If your customers are in Bangladesh, a card-only checkout will lose orders. Many shoppers prefer to pay with a mobile wallet such as bKash or Nagad, or to pay cash on delivery. Here is how I approach it on a WooCommerce store.
1. Decide which methods you will offer
Most stores offer three: cash on delivery, one or more mobile wallets, and cards. Offering every method is not always better. Each one adds support work and reconciliation, so start with the ones your customers actually ask for.
2. Get your merchant accounts in order
Mobile wallets and card gateways require a merchant account with the provider, and the approval process is theirs, not mine or WooCommerce’s. Start this early, because it often takes longer than the website build. Payment aggregators such as SSLCommerz can bundle several wallets and card networks under one integration, but check which methods your own account will include.
3. Connect the gateway
Gateways connect to WooCommerce either through a plugin from the provider or through an integration built against their API. Whichever route is used, the important parts are the same:
- Use the provider’s sandbox first, with test credentials.
- Make sure the order status changes automatically when payment is confirmed, so you are not marking orders as paid by hand.
- Handle failed and cancelled payments, so a customer can retry without creating a duplicate order.
- Keep API keys out of the theme and out of public code.
4. Set rules for cash on delivery
Cash on delivery works well when it is controlled. You can limit it to certain areas, ask for a phone number that is verified, or require a small advance payment for high-value orders.
5. Link delivery
Courier services such as Pathao, Steadfast and RedX offer ways to create parcels and track them. Connecting them means your team does not retype addresses and customers can see delivery status.
6. Test the full journey
Before launch, place real test orders with every payment method, on a phone and a laptop. Check the emails, the order status, the stock level and the courier booking. Most payment problems show up here, not in the settings screen.
If you want this set up and tested for your store, send me the details.