SYDNEY, Australia – 18 May 2008: Online payment provider eWAY looks like being a big winner in the next 2 weeks. The company is in the running for 4 major IT awards. 

eWAY is an online payment provider allowing web sites to talk directly to the banking network to process online payments. The company has seen significant growth in the online payments industry over the last 10 years of operation in Australia. 

eWAY is a finalist for the ZDNET Emerging Innovation award, CeBIT Technology Service award, CeBIT Business Advantage award and the Canberra Business Point award for business sales growth.   

The company has released 2 revolutionary products that are up for the awards.  

The first product is called the CBA Express Merchant Application, where eWAY becomes a reseller of Commonwealth Bank merchant facilities, dramatically reducing the time and complexity associated with setting up an online payment infrastructure. 

The second new product from eWAY is a paperless direct debt system that gives the merchant full control of their payments; the system includes a complex dispute resolution centre. 

“The ICT industry as a whole is very interested in our new product offering,” said Matt Bullock, Chief Executive Officer of eWAY. 

“We are delighted to be recognised by these major ICT awards, and believe we have a great chance of winning all four! CeBIT this year is promising to be even bigger than last year and is the key to our online success” Mr Bullock said.  

eWAY is a global leader in the provision of online payment solutions for thousands of merchants, both in Australia and overseas. In 2007, the company established a UK subsidiary in the United Kingdom and in New Zealand. 

Press Contacts: 

Matt Bullock

Chief Executive Officer

eWAY

ceo@eway.com.au

1800 10 65 65

0416 292 162   

About eWAY 

eWAY is Australia's leading payment gateway, providing online payment solutions for thousands of Australian merchants.  Operating since 1998, eWAY sets the standard in online payments, transaction security and merchant assistance.  eWAY provides credit card and direct debit payments online, allowing eCommerce merchants to automate their sales processes while operating in a global, 24/7 market.  eWAY provides scalable solutions for businesses ranging from hobby sites to multinational corporations.  eWAY is integrated with all major Australian banks and international credit card schemes, over 80 different shopping cart solutions, and is the preferred provider for over 300 development and design houses in Australia.  With around the clock monitoring and support, eWAY provides the experience and service levels that merchants need to succeed online.

SYDNEY, Australia – 18 May 2008: Online payment and eCommerce specialist eWAY and the Commonwealth Bank have signed a game-changing strategic alliance that will revolutionise the way that merchants set up and manage their internet sales facilities. 

Under the terms of the agreement, eWAY becomes a reseller of Commonwealth Bank merchant facilities, dramatically reducing the time and complexity associated with setting up an online payment infrastructure. Called Commonwealth Bank Express Merchant Application, the service is the first of its kind and establishes eWAY as a one-stop shop for merchants seeking a full suite of eCommerce and payment services to start selling online. 

“The Commonwealth Bank Express Merchant Application is a giant leap forward in how people do business online,” said Matt Bullock, Chief Executive Officer of eWAY. “Now people can come to eWAY for their entire online payment package, from shopping cart to merchant facilities and payment gateway – all at once. This reflects eWAY’s core promise to make eCommerce easy,” Mr Bullock said. 

The Commonwealth Bank Express Merchant Application is an Australian-first service and will be welcomed by small, medium and large businesses seeking to streamline processes and start selling online as soon as possible. 

“The success of a merchant is not judged on whether they have signed up for an account – it is based on their ability to be operational and start taking transactions. Commonwealth Bank Express Merchant Application will allow merchants to become operational much faster, allowing them to start taking payments much sooner,” Mr Bullock said. 

Merchants have traditionally had to apply separately to the banks to establish their merchant facility after first dealing with eWAY to set up a payment gateway service - creating delays and double-dealing headaches for the merchant.  Using Commonwealth Bank Express Merchant Application, the merchant needs to only apply online with eWAY for their entire ePayment package, including Commonwealth Bank merchant banking facilities. 

Tony Bartlett, CEO of Enotia.com.au, one of over 80 eWAY shopping cart partners says “In most cases the only remaining barrier to rapid deployment of online shopping systems, especially for new and small businesses, is the red tape surrounding the merchant facility application. With the launch of CBA Express Merchant Application this major problem is solved: it’s a quantum leap in the e-commerce services industry and a great benefit to Australian business looking to establish an online sales presence”. 

