Payment gateways and methods in retail: keys to a flexible and omnichannel integration

In today’s retail landscape, payment methods can no longer be managed as an isolated part of the checkout process. For large retailers, IT directors, and operations managers, the challenge lies not only in accepting more payment options, but in integrating different payment gateways within an omnichannel, international, and scalable business ecosystem.

The priority is for POS software to connect seamlessly with the required payment methods in every market, channel, and operational scenario. That is why technical flexibility, security, and integration capabilities have become key factors in improving the checkout experience without compromising internal efficiency.

What are payment gateways and what is their role in POS software?

Payment gateways are platforms that process checkout transactions between the business, the customer, financial institutions, and other players in the payment ecosystem. However, in an advanced retail environment, their role should not be analyzed solely from the end consumer’s perspective, but rather through the lens of the technological architecture that connects payment methods, channels, and management systems.

This is where POS software comes into play. The point of sale (POS) is the system that connects the commercial transaction with the checkout platform: it records the sale, sends the necessary information to the gateway, receives the authorization response, and maintains consistency across orders, returns, promotions, available inventory, and customer data.

Therefore, for a large retailer, the key question is not just which payment gateway to use, but whether its POS software is ready to integrate with the payment gateways required by its current and future operations. This capability is particularly important for companies with an international presence, multiple store formats, e-commerce, mobile channels, and country-specific needs.

What Are the Most Used Payment Methods Today?

According to a 2015 Statista study, the most used payment methods are: 

1. Bank card, 
2. Cash, 
3. Check. 

Today, payments in Europe are secured by code entry, while in the United States, the use of magnetic stripe reading remains common. In contrast, China has adopted far more advanced payment methods, largely because bank cards were never widely used,” explains Bruno Nicolafrancesco. Over the past 20 years, China has swiftly transitioned from cash to smartphones.

Alipay and WeChat dominate as the primary payment platforms, and now many major stores in Paris accept these methods from Chinese tourists. At checkout, the store generates a QR code, which the customer simply scans to complete the payment.

Discover also: What is Tap on Phone and why is it a revolution in retail payments?

Types of payment methods for retail and e-commerce

Payment method options vary depending on the sales channel, customer profile, and purchase timing. For this reason, a physical store, an e-commerce platform, or an omnichannel model do not always require the same options.

• In physical stores: cash, cards, contactless payments, mobile payments, vouchers, gift cards, and point of sale (POS) financing solutions.
• In e-commerce: cards, PayPal, digital wallets, bank transfers, Bizum, deferred payments, and local solutions tailored to each market.
• In omnichannel journeys: buying online and paying in store, web-reserving (eReservations) and completing the checkout at the counter, or returning an e-commerce purchase to a physical store.

Types of payment gateway integration for retail and e-commerce

Payment gateway integration depends on the business’s technology strategy, the markets where it operates, and the required level of personalization. It is not just a matter of choosing between different payment method options, but of defining how they connect to the POS software and the rest of the business systems.

Native connectors for payment gateways

One option is to use official modules developed through strategic partnerships with global platforms. This approach accelerates deployments, reduces technical complexity, and ensures work is based on validated integrations.

Standard protocols for local payment methods

Another path is adopting standard protocols, which are particularly useful in markets with specific regulatory or fiscal requirements. Here, the ability of the POS software to adapt to local protocols can significantly facilitate expansion.

Open Payment API for integrating payment methods

Finally, an open Payment API allows for custom-built connections with various payment gateways. At Orisha Commerce, through Openbravo POS, we provide this flexibility to connect with market-leading gateways and support large-scale retail projects.

Why flexibility in payment gateways improves the customer experience

Technical flexibility in payments enhances the checkout experience without the customer perceiving the back-end complexity. When the POS software integrates properly with payment gateways, retailers can connect physical stores, e-commerce, OMS (Order Management System), inventory management, CRM (Customer Relationship Management), and checkout platforms within a single operation.

This translates into concrete advantages:

• Buying online and returning in store, without manual processes or loss of traceability.
• Completing an eReservation at the counter while maintaining order and customer information.
• Managing refunds across different channels with greater agility and consistency.
• Adapting payment methods to the preferences of each market or country.
• Reducing manual errors thanks to pinpads integrated with the POS software.
• Bringing checkout closer to the customer through mobile solutions, reducing lines and waiting times.
• Integrating local payment methods without breaking the global consistency of the operational model.

