Setting up a secure and fast payment method is probably one of the most important and foundational aspects of setting up your online store. It’s for this reason, that you might be considering using an alternative payment method like Barclays ePDQ for WooCommerce.
So, in this guide, we’ll be providing you with step-by-step instructions for adding a Barclays ePDQ payment method to your WooCommerce store. As a bonus, we’ll outline what Barclays ePDQ is and why you might want to use it in WooCommerce as your payment method of choice.
The plugin mentioned in this guide:
- Barclaycard ePDQ Direct Link for WooCommerce – Add a Barclays ePDQ Direct payment gateway to your WooCommerce website with ease.
Want to head straight to the tutorial? Click here.
What is Barclays/Barclaycard ePDQ?
Let’s get into the technical stuff. Barclays ePDQ put simply, is an online solution for accepting card payments over the internet.
Barclaycard ePDQ is similar to other online payment processors, however, an account with Barclays is required for this to work. Similarly to other payment processors, Barclays typically charges you per month for this service and depending on which package you choose, you might be charged per transaction as well.
Barclaycard ePDQ supports Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, JCB, American Express and PayPal.
Now you know what Barclays ePDQ is, let’s take a look at why you might choose it for your online store over other payment processors.
Why you might want to use Barclays with WooCommerce instead of PayPal
Setting up your online store with PayPal might be a tempting prospect, but if you’re thinking about adding Barclays ePDQ instead, here are a few things to consider:
Barclays ePDQ provides a better customer experience
When customers checkout using PayPal, they’re automatically sent to PayPal to log in and enter their details there. No matter if they have a PayPal account, or they need to enter their card details. This extra step means the checkout process becomes drawn-out and cumbersome.
With Barclays ePDQ and Direct Link for WooCommerce however, the customer only needs to enter their card details directly in the checkout with no additional pages or loading time.
Barclays ePDQ ensures the best security
When it comes to accepting payment through your WooCommerce store, both you and your customers want to know that payment details are as secure as possible.
With their payment processor, Barclays and the Direct Link for WooCommerce plugin ensures no card data is stored locally on your server. All sensitive card data is sent directly to Barclays and 3D secure authentication adds an additional layer of security, guaranteeing fewer chargebacks or fraudulent transactions.
So now we know the benefits of using Barclays ePDQ for your online store, let’s get it set up and running.
How to set up Barclays ePDQ as a payment gateway in WooCommerce
Barclaycard ePDQ Direct Link for WooCommerce allows you to take secure and fast payments on your WooCommerce store using Barclays ePDQ payment gateway.
This plugin also:
- Works with Barclaycard ePDQ (essential, extra or extra plus).
- Uses SHA (Secure Hash Algorithm) encryption and RIPEMD encryption for hardened security.
- Processes refunds directly in your WooCommerce admin panel.
- Is straightforward to set up with our instructional setup wizard.
- Is kept up to date to ensure your store’s payment stays secure.
To get started, download Barclaycard ePDQ Direct Link for WooCommerce from the We Are AG store: weareag.co.uk/barclaycard-epdq-direct-link-payment-gateway-woocommerce
Note: Before following the steps below, you must have your Barclays ePDQ account setup and ready to go. As well as this, you’ll need a test ePDQ account ready for for the following steps. For help setting up your test account, follow this guide.
Then follow these steps:
- Go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin
- Choose the zip file you downloaded, upload, and then click Activate Plugin
- Once activated, you’ll need to enter your licence key
Once the plugin is activated, next you’ll be presented with a plugin wizard. This will take you through the steps you need to set up your ePDQ payment method.
Set up your ePDQ payment method
There are six steps to this wizard, they include the following:
- Step one asks you to input your ePDQ login ID, also known as PSPID.
- Step walks you through how to set up an API user ID and password. This basically allows your store, to talk to Barclays.
- Step three allows you to pick your SHA encryption method. This resource will help you if you need more information on SHA.
- Step four will ask you to set the SHA-IN pass phrase. SHA-IN is a complicated password you set yourself.
- Step five will ask you to check over a few settings in your Barclays ePDQ account and set up your SHA-OUT pass phrase.
- Step six asks you to check a few more settings and gives you the option to see the plugin’s error log and add a test product. We recommend you tick both of these to help you while you set up your store.
That’s it! Your store is now set up and ready to start testing, debugging and above all, selling products.
For full information in what these sections mean, how to fill them in and test transactions, see our detailed documentation here: we-are-ag.helpscoutdocs.com/setup
In general, this process should take around 30 minutes to set up but we’re always on hand if you need a little extra support.
How to take invoice payments using Barclays ePDQ in WooCommerce
Barclays ePDQ and Direct Link for WooCommerce can also be used to take invoice payments through your online store. To set this up, do the following:
- Go to WooCommerce > Orders > Add Order.
- Next, you’ll need to enter the customer and item information that will be used to generate your invoice in the Billing section.
- The email address you enter here will be used to send your customer/client their invoice. So make sure you double-check this.
- In the Payment Method drop-down, select Barclaycard ePDQ Direct Link.
- Next, add the products/services you’re selling by clicking the Add Line Item(s) button in the next section below Order Details.
Now that you have all your items in your invoice, next we’ll generate the invoice to send to your customer/client.
- In the top right-hand corner, click the Order Actions dropdown and select Email Invoice / order details to customer.
- Check over your invoice to make sure everything is correct and once happy, click Create.
- That’s it! your invoice will now be sent to your customer/client.
Your customer will then receive an invoice that looks a little something like this:
The ‘Pay for this order’ link in the email will redirect them back to your website where they’ll be able to make a payment using the payment method you selected.
Roundup: add Barclays payment to your WooCommerce store
In this guide, you’ve learned why you might use Barclays ePDQ as your payment method of choice for your WooCommerce store and how to set it up in 30 minutes with Barclaycard ePDQ Direct Link for WooCommerce.
The investment you make in setting up a faster and more secure payment method such as Barclays ePDQ for your online store could work to increase customer trust, experience and as a result, reduce cart abandonment. Direct Link for WooCommerce makes that process just a little bit easier.
The plugin featured in this guide:
- Barclaycard ePDQ Direct Link for WooCommerce – Add a Barclays ePDQ Direct payment gateway to your WooCommerce website with ease.