The Commonwealth Bank Express Merchant Application has already been recognised by the ICT industry with the announcement that the new service is a finalist in the 2008 CeBIT.AU Business Advantage Award. 

The Commonwealth Bank Express Merchant Application will be demonstrated at the eWay pavilion at the giant CeBIT Australia 2008 business technology fair at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour next week. Officials from both eWAY and the Commonwealth Bank will be on hand at CeBIT to answer customer queries. 

eWAY is a global leader in the provision of eCommerce services, providing online payment solutions for thousands of merchants, both in Australia and overseas. In 2007, the company established a UK subsidiary in the United Kingdom as a beachhead to address the European markets, and has also set up a direct presence in New Zealand and Asia. 

Press Contacts: 

Matt Bullock

Chief Executive Officer

eWAY

ceo@eway.com.au

1800 106565

0416 292 162 

About eWAY 

eWAY is Australia's leading payment gateway, providing online payment solutions for thousands of Australian merchants.  Operating since 1998, eWAY sets the standard in online payments, transaction security and merchant assistance.  eWAY provides credit card and direct debit payments online, allowing eCommerce merchants to automate their sales processes while operating in a global, 24/7 market.  eWAY provides scalable solutions for businesses ranging from hobby sites to multinational corporations.  eWAY is integrated with all major Australian banks and international credit card schemes, over 80 different shopping cart solutions, and is the preferred provider for over 300 development and design houses in Australia.  With around the clock monitoring and support, eWAY provides the experience and service levels that merchants need to succeed online. 

Important information: Full terms and conditions will be provided on application. Bank fees and charges are payable. Commonwealth Bank of Australia. ABN 48 123 123 124.

SYDNEY, Australia – 18 May 2008: Online payment provider eWAY has released its Direct Debit Payment solution, allowing Internet merchants to debit their customers’ bank account without the hassle of processing and storing their details. 

eWAY is an online payment provider allowing web sites to talk directly to the banking network to process online payments. The company has seen significant growth in the online payments industry over the last 10 years of operation in Australia. 

While traditionally online payments have tended to be processed on credit card, the need to provide more options and more flexibility for online customers has seen a push from merchants for other solutions. 

eWAY’s Direct Debit Payment solution allows merchants to manage their direct debits payments online, with customer and payment details all controlled through the sophisticated online interface developed by eWAY. Disputes between a merchant and their customer over payments are a thing of the past.  eWAY’s Direct Debit Payment solution provides a comprehensive dispute resolution area, where merchants can access their customer’s Direct Debit Agreement online, where it is stored as a digital copy. 

“The dispute resolution process is the biggest change to current Direct Debit payment models already on offer,” said Matt Bullock, Chief Executive Officer of eWAY. “eWAY processes and stores the Authority form on the merchant’s behalf, allowing instant access in dispute cases.  The biggest hassle with Direct Debit payments is storing the form.  If you have more than a handful of customers, storing and then locating these pieces of paper can be a logistical and administrative nightmare.  Now through eWAY this problem is taken off the merchant’s hands.” 

“We’ve already had strong interest for this solution from our current client base, with hundreds of merchants signing up in the first two weeks of its release.  We expect continued growth in this area as word of the Direct Debit payment solution filters through to online merchants.” 

eWAY work in developing the Direct Debit Payment solution has been recognised with the announcement that the solution is a finalist in the CeBIT.AU Excellence in Technology Services Award. 

eWAY is a global leader in the provision of online payment solutions for thousands of merchants, both in Australia and overseas. In 2007, the company established a UK subsidiary in the United Kingdom and in New Zealand. 

Press Contacts: 

Matt Bullock

Chief Executive Officer

eWAY

ceo@eway.com.au

1800 10 65 65

0416 292 162   

About eWAY 

eWAY is Australia's leading payment gateway, providing online payment solutions for thousands of Australian merchants.  Operating since 1998, eWAY sets the standard in online payments, transaction security and merchant assistance.  eWAY provides credit card and direct debit payments online, allowing eCommerce merchants to automate their sales processes while operating in a global, 24/7 market.  eWAY provides scalable solutions for businesses ranging from hobby sites to multinational corporations.  eWAY is integrated with all major Australian banks and international credit card schemes, over 80 different shopping cart solutions, and is the preferred provider for over 300 development and design houses in Australia.  With around the clock monitoring and support, eWAY provides the experience and service levels that merchants need to succeed online.

