oday, let’s absorb the story of a young Chinese couple. They met while studying abroad in Paris, France. Wengen was small in stature, with a sharp mind. He quickly fell for Xiaoling, whose beauty veiled her quick brain.

At the time of this story (the mid ‘90s), buying things in France challenged international students. Payment cards like Visa and MasterCard existed of course, but weren’t universally available for international use.

Wiring money from bank-to-bank was expensive and took a few days, and one had to have the right “papers” to establish French bank accounts.

Both students managed to set things up, and each lived a Parisian adventure using cash and locally-issued Carte Bleue payment cards. The Internet and eCommerce were yet to come.

Fast-forward a few years, and their daughter (Li Xiu Yiu) followed in their footsteps. Born in Shanghai, she’s attending their Parisian alma mater and doing very well as one of the 550,000 + Chinese students studying abroad.

Like many Chinese Millennials, she turns to the Internet for comparison shopping, then visits a French store in-the-flesh to try things and to buy. Though she eschews personalized goods, Li Xiu Yiu made an exception and ordered a T-shirt that says, “My name means Elegant & Brave.”

Li ordered the T-shirt on a British website, using her UnionPay card from home. In fact, the UnionPay card serves as both her credit card and debit card — providing cash for Paris market vendors via UnionPay’s global ATM network, debit transactions in restaurants, and a credit card for larger buys.

If you haven’t heard of UnionPay, and don’t accept it yet on your eCommerce website, you’re missing out on lots of international online traffic.

Not only from Chinese students abroad, but also from consumers in 168 countries and regions around the world — a critical opportunity for eCommerce merchants. Let’s look at the whys and wherefores.

Background/History of UnionPay

China UnionPay (aka UnionPay or CUP), a financial services corporation, provides bank card services and is the major payment card scheme in mainland China. Founded in March 2002 — headquartered in Shanghai — UnionPay operates under the approval of the People’s Bank China. Their interbank network links all ATMs issued by the various banks across China.

To expand acceptance around the world, UnionPay entered into several card reciprocal agreements with other payment networks like Discover, RuPay (India), JCB (Japan) and BC Card (South Korea) beginning in 2005.

For example, Discover Network signed an alliance with CUP Network. The long-term agreement allows Discover cardholders to use their cards at UnionPay ATMs and POS terminals in China, and facilitates acceptance of UnionPay cards on the PULSE network in the U.S.

China UnionPay cards can now be used in over 100 countries outside China. The UnionPay debit cards may be used only in the UnionPay network and in others that have negotiated and signed contracts with UnionPay.

So, Li Xiu Yiu and classmates with CUP cards from other countries may shop in person, online, or via mobile apps while expanding their horizons in Paris.

Outbound Chinese Travelers & UnionPay

2018 is the EU-China Tourism Year (ECTY), declared by the European Union President Jean-Claude Juncker and the Chinese Prime Minister LI Keqiang.

Since China represents the world’s largest travel market (in both outbound travel and expenditure), online travel booking sites, airlines, hotels and other travel-related businesses stand to benefit throughout the EU. This follows a record year of Chinese visitors totaling in the millions in 2017.

The United States and Canada benefit too from Chinese tourism to North America, attracting just under 3 million visitors in 2015. Forecasts expect that to rise above 5.72 million in 2021.

Wolfgang George Arlt, wrote in Forbes, “UnionPay…saw transactions jump by 40% this year when compared with the Chinese New Year period in 2017, especially in Asia-Pacific, Europe and North American.” During Chinese New Year 2017, more than six million Chinese traveled abroad.

Travelers like to shop online before and after they travel. So, if you want your share of the outbound Chinese traveler dosh, don’t neglect UnionPay acceptance on your website. Who knows? If your products catch their attention, you may have more online customers than you thought possible.

Online Shopping and China UnionPay

Because of the sheer number of people living in China, marketers pay close attention to their online shopping habits. No doubt preferences change in China as they do everywhere else, but it pays for eCommerce retailers to keep up with shopping trends to garner their share.

The Ten-year Report on Online Shopping Overseas, published by China Daily and the Telegraph, reveals the habits of online shoppers and how they changed between 2005 and 2015.

Interestingly, favored websites moved from Hong Kong and Macau to Japan, South Korea, North America, Europe and South America during that timeframe. In general, shoppers prefer local specialties, cosmetics, and skin care products. See another take on eCommerce shopping habits here.

Conclusion

When you want to add UnionPay to your eCommerce payments arsenal, reach for PayArc. We’re a direct Discover acquirer, and by using our payment solutions you too can accept UnionPay online.

With six billion cards in circulation around the world, why wouldn’t you want to accept UnionPay cards — So that international customers who prefer using their UnionPay debit or credit shop on your site?

