which you can protect your credit card payments. Because 3DSecure demands an additional pincode with a credit card payment, you are well protected against fraud. Depending on your needs and business, there are other tools that ICEPAY offers to make your shop safer.

Also, returns are often an issue. Besides the logistical aspect, merchants also face return payments. How is this regulated by ICEPAY?

In the case of a request for return payment, it is possible to request a refund with one click. The amount due will then be automatically refunded in whole or in part the next day. Furthermore we can also take care of cancellations or chargebacks.

On June 22 you organize an e-commerce herring party. This is a Benelux event for e-professionals. Also interesting for the Belgian merchant?

Defenitely! At the herring party many suppliers with e-commerce solutions will be present. These solutions are generic and are therefore definitely also interesting for Belgian online entrepreneurs. Furthermore, it is always inspiring to meet colleagues and exchange experiences and tips about running a webshop. And of course we will serve some delicious ‘Hollandse Nieuwe’ herring. More info at www.icepay.com