First Data Global Gateway Review

The Global Gateway can be used with a virtual terminal or web service API. The Gateway also offers hosted payment pages, allowing you the convenience and security of a payments page hosted by First Data on secure servers while preserving the look and feel of the existing business website.

With the Global Gateway, you can easily accept credit and debit card payments, and electronic checks. With First Data ecommerce solutions, you can also add payment options such as Google Checkout, PayPal, and gift cards.

The gateway also calculates tax and shipping charges as necessary. Additionally, business that need to charge customers on a recurring basis (such as for monthly memberships) can set up the recurring billing option to automate the recurring charge process. You can accept payments in over 140 currencies, allowing international customers the comfort of paying in their own currency.

The Global Gateway Virtual Terminal provides a secure method for accepting payments on an existing computer with an internet connection and browser that can support 128-bit SSL encryption. Both JavaScript and cookies must be enabled to use the Virtual Terminal.

The Virtual Terminal is ideal for processing mail order payments, telephone order payments, and in-person point-of-sale payments. You can accept Visa, American Express, Master Card, Discover, and checks. In addition to accepting payments, you can process voids, returns, and refunds. First Data’s Virtual Terminal also supports Level II transactions for purchase cards and other transactions requiring more stringent data. Currently First Data’s terminal doesn’t support Level III transactions.

You can add multiple users to the Virtual Terminal, allowing for limited access for lower-level employees, and reporting features by User ID.

First Data also offers a variety of reports for easy back office functions and business management. Available reports include transaction totals, order details, sales by payment type, and much more. Reports also offer several chart and graph options, including pie charts and bar graphs.

Security

First Data Global Gateway and Virtual Terminal provide several security features, including PCI compliant servers for hosted payment pages and tokenization and encryption technologies to keep card data safe. The Virtual Terminal requires a 128-bit secure browser to use, ensuring industry-standard security is in place for all transactions.

Features

First Data provides a wide variety of features for ease of payment acceptance and business management. Features include the option of a customizable secure hosted payments page, robust reporting with charts and graphs for quick data visualization, an API resource guide and forum for developers, a range of built-in fraud management tools, and support for optional peripherals such as card readers designed to make virtual terminal transactions faster.

Hosted Payments Page

For convenience and security, First Data Global Gateway offers hosted payment pages that can be integrated to existing websites. Hosted payment pages offer a secure solution for customers to enter transaction information without storing information on the your server. The Global Gateway Payment Pages simply direct the customer to a payment form that is hosted on First Data Global Gateway secure servers. The look and feel of the hosted payments page can be customized to match the look of your business. Payments pages can be configured to accept a range of payments, including credit cards, checks, and PayPal.

Reporting

First Data offers many reporting and analytics solutions to help you effectively analyze and manage business. Reports can include charts or graphs for quick visualization of complex data or for use in business presentations. First Data supports consolidated multi-store reporting, making it easy for you  to manage information for multiple branches of business. Available reports include transaction summaries, transaction type, average transaction total, orders, batch summaries, item sales, sales tax, periodic bills, and more. You can filter and view reports by a range of variables, including date, invoice number, card number, user ID, type of transaction, and more.

API Resources

The First Data Global Gateway web service API integrates with your existing website to enable gateway payments. The API uses IP Socket connections and can be integrated with existing recurring billing and reservation systems as well as POS terminals. First Data offers an API forum as a resource for everything related to integrating APIs.

Fraud Management

In addition to the security features detailed above, First Data offers fraud management tools for added security, including CVV. With CVV, you can enter the 3-digit code printed on the back of a customer’s credit card prior to completing the transaction. The system will return a code to inform you of a CVV match or non-match. Additionally, First Data Global Gateway utilizes the Address Verification System (AVS) to help prevent chargebacks due to accepting fraudulent transactions. AVS compares a customer’s address provided at the time of purchase with the address on file for the credit card being used, helping ensure that the card is being used by the rightful owner. The AVS system will provide a code indicating whether they addresses match, and if not, which part doesn’t match.

First Data’s Basic Fraud tools are available as part of the Virtual Terminal at no additional cost to you. Basic Fraud tools include the ability to automatically decline and block transactions based on card number, customer name, IP address, or maximum purchase amount. When transactions are blocked due to the fraud tools chosen, they will not be sent for authorization.

Accessories

First Data’s Global Gateway Virtual Terminal supports optional accessories for increased convenience and fast customer assistance. The Global Gateway Virtual Terminal currently supports the following:

• Cherry keyboard card reader
• MagTek Mini Swipe card reader
• Cherry keyboard reader