Payment Gateways for Furniture

Running a successful furniture business requires more than just sourcing beautiful sofas, dining tables, or bedroom sets. It involves managing high-ticket transactions, which often means handling high ticket orders that create higher exposure for chargebacks in furniture transactions. Navigating long delivery lead times and ensuring your cash flow remains healthy are also key. In the past few years, the way customers pay has shifted dramatically. Whether you operate a bustling showroom or a sleek online store, or are part of the growing number of online businesses with unique payment processing needs, the payment gateway you choose acts as the bridge between a sale and your bank account.

We understand that finding the right payment solutions for furniture retailers is difficult. You are often categorised as high risk due to the high value of orders and the delay between payment and delivery. Furniture businesses are often classified as high risk due to large order values, delivery delays, and chargebacks. This can lead to held funds, rejected applications, or excessive monthly fees.

As your dedicated merchant services broker, we help you secure the best payment gateways for furniture businesses. We use our volume leverage to negotiate rates that individual business owners simply cannot access on their own. Our team works with over 90% of UK banks to find you a payment provider that understands your business model, protects your margins, and ensures you get paid on time.

Why Furniture Retailers Need Specialised Payment Solutions

Selling furniture is fundamentally different from selling low-value consumer goods. When you sell a bespoke sofa or a solid oak wardrobe, the average order value is significantly higher. This changes the risk profile of your business in the eyes of card networks and payment processors.

Most businesses can sign up for a generic aggregator account, but furniture stores often face hurdles. If a customer buys a suite for £3,000 but delivery is six weeks away, some processors get nervous about the potential for chargebacks. If you choose the wrong provider, you might find a percentage of your revenue held in a rolling reserve.

We ensure this does not happen to you. We work with acquirers who understand the furniture industry. We present your business case to them, highlighting your track record and stability, to secure a merchant account that offers instant access to your funds without unreasonable hold periods.

Furthermore, customers expect a seamless payment experience when making such a large investment. They want to use their preferred credit and debit cards, as well as popular payment methods such as digital wallets and BNPL services, but they also want flexible payment options. Offering finance options at checkout can help make high-ticket items more accessible and increase average order value. If your current setup does not support finance integrations or digital wallet payments, you are likely losing sales to competitors who do offer these choices.

The Cost of Accepting Payments

For many furniture retailers, the fees associated with accepting card payments are a massive overhead. In addition to standard charges, there may be additional fees such as processing fees, cancellation charges, and other transaction-related costs, all of which can significantly impact your overall expenses. If you are using a blended rate provider like PayPal or Shopify Payments, you are likely paying a flat percentage that is far higher than necessary. It’s important to look for payment gateways that offer competitive rates, which can vary depending on your transaction volume or the specific plan you choose.

Transparent pricing is essential for payment solutions to avoid unexpected fees for merchants.

Understanding Transaction Fees

Every time a customer taps a card or enters their details on your ecommerce site, several fees are triggered.

• Interchange Fee: Paid to the card issuer.
• Scheme Fee: Paid to Visa or Mastercard.
• Processing Fee: Paid to the payment provider.

When you go direct to a provider, they often bundle these into a high single rate. We dissect these costs for you. Our team negotiates on an “Interchange ++” basis or a highly competitive blended rate that relies on our wholesale buying power. By lowering the processing fee and the transaction fee, we can often save furniture businesses a significant amount of money every month.

Monthly Fees and Setup Costs

Some providers charge high monthly fees just to keep the account open, along with hefty setup fees for the gateway. We aim to eliminate or minimise these for you. Because we bring thousands of clients to the banks, we can often waive the setup fee and reduce the monthly rental costs for your terminal or gateway.

Essential Features in a Furniture Payment Gateway

When we analyse the market for the best payment solutions for your specific needs, we look for features that directly support high-ticket retail.

Multiple Payment Methods

You must accept payments via all major credit and debit cards. However, offering multiple payment options goes beyond just Visa and Mastercard. We ensure your gateway supports American Express, which is popular among high-spending customers, as well as local payment methods if you ship internationally.

Digital Wallets

Speed is vital, especially on mobile devices. Integrating Apple Pay and Google Pay is non-negotiable for modern furniture stores. These payment methods allow customers to pay with a single touch, reducing cart abandonment rates on your website. We ensure these are included in your gateway setup as standard.

