Selling internationally through the Internet can help businesses reach an entirely new target audience and substantially increase profits. However, online merchants must find safe and secure payment options that allow them to successfully operate in different countries. Once implemented, such options significantly boost business growth. Here are the four most common and secure international payment methods:

Credit Cards – Convenient and generally accepted worldwide, credits cards have become one of the most widely used payment methods in the world. Most credit card companies automatically add fees to consumer purchases to account for currency conversion, known as foreign transaction fees. In order to accept online payments, online merchants must have a merchant account setup with a bank. Contact your bank and determine what steps (if any) need to be taken in order to start accepting credit cards internationally.

International Wire Transfers – For merchants and customers who have already established a relationship and are deemed trustworthy, international wire transfers are another common international payment method. Wire transfers occur when money from the sender is sent through their bank to the recipient’s bank. The advantage of wire transfers is they often take just a day or two to clear. However, wire transfers often charge fees that may discourage consumers from using it and they often do not have a simple means of recourse if something goes wrong with the wire transfer.

International Money Orders – Widely trusted worldwide, money orders are often used by consumers and online merchants. To cash an international money order, a government-issued photo ID and signature are required, which make it a secure method of payment. In addition, there are minimal fees associated with money orders though they may take up to ten business days to complete.

Online Payment Services – Often referred to as eWallets, there are a wide range of online payment services that allow consumer to send and merchants to receive money online (such as the wildly popular PayPal service). There is generally a per-transaction fee associated with such services (usually around 3% of the total transaction) but it is typically less than what a bank would charge for conventional merchant accounts.