In 2002, e commerce sales were 72 billion USD. By 2011, they grew to 256 billion USD, and are likely to grow further. In fact, a few estimates peg the number of U.S. online shoppers at 175 million, up from 137 million today. If you are a small business and want to take advantage of this trend, you should move to credit card processing online.

Credit card processing online has many advantages that its peers do not. For one, online credit card processing is more secure. For another, it can let customers exchange money with you instantly through electronics, ensuring you get paid on time. With the right online payment systems, you can even bill customers via e mail.

Payment processing companies continue to innovate to make your payments as secure as possible. For instance, credit card processing online takes place at three different levels. Level 1, the least detailed, is meant for volume transactions. Level 3 processing, the most detailed, records information on product type, quantity, quality, dimensions, and obviously price. This is mostly used with corporate or government accounts.

Another innovation for credit card processing online is PCI standards. PCI standards are the minimum safety standards all credit card processing companies must comply with. These standards ensure a minimum level of service no matter what business an internet merchant account holder uses as a processor.

Cloud based computing also works more quickly and securely for credit card processing online. By using servers integrated with receivable management, cloud based computing can help update an inventory, and improve transaction processing quality. In short, using the cloud for online credit card processing keeps your business streamlined.

Online payments are more secure and efficient than traditional payments. Thanks to the cloud, credit card processing online can even be integrated with your other systems. So the next time you expand your business, make a choice to use credit card processing online, and reach more customers.