For large retailers, this flexibility is paramount. It is not just a matter of offering more payment options, but of ensuring that every transaction is fast, secure, and consistent across all touchpoints, including international scenarios with high operational and technical complexity.

How to choose and integrate the right payment gateways for your unified commerce

Choosing payment gateways should not depend solely on transaction fees or a platform’s popularity. For a large retailer, this decision must be part of a broader technology strategy aligned with unified commerce and operational efficiency goals.

Key criteria include:

• International scalability: The gateway and POS software must adapt to different countries, currencies, languages, local methods, and regulations.
• Integration capabilities: The POS software must support official connectors, standard protocols, or custom API developments.
• Security: The architecture must protect payment data using reliable environments, encryption, tokenization, and SaaS (Software as a Service) best practices.
• Operational continuity: The system should minimize checkout incidents, facilitate returns, and enable efficient reconciliation.
• Omnichannel experience: Payments must connect seamlessly with orders, available inventory, promotions, loyalty programs, and customer service.
• Adaptation to different payment options: Retailers must be able to respond to local preferences, new digital habits, and mobile checkout models.

Security deserves special attention. In SaaS (Software as a Service) environments, protecting payment data requires robust infrastructure, access control, encryption, and tokenization.

Tokenization replaces sensitive data with secure identifiers (tokens), reducing exposure and facilitating recurring operations, returns, or omnichannel journeys without compromising the customer’s financial information.

How to choose and integrate the right payment gateways for your unified commerce

Choosing payment gateways should not depend solely on transaction fees or a platform’s popularity. For a large retailer, this decision must be part of a broader technology strategy aligned with unified commerce and operational efficiency goals.

Key criteria include:

• International scalability: The gateway and POS software must adapt to different countries, currencies, languages, local methods, and regulations.
• Integration capabilities: The POS software must support official connectors, standard protocols, or custom API developments.
• Security: The architecture must protect payment data using reliable environments, encryption, tokenization, and SaaS (Software as a Service) best practices.
• Operational continuity: The system should minimize checkout incidents, facilitate returns, and enable efficient reconciliation.
• Omnichannel experience: Payments must connect seamlessly with orders, available inventory, promotions, loyalty programs, and customer service.
• Adaptation to different payment options: Retailers must be able to respond to local preferences, new digital habits, and mobile checkout models.
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Security deserves special attention. In SaaS (Software as a Service) environments, protecting payment data requires robust infrastructure, access control, encryption, and tokenization. Tokenization replaces sensitive data with secure identifiers (tokens), reducing exposure and facilitating recurring operations, returns, or omnichannel journeys without compromising the customer’s financial information.

Technology trends: from the traditional payment terminal to Tap2Pay

The evolution of payment methods in retail is moving toward more mobile, integrated, and flexible solutions. The traditional card terminal remains useful, but it is no longer the only model for in-store checkout. Today, retailers need options that enable sales at the counter, in the aisles, at temporary events, or at any customer touchpoint.

Mobile checkout with Tap on Phone and Tap2Pay

Technologies like Tap on Phone or Tap2Pay allow compatible mobile devices to be converted into contactless checkout terminals. This facilitates assisted sales, reduces lines, and enables staff to close transactions without always relying on a fixed counter.

Direct integration with the POS software

The key is not just accepting the payment from a mobile device, but integrating it fully with the POS software. If the sales associate can look up the product, identify the customer, apply a promotion, close the sale, and take payment all from the same interface, the experience becomes much more agile and consistent.

At the core product level, Openbravo features an official connector for Adyen, the result of a strategic partnership that enables both pinpad and Tap2Pay usage. It also supports integrations with Worldline AXISC3 and offers official support in France for Caisse AP. For other platforms, Orisha Commerce develops custom solutions using our API, helping retailers move toward a more flexible, scalable unified commerce model tailored to each market and prepared for future operational needs.

Payment gateways with Openbravo POS from Orisha Commerce

At Orisha Commerce, through Openbravo POS, we help retailers integrate their payment gateways into an omnichannel, flexible architecture ready for multiple markets. Our Payment API allows checkout platforms to connect based on each project’s needs, maintaining total consistency between physical stores, e-commerce, and internal operations.

If your organization needs to enhance its checkout experience and move toward a unified commerce model, discover how Openbravo POS can help you build a more agile, connected, and scalable environment. Contact us today, and we will answer all your questions.