Small businesses should get online in time for Christmas
London, UK (PRWEB UK) 23 October 2013 -- With just two months to go until Christmas, merchant service provider Paymentsense is urging small businesses to start selling online in time for the festive rush.
ONS retail data shows that online spending rises by an average of 40% between October and December and last year saw the highest ever e-commerce spend in the months before Christmas. With retail experts predicting another huge quarter for internet shopping, having a site that sells is absolutely essential for any small business.
However, recent research2 has shown that one-in-four small UK businesses are operating without a website and of those that do have one only a third are using it for sales, suggesting many will miss out on a chance to boost their takings.
As a provider of e-commerce services to small businesses, Paymentsense has seen a consistent increase in both the number of merchants signing up to its payment solutions and the volume of card transactions it processes around this time of year.
Highlighting the benefits of having an online presence, Gemma Eaton, e-commerce product manager at Paymentsense, said:
"People love buying online at Christmas because it gives them the flexibility to shop round the clock from their home, office and even on their phone. Any small business that gives their customers that added level of convenience will almost certainly enjoy a seasonal sales boost.
"Don't leave the big profits to the big businesses this year, turn your website into a web store and make this a Christmas to remember.”
Paymentsense provides online card payment solutions that are perfect for small businesses. Starting from just £10 per month, the company has payment plans that feature everything required to take credit and debit card payments through a website including a merchant account, payment gateway and customisable pay page.
With no fixed contract to sign and a set-up time of less than 24 hours, Paymentsense’s online card processing services make it quicker, simpler and more affordable than ever before for businesses to start selling online.
About Paymentsense
Paymentsense was founded by serial entrepreneurs George Karibian and Jan Farrarons. As the UK's largest merchant service provider, Paymentsense enables 30,000 SMEs to process over £3 billion of card payments per year. From chip and PIN machines to e-commerce services, Paymentsense supplies small businesses with card processing solutions that allow them to take payments instore, online, over the phone and on the move. Paymentsense was recently ranked 7th in The Sunday Times Tech Track 100 and has been shortlisted for the National Business Awards and European Business Awards.
Statistical references
1. ONS retail data - http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_323522.pdf
2. Federation of Small Businesses - http://www.fsb.org.uk/News.aspx?loc=pressroom&rec=8072
Ross McTaggart, Paymentsense Ltd, http://www.paymentsense.co.uk/, +44 2089623165, [email protected]
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