Mobile wallets like Google Pay offer convenience to customers and businesses alike. Google Pay makes for secure and speedy transactions that move lines along, all while being a completely contactless solution. That makes for a happier, more hygienic shopping environment all the way around. 

While Google Pay is far from the only mobile payments provider out there, Google Pay is expected to add more than 10 million customers in the next five years. As mobile payments become more and more popular, adding them to your checkout is a must-do. Here’s how to accept Google Pay the easy way.

What is Google Pay?

Google Pay began as Google Wallet, which was a peer-to-peer payment portal similar to PayPal and Venmo. At that time, Android Pay was the go-to mobile wallet for android users, comparable to Apple Pay. In 2018, Google Wallet and Android Pay merged, creating the Google Pay solution that we know today with millions of users.

Google Pay is easy to use for customers; they simply need to put the Google Pay app on their phone and add their credit or debit card information. The app securely stores their payment information and allows them to select from any card in their virtual wallet next time they want to pay using Google Pay online or in-store. 

Once they get up to the checkout counter, they simply hold their smartphone or smartwatch near your NFC-enabled hardware and, within seconds, the transaction will be approved and completed. No signing, pin code, or touching is necessary; it’s convenience at its finest

How to Accept Google Pay Step-by-Step

Google Pay is strikingly similar to Apple Pay, and it’s often considered one of Apple Pay’s biggest competitors. Fortunately, businesses don’t have to choose. If you set your business up to accept Google Pay, you’ll be halfway there to accepting Apply Pay, too. Here’s how to accept Google Pay with ease.

Step 1. Set Up Google Pay

Before you can begin accepting Google Pay from your customers, you’ll need to create a business account within the Google Pay platform. To set up a Google Pay business account, you need a Unified Payments Interface ID (UPI ID). If you do not have a UPI ID, contact your business’s bank, and they should be able to issue one to you.

Once you have a UPD ID, you’ll need to connect your business account to a Gmail account. You can do this using a personal Gmail account, but it’s best to set up a dedicated Gmail account for your business. When you sign into that Gmail account, Google will walk you through a series of prompts to collect more information about your business, like your company name and phone number.

Step 2. Verify Your Virtual Payment Address

Before you start using Google Pay, Google will verify your virtual payment address by sending a small amount of money to your connected bank account. You’ll need to complete the verification process by entering the exact amount of that small deposit into the Google Pay verification screen. 

It may take up to a few days for the verification transaction to appear in your bank account. If you do not see the transaction in your account, verify that you entered the correct details. If you make an error, you’ll need to update your application and resubmit it. You can always contact Google Pay support for guidance.

Step 3. Wait for Approval

After verifying your virtual payment address, you will need to wait for approval from the Google Pay team. Approval can take up to five business days. You’ll get an email once your account is approved.

On rare occasions, an application may be declined. If this happens, Google will likely require additional information to verify your business before they can proceed. Reach out to the support team so that you can re-open your application and try again.

Step 4. Upgrade Your Point-of-Sale System

Once your Google Pay business account is approved, you’re officially ready to start accepting Google Pay, so long as your hardware is up-to-date. To accept Google Pay or any other mobile wallet as payment, you’ll need a Point-of-Sale (POS) system that advertises “tap-to-pay” or “tap-and-go” compatibility.

If your existing POS system is not compatible with mobile wallets, you can upgrade with ease. Contact NMA if you’re interested in learning more about upgrading your hardware while enjoying minimal fees for your small business.

Step 5. Add Google Pay to Your Online Store

The process is similar if you want to accept Google Pay for your online store. You’ll need to complete steps one through four as previously described and ensure that your website has the Google API enabled. If you’re running on Shopify or BigCommerce, they have extensive guides to help you with this part of the process. You must also use a compatible payment gateway.

The good news is, even though the initial setup process for an online store can be daunting, Google Pay will prove quick and easy for your customers, and it won’t cost them any extra fees when shopping online.

Understanding Merchant Fees

Accepting Google Pay is incredibly convenient for your customers, and it can offer plenty of advantages for your business, too, like speeding up checkout lines. On top of that, you’ll be thrilled to learn that you won’t pay any additional fees for accepting Google Pay. However, card networks treat Google Pay payments as card-present transactions.

Accepting Google Pay certainly won’t cost you any more in fees as a merchant, but it won’t save you any money, either. If you’re finding that your merchant account fees are a little tough to chew with an average of up to 3.5%, it might be time to consider a new solution. At National Merchants Association, we believe that businesses of all sizes deserve to keep more of their profits in their pockets.

About NMA

NMA is a merchant advocacy group dedicated to reducing or eliminating the unnecessary fees associated with accepting credit card payments. Since 2004, NMA’s payment processing solutions have delivered tailored solutions, best-in-class customer service, and high-quality service offerings for businesses across multiple industries. Whether it’s high-risk or low-risk, brick-and-mortar or e-commerce, NMA will create the best processing experience for your company.

For more information, visit us at our legacy.nationalmerchants.com or by calling (866) 509-7199