Thinking about taking your existing business online or starting a new online business?

One of the most important decisions you’ll make is how to process payments through your website.

It’s all about getting paid securely, reliably and as quickly as possible, that’s a big part of business and important for your cash flow.

Choosing between the different payment solution options available can be confusing. Below is a list of what we consider to be the eight key areas you should focus on when looking at your options.

• Merchant based and non-merchant based systems – this is, in many cases, the first decision you will need to make. Do you opt for a merchant based system such as eWAY or do you consider a private payment system? In general terms if you are expecting to conduct reasonable levels of transactions and want your funds paid directly into your bank account then a merchant based system is probably the best option for you.

• Reputation and security – both areas should form a key component of your decision making process when choosing an online payment system. Is you preferred option an established business with a good reputation in the marketplace like eWAY? Do they utilize state of the art security technology to protect your data like eWAY?

• Quality of service and support – when your online business depends on being paid securely and reliably you want to know that the company providing your payment gateway will be there when you need them most with expert technical support solutions. Check on the level of support offered and confirm the companies network management, backup and monitoring solutions. At eWAY all of our customers enjoy the highest levels of service and support.

• Infrastructure - availability and security are essential elements of a Payment Gateway provider. Check if your chosen provider has the highest level of physical and network security features and that they are constantly implemented, monitored and supported on 24 x 7 basis, with custom-built hardware and software and specialised backup plans in place. eWAY uses best of breed infrastructure and security solutions to ensure our customers are always live and always have access.

• Credibility - if you want to provide a professional payment process for your customers, while also maintaining control over your funds, a merchant based system such as eWAY is the best option. The non-merchant based systems offer a redirect payment process which means your customers leave your site to input their credit card details. With the threat of phishing scams and identity theft so well publicised, customers are more than likely to close their browser the instant they are transferred from your site. This means lost sales for you and customer dissatisfaction due to non-fulfillment of the sale.

• Disputes - non-merchant based processors represent both sides of the dispute if problems arise. In the event of a dispute using a merchant based processor such as eWAY merchants are represented by the acquiring bank and are independent of the customer or the issuing bank. Australian banks are required to obey laws and regulations when it comes to the handling of funds. Your rights as a merchant are protected by these rules that are in place to ensure a fair trading environment for all parties. Other online payment models that don't use the banking network are not held to the same set of rules. These service providers are largely autonomous, offshore entities that purely exist within the legal vacuum that is the Internet. This means that your rights as a merchant a subject to whims of companies largely self-regulating and untouchable.

• Control - at no stage do merchant based processors touch your funds. A merchant based payment gateway like eWAY  is simply a conduit for transaction information to flow between your website and the banking network. All fund transfers and settlements are handled by your merchant facility and your customer's card issuer. As transactions are processed throughout the day, the funds from each successful transaction are held by the Internet merchant facility. At the end of the day the funds are settled overnight by your bank into your nominated trading account, giving you access to these funds by the next working day.

• Privacy - There are major differences in the area of privacy between merchant based systems and non-merchant based systems. Merchant based systems such as eWAY never share merchants or customers data with anyone. Before considering another system check their privacy statement material closely.

• Fees - Costs are an important consideration when considering the payment system that is right for your business needs. Merchant based processors such as eWAY typically have annual fees, per transaction fees and sometimes setup fees. There are also fees associated with setting up an online merchant facility with your bank. In relation to fees it’s key that merchants take the time to understand all of the differences between merchant and non-merchant based processors and not make a decision based solely by cost comparison.

A recent article in The Australian newspaper highlighted that over the past year credit card fraud has risen in Australia. The ‘good’ news is that the rate of growth has been small and while still low by international standards it serves as a timely reminder of the importance of protecting your customer’s data. Consumers are well aware of the spectre of credit card fraud and identity theft and online businesses need to take the proper measures to protect customer data. It makes good business sense as it protects not only your customers but ultimately your business.