Recurring Payments and Finance

Since furniture is a major expense, flexible payment options—including integrated finance options at checkout—are a powerful sales tool. We can connect you with payment processors that support recurring payments or integrate seamlessly with finance providers. This allows you to offer customers the ability to spread the cost, which can increase your average order value and conversion rate.

Offering BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) financing options can encourage higher average order values in the furniture industry. Klarna and Affirm are highly recommended for furniture retailers because they allow customers to pay in instalments, increasing purchasing power. Klarna, in particular, enables customers to split large purchases into smaller instalments, which can help boost conversion rates for expensive furniture items.

Security and Fraud Protection

With high-ticket items comes the risk of fraud. We select payment gateways that include robust 3D Secure authentication and advanced fraud screening tools. This helps you manage risk effectively, ensuring that the transaction data is legitimate before you dispatch expensive stock.

Comparing Payment Gateway Options

There are dozens of payment gateway options available in the UK. Navigating them can be confusing. Here is how we view the most popular choices and why working with us to secure a dedicated merchant account is usually the superior choice for a furniture business.

Shopify Payments and Aggregators

If you run an online store, you are likely familiar with Shopify Payments. It is convenient and easy to set up. However, for a furniture business with high turnover, it is expensive. The transaction fee is often significantly higher than what we can negotiate for you with a traditional bank.

Additionally, aggregators like these can freeze accounts without warning if they detect a “risk spike” associated with high-value orders. We move our clients away from these volatile aggregators toward stable, dedicated merchant accounts where you own the relationship and the rates are transparent.

PayPal

Many customers trust PayPal, and we recommend you offer PayPal as a secondary option. However, relying on a PayPal account as your primary processor is costly. Their fees for domestic and cross-border transactions can eat into your profit margins. We help you use PayPal strategically alongside a primary gateway that handles the bulk of your credit card payments at a lower cost.

Traditional Merchant Accounts

This is where we deliver the most value. A traditional merchant account, acquired through us, offers the stability of a direct bank relationship with the pricing power of a large brokerage. We compare card processing fees across multiple banks to find the one that wants your business the most. This results in a solution that is reliable, cost-effective, and tailored to furniture retailers.

Integrating Online and In-Store Payments

Many of our clients operate a hybrid business model. You might have a showroom where customers view items and an ecommerce site where they finalise the purchase. Supporting payments both online and in person is crucial for flexibility and meeting customer expectations. Managing two separate systems for in person payments and online payments is inefficient and makes reconciling your bank account difficult. Choosing a payment gateway that unifies online and in-store sales data is important for a seamless omnichannel experience. Wix Payments allows businesses to accept payments online and in person, providing additional flexibility for furniture retailers.

We specialise in omnichannel payment solutions. We can provide you with a card reader for your physical store that links to the same payment processing network as your website. This unifies your transaction data, simplifies your cash flow reporting, and ensures a consistent brand experience for your customers.

Whether a customer pays at your counter using a debit card or buys online using Apple Pay, the funds settle into your account through a single, streamlined stream. This also allows for features like “click and collect” or buying online and returning in-store, which are increasingly what customers expect from furniture retailers.

Payment Gateway Scalability

As your furniture business grows, your payment gateway must be able to keep pace. Scalability is crucial for handling everything from seasonal sales surges to long-term expansion, whether you’re opening new showrooms or increasing your online presence. A scalable payment gateway ensures that you can process high volumes of transactions smoothly, without delays or disruptions, even during your busiest periods.

When evaluating payment gateway options, look for solutions that support multiple payment methods and can easily integrate with a variety of ecommerce platforms. This flexibility allows you to offer customers their preferred payment types—whether that’s credit and debit cards, digital wallets, or local payment methods—as your business evolves. Scalable gateways also provide flexible pricing plans, such as tiered or volume-based discounts, so your costs remain manageable as your transaction volume increases.

On the technical side, features like load balancing, automatic failover, and real-time monitoring are essential. These ensure your payment processing remains uninterrupted, even as demand fluctuates. By choosing a payment gateway designed for scalability, you future-proof your business and ensure a seamless payment experience for every customer, no matter how large your operation becomes.

Payment Gateway Reliability

Reliability is non-negotiable when it comes to payment processing. Every minute of downtime can mean lost sales and frustrated customers, especially when dealing with high-ticket furniture orders. A reliable payment gateway guarantees that your business can accept payments at any time, providing peace of mind for both you and your customers.

