On the other hand, it seems hard to imagine that less than 40 years ago the use of both credit and debit cards was much more the exception rather than the norm, and yet in just a relatively short period of time they have come to represent the most common type of payment method in the world.

Today, online credit and debit card processing is a major business, and plays an extremely important role in ensuring that the payments we make are undertaken successfully and securely. With millions of such transactions being carried out on a daily basis for a whole range of goods and services, it really is hard to imagine how we ever managed to survive without those little flexible friends.

For many thousands of people, using a credit or debit card has almost become second nature, as they make their online payments to acquire a whole range of items from groceries and books, to holidays and insurance payments. There is no doubt that the flexible friends that inhabit our wallets and purses, have certainly increased their flexibility over the last few years and have now become the most popular and convenient method of payment in the world.

However, how can we be sure that this popular payment method is safe and can be trusted? After all, it's not like you can see the money in your hand. How do we know that the details and information we are providing to this merchant, or that company, will only be used for this specific transaction? Well for one thing, online credit card processing uses state-of-the-art technology and incorporates a number of protection features including:

3D Secure: This service requires the cardholder to provide a personal password or PIN number when making an online purchase, to confirm that he/she is the rightful cardholder.

Address Verification Service (AVS): The AVS provides verification of the numerical part of a customer's post code and statement address from details held by their card issuing bank. With this information it will be possible to verify the validity of the cardholder.

Card Security Code (CSC): The CSC is the three or four digit number printed on the back of the card on the signature strip. This security number ensures that the card was actually present at the moment of sale.

For merchants and companies too, the increase in credit and debit card usage has opened up a considerable number of new sales channels, and provided an outstanding opportunity to increase their customer base, not only through online card payments over the internet, but also via the telephone and even by Mail Order. In fact, it might almost seem criminal nowadays, if any business was forced to miss out on this extensive new customer base, simply because it did not have the means to accept credit and debit card payments.

We can see therefore why the world of E-Commerce has had to make significant advances, simply to cope with the substantial increase in volume of online credit and debit card transactions. However, it could also be argued that the development of payments technology has had to advance at an even faster rate, in order to provide businesses with the secure payment solution platforms and services that they demand, in order for them to be able to accept fast and secure online payments.

Whatever the business might be, it is essential for the merchant to have a secure platform and fraud prevention software package in place. This will not only protect the transaction, but will also allow the online payment to be made and accepted in real time, whilst enabling the merchant to keep track of all their transactions immediately.

The installation of such a system will also give merchants the peace of mind and confidence they require, and will allow them to offer their customers a fast and secure payment, acceptance and processing service that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year. I guess you could say that it doesn't get much more flexible than that!

E-Clear (UK) PLC, not only offers secure and reliable credit and debit card payment services, but also provides the risk management solutions that give businesses the cutting-edge technology they need, to secure and maintain successful growth and development.