Payments in an online shop: cash on delivery, card and transfer
Which payment methods to offer, how card works through Stripe or Borica, and what the fees are.
Which payment methods to offer
In Bulgaria three payment methods do almost all the work: cash on delivery, bank transfer and card. Cash on delivery still leads - the buyer pays when the parcel arrives, which removes the worry at a new shop. Card grows every year, especially on pricier orders and with customers who have shopped online before. Bank transfer is more niche, but it carries no fee and suits B2B and larger amounts.
The rule is simple: offer more than one method and let the customer choose. Every method you leave out is an order that does not happen - one person has no card to hand, another will not pay before seeing the goods. So cash on delivery and card complement each other rather than compete: one takes the worry off a new customer, the other keeps the one who already trusts you.
Each method has its price and its small friction, and it is worth knowing them in advance. Cash on delivery carries a fee from the courier and a higher refusal rate. Card carries a fee from the processor, but the money arrives at once and refusals are rare. Bank transfer has no fee, but it asks the customer for one more step outside the shop. Below we look at each in turn.
Card payments: Stripe or Borica
Card payments in ZweiHost go through your own account at a processor - Stripe or Borica. The choice is yours and depends on your customers. Borica works with Bulgarian bank cards and is the familiar name for a local shopper; Stripe is aimed at international sales and widely recognised card brands. Both connect once from the settings and appear at checkout as a payment method.
The customer enters the card on a secure page and its details go straight to the processor - ZweiHost stores no card numbers. The SSL certificate is included, so the address is on https without you doing anything. The payment shows on the order immediately, and if a refund is needed, you issue it from the admin without opening the processor separately.
Card payment is a feature of the higher plans, because most new shops start with cash on delivery and add card once they have repeat customers. The contract with the processor is yours - ZweiHost does not negotiate fees on your behalf and takes no cut of the payment. Any discount you win at Stripe or Borica stays entirely yours.
Cash on delivery and bank transfer
Cash on delivery is built in from the lowest plan and for all five couriers - the customer pays the courier on delivery, and the amounts are reconciled against the orders in the admin. It leads in Bulgaria and is the first thing every new shop should switch on. It also has a tax side that depends on the courier, and a whole separate guide: see "Cash on delivery for an online shop" for the mechanics and "Do I need a fiscal device" for the obligations.
Bank transfer is also on the lowest plan and is the cheapest method for you - no fee from a processor or a courier. In return it asks the customer for one more step: to open their bank and transfer the amount before you ship. That is why it leads on larger and B2B orders, where the buyer pays by bank anyway, and less often on the small impulse purchase.
The advantage of a transfer is cash flow: the amount is with you before the parcel leaves, so there is no waiting window as with cash on delivery and no cost for a returned parcel. It is sensible to offer it alongside the other two rather than instead of them - as an option for the customer who prefers to pay in advance.
What the fees are
The most important thing first: ZweiHost takes no commission on sales and keeps no percentage of the payment. What you pay, you pay to the processor or the courier under your own contract with them - not to the platform. That keeps your monthly bill predictable: it does not grow with your turnover, the way it does on commission-based platforms.
Card carries a fee from the processor - usually a percentage plus a small fixed amount per transaction, different at Stripe and Borica and according to your contract. Cash on delivery carries a fee from the courier for the cash-on-delivery service, separate from the delivery price. Bank transfer is usually free. The figures depend on your own contracts, so we do not put specific percentages here - check the current tariffs at the processor and the courier.
The practical way to compare them is per order, not as a percentage. Divide the fee by your average order and see what it is apiece. On small orders the fixed part of the card fee weighs more, on pricier ones the percentage does. Cash on delivery is also paid when a parcel comes back, so its real cost includes refusals too. These numbers decide which method you put first at checkout.
How to switch payments on
Payment methods are switched on from the payment settings. Cash on delivery and bank transfer are available immediately; for card you connect your account at Stripe or Borica and enter its credentials. Then you decide which methods to show and in what order - the order matters, because the first on the list is chosen most often.
Before going live, walk through test mode. Payments go through a test card, and the order, the email and the waybill behave exactly as they do live, but with no real money. Place one order with each payment method as a customer and see what they receive and where the amount appears in the admin - that catches anything odd before the first real customer.
The practical start is cash on delivery and bank transfer from day one, and card as soon as you have repeat customers. That way you wait for nothing in order to sell, and you add card exactly when it pays off most - with the customer who already trusts you and wants to pay quickly.
Frequently asked questions
How do I accept payments in an online shop?
In ZweiHost cash on delivery, bank transfer and card payments are built in. You switch them on from the payment settings, and the customer picks the method at checkout. Cash on delivery and transfer are on the lowest plan; card through Stripe or Borica comes on the higher ones.
Which is better for card payments - Borica or Stripe?
It depends on your customers. Borica works with Bulgarian bank cards and is the familiar name for a local buyer; Stripe is aimed at international sales and widely recognised card brands. ZweiHost supports both - you pick the processor and connect your own account.
Do I need Borica for an online shop?
It is not required. Many shops start with cash on delivery and bank transfer only and add card later. When you decide to accept cards, you pick Borica or Stripe to suit your customers - both connect with your own account.
Does ZweiHost take a commission on sales?
No. ZweiHost takes no percentage of sales and keeps no per-transaction fee. You pay only the card processor or courier fee, under your own contract with them. That is why the monthly bill does not grow with your turnover.
Can I accept both cash on delivery and card?
Yes, and it is recommended. Cash on delivery removes a new customer worry, card keeps the one who already trusts you. The customer picks the payment method at checkout, and you decide which to offer and in what order.
Are card payments secure?
Yes. The card details go straight to the processor (Stripe or Borica) - ZweiHost stores no card numbers. The SSL certificate is included, so the connection is encrypted. If a refund is needed, you issue it from the admin.
Launch your shop with every payment method
Cash on delivery, bank transfer and card through Stripe or Borica - with no commission on sales.
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