Get the scalability you need in over 25 currencies from PayArc’s global network of acquirers and banks. With leading-edge solutions from seasoned professionals with years of experience in the payment industry, PayArc is the only partner you need for your payment processing solutions.

You have a business to run. Our business is to help you run it better.

If you need to add a world-class payment processing capability that integrates easily with your online, in-store and mobile merchant solutions, look no further than PayArc. We’d love to do business with you.

‍

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

1. Understanding the Application Process for Domestic Merchant Accounts | PayArc – […] merchant accounts are built for card payments within the US. International merchant accounts, on the other hand, are developed…
2. The Stupid, Simple Guide: How to Accept Payments Online | PayArc – […] that minimizes fraud, provides a secure experience for customers, and has the flexibility to grow with your business.  There…

‍

here are numerous steps to take when launching an online business. You’ll likely acquire inventory, plan your marketing strategy and choose from several ecommerce platforms and payment solutions. There are an estimated 2-3 million ecommerce businesses in the world, with over 500,000 companies on Shopify alone. With so much competition, you’ll need every advantage. Cash flow will keep your business afloat during slow periods while smart investments help you grow. Want to know which funding option to choose? Keep reading.

Business Credit Cards

When you open a bank account, you may be offered additional services like payment solutions and business credit cards. If your personal credit rating is decent, then a business credit card can provide you with working capital. Drawbacks may include high interest rates, and annual fees, though you may qualify for introductory offers like 0% interest. Payments are flexible and you can earn points, redeemable for rewards, airfare, and cash back.

Business Line of Credit

A business line of credit is typically an unsecured loan. As some loans can approach $1 million, you may need collateral. You have a good chance for approval with a personal credit score over 600, and loans can be lump-sum, or divided into smaller amounts as-needed. Creditors provide different payment solutions and terms. Fundbox offers $1,000-$100,000, and next-day funding on 12-week term loans. Street Shares offers $5,000-$250,000 within 1-5 days and a term of 3-36 months. Other sources include Kabbage and BlueVine. Fees are generally high, at 10-40% or more, partly contingent on the term length.

Business Growth Term Loans

Business growth term loans, or term loans can quickly provide you with growth capital, without giving up equity. If you’ve been operating for at least 9 months and a decent business credit score, you may qualify for a term loan of up to $500,000 from a bank, credit union or online lender. You may need to put up your business or other collateral to secure the loan, but interest may be tax-deductible, and rates are typically low, depending partly on the repayment period. Unlike labor-intensive bank loans, the application process generally takes ten minutes with cash delivered within three days. Such funds are often used to capitalize long-term investments, like large equipment purchases, real estate, office renovations, and working capital.

Term loans are generally repaid within 3 years, and payments may be based on cash flow, followed by a large balloon payment due at the end of the term. There are three main categories of business term loans: short-term, traditional-term, and SBA loans.

Short-term loans are best for smoothing out cash flow issues when unexpected needs arise, such as inventory shortages or new business opportunities. Applications can often be filed within ten minutes, and you can have cash in hand within 2-3 days. Keep in mind that if you take out a short-term loan, you may not get approved for more funds until it’s paid off.

A traditional-term, or medium-term loan is a fixed amount used for a specific business purpose, such as purchasing property. You get more capital than with a short-term loan, and the application process may take several weeks. Once approved, you’ll receive a fixed amount of money over a fixed term, with a fixed interest rate. A record of on-time payments can improve your business credit score for future loans, though you might get penalized for paying off the loan early.

The Small Business Administration, or SBA is a federal agency that provides small businesses with education and contracting opportunities. It serves as a guarantor of bank loans offered by special SBA lenders, with many options available. SBA loans are good for companies that may not do well in the commercial lending marketplace, with opportunities available for women and minorities. Loan options include the SBA 7(a) for general business purposes, and the Certified Development Company (CDC) 504 Loan Program for equipment and commercial property. You may borrow up to $5 million, with possible prepayment fees on loans that mature in 15 years or longer. The SBA Microloan program provides $50,000 or less.

Streamlined Payment Processing

An overlooked way to keep cashflow strong is to work with a payment processing partner that caters to your unique needs as a business. For online businesses, the ability to accept credit card payments is lifeblood. Working with a reputable merchant services provider will enable you to get setup with a reliable merchant account so you can receive and manage payments from sales. They will also help you choose the right payment gateway so that you can begin accepting payments online right away, as well as a virtual terminal to securely enter credit card details when accepting mail and telephone orders.

Each of these items can impact cashflow, so be sure to choose a payment processor that offers quick funding along with trustworthy integrations, support, and fraud prevention tools.

Conclusion

You need positive cash flow to excel in business. Employees, vendors, and overhead must be paid, regardless of fluctuating revenues. Business loans and other credit can smooth out the rough spots, so think about your short-term, and long-term goals, and then plan your financing accordingly.