Fortunately the best preventative measure is straightforward, easy to implement and relatively cheap. You’ve probably heard of SSL (Secure Socket Layer) by now. SSL is a cryptographic tool that provides for secure communications over the internet. Ever noticed that little padlock at the top and bottom of your browser on certain pages? That’s the sign that those pages are protected by an SSL.

SSL protection of the pages where your customers enter their personal information including their credit card details not only protects the data but gives your customers peace of mind. The last thing anyone involved in an online business wants after the hard work of getting a customer to your payments pages is to lose them because they get nervous if they don't feel it is adequately secure.

Luckily the cost of securing your sensitive pages with an SSL certificate is very low. Our exclusive international partnerships with Geotrust and RapidSSL allow us to provide you with the most competitive prices available in Australia. Our SSL prices start from a low $19 and are issued in minutes. SSL is authenticated, reliable and private. Secure your  customers private information and your business today.

For more information or to purchase simply visit our SSL page or call us on 1800 10 65 65.

Over the past six months, eWAY developers have been hard at work integrating eWAY’s payment solutions into Salesforce, the world’s leading Customer Relationship Management provider.  This marks a turning point in eWAY’s strategy, shifting focus from online shopping carts to other solutions available online.  While online retail remains a large part of eCommerce, the evolution of online payments has seen other business models and processes realise the benefits to be gained from an online presence.

Salesforce.com is the worldwide leader in on-demand customer relationship management (CRM) services.  More companies trust their vital customer and sales data to salesforce.com than any other on-demand CRM company in the world.  More than 35,500 companies worldwide depend on Salesforce to manage their sales, marketing, customer service, and other critical business functions.

eWAY has now developed a plug in for Salesforce called Managed Payments.  Effectively the Managed Payments addition will allow merchants who use Salesforce to charge their customers from directly within the CRM system.  The customers’ credit card details only need to be entered once and they are then stored on eWAY’s secure systems to process at anytime.  This allows Salesforce users to fully utilise the sales and marketing tools within Salesforce in concert with the payment processing power of eWAY.  After all, what is the point of having a sales process without the ability to gain revenue from it?  Now merchants can fully realise their sales potential by automating their customers’ payments through eWAY.

eWAY has also extended the scope of Salesforce by enabling merchants to process directly from their website, through to Salesforce and then to eWAY.  This means that merchants no longer have to manually enter sales data within Salesforce.  Now they can upload the data automatically via the Managed Payments website integration to Salesforce and eWAY, successfully combining all of the aspects of the payment process.

The Internet Revolution has provided an excellent opportunity for online traders to avoid one of the largest business costs incurred with traditional operations.  By automating the sales and checkout process businesses no longer have to employ customer service personnel, which contribute to large and costly overheads.  Not only are wages and salaries avoided by operating online, but the many and varied taxes, levies and insurance fees have also become a care of the past.  This is where online selling becomes a viable prospect – by reducing the operations costs Internet merchants can offer reduced prices in order to compete and out-sell their more traditional competitors.

The one loser in all of this is the online consumer.  Sure they may be getting a cheaper price, but this is not the only determining factor behind the purchase decision.  By ignoring the needs of the customer, online merchants risk a backlash from their dissatisfied consumers.

A major positive from having front of house sales representatives is the personal contact they offer between the business and the customer.  It is not by chance that the most cheerful and attractive sales staff are placed in roles where they can maximise their contact with customers.  The sales staff can create the impression that they are ecstatic to see you and that the business is a happier place for your presence.  Websites can achieve this as well with a more welcoming atmosphere to greet the customer.  This doesn’t have to be a complicated splash page with expensive flash animations (in fact some customers find the extra step in navigation annoying and taxing on their system’s resources).  A simple greeting and explanation of the website’s aim will create a warm and inviting atmosphere, inviting the customer to further explore the website and products on offer.  As always first impressions count.

By having a real person assisting you when you make a purchase you are guided towards the ultimate point of paying for the item.  They can greet you, suggest a range of suitable products, offer expert advice and then walk you through the purchase process.  Once again this sales advantage is lost online.  For the most part the customer is left to there own devices, aimlessly browsing through your online store with no real focus or assistance.  To avoid this you can provide advice for each product, provide information for similar products, provide information on other products purchased by people that selected this one, and give your customers a clear explanation of the checkout process and what happens next (i.e. goods shipped in 5 days).  By providing your customers with a clear path from the moment they hit the site to the click of the checkout button, you will make the customers experience more enjoyable and see greater sales results.