Look for payment gateways with a proven track record of high uptime and robust infrastructure. Built-in redundancy and failover systems are key features that minimise the risk of outages, while real-time monitoring allows for immediate detection and resolution of any issues. The best payment gateways also offer multiple payment processing routes, working with several acquiring banks or payment processors to ensure that if one route is unavailable, another can take over seamlessly.

Transparent error handling and clear transaction status updates are also important. They keep both you and your customers informed, reducing confusion and building trust in your payment experience. By prioritising reliability in your payment gateway, you protect your revenue and reputation, ensuring that your business is always ready to accept payments.

Payment Gateway Compliance

Protecting your customers’ sensitive information is a top priority, especially in an industry where high-value transactions are the norm. Payment gateway compliance is essential for safeguarding data and maintaining your business’s credibility. A compliant payment gateway adheres to strict industry standards such as PCI-DSS, GDPR, and PSD2, and should hold certifications like PCI Level 1 or SOC 2.

When selecting a payment gateway, ensure it offers advanced security features such as tokenisation, encryption, and secure data storage. These measures help prevent fraud and data breaches, keeping your customers’ information safe. Many leading payment gateways also provide compliance tools, including PCI-DSS compliance kits and regular security audits, to help your business stay up to date with evolving regulations.

By choosing a payment gateway that prioritises compliance, you not only protect your business from potential fines and reputational damage but also reassure your customers that their payment data is in safe hands.

Payment Gateway Customisation

Every furniture retailer has unique needs, and your payment gateway should reflect your brand and business model. A customisable payment gateway allows you to create a tailored payment experience that aligns with your customer journey and supports your sales strategy.

Look for gateways that let you personalise checkout pages, add or remove payment methods, and integrate flexible payment options such as finance or open banking payments. The ability to offer multiple payment methods—credit and debit cards, digital wallets, direct debit, and more—ensures you can cater to a wide range of customer preferences.

Customisable gateways also provide APIs, SDKs, or plugins for seamless integration with your ecommerce platform, whether you’re using Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, or a bespoke solution. This flexibility allows you to adapt quickly to market trends and customer expectations, ensuring your payment experience remains smooth and competitive.

Payment Gateway Reporting

Understanding your payment performance is key to making informed business decisions. A payment gateway with robust reporting capabilities gives you access to real-time transaction data and detailed analytics, helping you track trends, identify opportunities, and optimise your payment strategy.

Look for gateways that offer customisable reporting dashboards, automated and scheduled reports, and easy data exports for further analysis. Detailed transaction data—such as payment method breakdowns, transaction volumes, and settlement reports—enables you to monitor cash flow, reconcile accounts, and spot potential issues before they impact your business.

Comprehensive reporting tools not only help you manage day-to-day operations but also provide the insights needed to drive growth and improve customer satisfaction. By choosing a payment gateway with advanced reporting features, you equip your business with the information it needs to thrive in a competitive market.

How We Help You Save Money

Our business model is simple. We do not charge you for our services. We are paid a commission by the bank or payment provider for introducing your business to them. This means our service is entirely free to you.

The Volume Leverage Argument

If you approach a bank directly, you are one single business asking for a rate. You have very little bargaining power. When we approach a bank, we represent thousands of merchants. We use this volume leverage to demand wholesale rates. We then pass these savings on to you.

Why pay retail prices for your payment processing when you can access our wholesale rates? We often secure transaction fees that are significantly lower than the advertised rates on provider websites.

Transparent Pricing

We believe in total transparency. We hate hidden fees as much as you do. When we present you with a proposal, we break down every cost. We show you exactly what the processing fee is, what the per transaction cost is, and if there are any monthly fees. We compare this directly against your current statement so you can see the exact savings in black and white.

Managing High Risk Applications

If you have been rejected for a merchant account in the past, or if you are worried about the high-risk nature of the furniture industry, we can help. Our team knows which banks have an appetite for furniture retailers. We know how to package your application to ensure approval. We handle the application process from start to finish, saving you hours of administrative work.

Our Process: How We Work With You

Switching payment providers or setting up a new one should not be stressful. We handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on selling furniture.