The ability to up sell from one product to a similar, more expensive product is another talent that is lost online.  Sales staff are offered tremendous incentives to suggest, cajole and even bully customers into paying more than they wanted to.  Online merchants can achieve this by pushing customers in the direction of premium products over their cheaper option.  This sales push has to be effective at convincing the customer that they are better off with the premium option.  This can be done through testimonials, bonus products, special offers or competitions.  Whatever the technique is, by up selling your online products through effective sales processes your customers will spend more on your site.

After sales support is an area where online businesses tend to have the advantage over offline businesses.  By having an online presence you are instantly accessible to customer queries and comments.  This means you will need to have a dedicated support channel for your customers.  While it is always great to have contact details on your site, you don’t want to have a customer calling your mobile at 3am in the morning regarding their purchase.  By having dedicated phone and email support you provide the level of customer support needed without intruding on your personal life.

One of the hardest tasks you need to undertake when starting your online business is coming up with a suitable domain name.  So often you will come up with a brilliant idea for a website only to find that somebody else has already registered it, along with hundreds of different variations.  It's even harder for merchants with an existing business or product, as they are stuck with a brand that may have already been plundered in cyberspace.

The chosen domain name needs to reflect the product or service that you want to sell.  There's no point in having a website like "MyWebsiteRules.com.au" as it doesn't describe anything regarding the site.  Some sites get away with this as they have interesting or kooky names that may attract consumers randomly browsing the Internet.  For the most part though, if someone goes online to shop, they have a specific target in mind.  Anything outside of this goal will largely be ignored.  In order to catch the attention of the obsessively focused shopper, your site has to stand out as the one place they will find their holy grail.

If you find a domain name that you would like and it is already taken, you might like to approach to owner in order to buy it from them.  Many people purchase domains purely for the chance that someone might want it in the future, and will squat on a domain until this occurs.  There are moves to make cyber squatting illegal, however until that time you may have to pay for the right to use you own trademark online.

If you do find that someone already has a domain registered under your desired name, you might like to try adapting the name in order to circumvent the problem.  Many online businesses add prefixes to common words in order to generate a domain name that is instantly recognisable to users.  Hotmail.com is a great example - it describes exactly what is on offer ("mail") while the prefix is evocative and catches the users attention ("hot").

eWAY has become the first Australian payment provider to enter into a reseller partnership with American Express.  Under the exclusive offer eWAY merchants can apply through eWAY to accept American Express cards on their site - with NO setup fee!

Usually merchants wanting to accept American Express had to apply directly to American Express in order to setup a merchant facility.  This took time and effort, as well as setup costs from both American Express and eWAY.  Now eWAY merchants have the opportunity to accept American Express, and the only fees being transaction fees.

American Express needs no introduction.  As one of the world's leading credit card providers, American Express has long been synonymous with customers who enjoy a higher standard of living and income.  American Express card holders spend much more on average than other card schemes, and tend to spend more often.  American Express card holders are also ferociously loyal to merchants that accept their card, and will go out of their way to find such merchants.  The penetration of American Express Corporate cards also opens opportunities with customers from the big end of town.

I would like to officially welcome you to the new eWAY web site.

At eWAY, Australia's award winning payment provider we are dedicated to helping guide you through the ecommerce maze.

We have made significant changes to our site, with a strong push towards building an online community and becoming a resource for ecommerce in general.

I am also pleased to announce that we have completed our integration into salesforce.com the world largest CRM. This will allow Salesforce customers to bill their customers’ credit card within Salesforce, a service currently only provided by eWAY in Australia.

eWAY use Salesforce ourselves to manage new and existing customers, please feel free to call me as I am more than happy to discuss what it has meant for the eWAY business.

And while I am announcing, eWAY has committed to yet another year at Australia's largest IT show ceBIT at Darling Harbour Sydney. If your business is in IT then it is the show to exhibit at, again feel free to call me to talk about the success ceBIT can mean to your business.

I hope you enjoy our new site; it’s been a massive effort for all eWAY staff, but we hope you agreee it was worth it. We are committed to continual improved and would value your feedback on the site.

Matt Bullock
CEO 
eWAY