1. Analysis: You share your current merchant statement or projected turnover with us.
2. Comparison: We analyse the market, contacting our network of payment processors to find the best payment solution for your specific needs.
3. Proposal: We present you with the best options, highlighting the savings and features of each.
4. Setup: We guide you through the application process, ensuring all compliance checks are met for a smooth approval.
5. Support: Even after you are live, we remain your broker. If you have issues with your card reader or gateway, you can speak to our team for dedicated support.

Optimising Your Payment Experience

The checkout flow on your ecommerce site is the final hurdle in the sales process. If it is clunky, slow, or lacks the right payment methods, you lose the sale.

We ensure your payment gateway integrates perfectly with your website platform, whether you use Magento, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, or a custom build. We ensure the interface is clean and that the security badges are visible to reassure customers.

For your in-store operations, we provide modern, fast terminals that accept contactless payments, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. We can even arrange for portable terminals that your delivery drivers can use to take final balances upon delivery, adding another layer of flexibility to your business.

The Importance of Cash Flow

For furniture stores, cash flow is king. You have to pay suppliers, often months before you deliver the product to the customer. You cannot afford to have a payment processor hold your funds for weeks on end.

We prioritise settlement times when selecting a provider for you. We look for partners who offer next-day settlement or, in some cases, same-day settlement. This ensures the money from your sales is in your bank account when you need it, allowing you to reinvest in stock and grow your business.

Why You Should Choose Us

There are many companies offering payment services, but few have the specific expertise in the furniture sector that we do. We understand that a £2,000 sofa sale carries different risks and requirements than a £3 coffee purchase.

We are on your side. We do not work for the banks, we work for you. Our goal is to drive down your costs and improve your service. We manage the relationship with the payment provider so you do not have to spend hours on hold to a call centre.

We have helped hundreds of furniture retailers across the UK optimise their payments. From small bespoke joinery workshops to large multi-site retailers, we have the experience to handle your payments volume.

Taking the Next Step

You work hard to market your furniture and close sales. You should not let your payment gateway take a larger slice of your revenue than necessary. Whether you are looking to switch from an expensive aggregator like Shopify Payments, or you need a robust solution for a new venture, we are here to help.

We invite you to challenge us. Let our team review your current arrangement. We are confident we can find you a better deal with better service.

Start Your Free Cost Analysis

Do not leave money on the table. Upload your most recent merchant statement to our secure portal today. We will perform a detailed line-by-line analysis and show you exactly how much you could save.

We handle the complexity of payments so you can focus on your business. Let us secure the best rates, the most reliable technology, and the most flexible payment options for your furniture store.

Contact us today. Let’s get your payments sorted.

Common Questions About Furniture Payment Gateways

Can I accept American Express? Yes. We ensure your merchant account is set up to accept payments from all major card networks, including Amex, which is vital for high-ticket furniture orders.

Do you support high-risk businesses? Yes. We specialise in hard-to-place industries. We have relationships with banks that are comfortable with the delivery times and transaction values typical of furniture retailers.

Can I integrate with my existing website? Absolutely. The gateways we recommend are compatible with all popular ecommerce platforms. We assist with the technical documentation to ensure a smooth link between your site and the payment processing network.

How long does the application process take? Because we package your application correctly from day one, we can often secure approval within a few days, depending on the complexity of your business model.

Are there setup fees? In many cases, we can negotiate the removal of setup fees entirely. We use our influence with the payment providers to minimise your upfront costs.

What about debit card payments? We secure low flat rates for debit card payments, which make up a large volume of UK transactions. This keeps your overall processing cost down.

Can I offer finance? Yes. We can advise on gateways that work alongside popular finance providers, allowing you to offer credit directly at the checkout.

Is my transaction data safe? We only work with Level 1 PCI DSS compliant providers. Your customer data and your business reputation are fully protected.

Final Thoughts

The landscape of payments is always changing. New digital wallets emerge, regulations shift, and fees fluctuate. As your broker, we stay ahead of these changes for you. We monitor the market to ensure you are always on the best possible deal.

We believe that furniture retailers deserve a payment partner that supports their growth, not one that hinders it with high fees and held funds. By choosing us, you gain a partner dedicated to your financial efficiency.

We look forward to working with you. Let us help you transform your payments from a cost centre into a competitive advantage. Speak to our team today and see what our volume leverage can do for your furniture business.

Your business deserves the best payment solutions. We are here to deliver them. Get in touch now.

Merchant Services for High Risk