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## Resource: Introduction

## Article: About Payments

## Article Link: https://dev.wix.com/docs/api-reference/business-solutions/e-commerce/payments/introduction.md

## Article Content:

# About Payments

Payments functionality manages the financial processing phase of the eCommerce platform, enabling secure transaction handling, alternative payment methods, and specialized payment flows. After customers complete the [purchase flow](https://dev.wix.com/docs/rest/business-solutions/e-commerce/purchase-flow/introduction.md) through cart and checkout, the payments system processes transactions, manages gift cards and memberships, and applies payment-specific configurations to create successful [orders](https://dev.wix.com/docs/api-reference/business-solutions/e-commerce/orders/orders/introduction.md).

This section covers:

- **[Working with payments, transactions, and orders](https://dev.wix.com/docs/rest/business-solutions/e-commerce/payments/working-with-payments-transactions-and-orders.md)**: Understand the relationship between payment processing, transaction management, and order creation in the eCommerce platform.
- **[Gift Cards](https://dev.wix.com/docs/rest/business-solutions/e-commerce/payments/gift-cards/introduction.md)**: Enable customers to purchase and redeem gift cards, including balance management and transaction processing.
- **[Memberships](https://dev.wix.com/docs/rest/business-solutions/e-commerce/payments/memberships/introduction.md)**: Allow customers to purchase goods using membership-based payment methods with custom membership providers.
- **[Payment Settings](https://dev.wix.com/docs/rest/business-solutions/e-commerce/payments/payment-settings/introduction.md)**: Configure and customize payment processing behavior through integration service plugins.

## Payment integration approaches

Choose the approach that best aligns with your payment processing requirements:

+ **Built-in payment solutions**: Wix provides integrated payment processing through [Wix Payments](https://support.wix.com/en/article/about-wix-payments) and standard payment gateways. Use these when standard payment flows meet your business needs.

+ **Alternative payment methods**: Integrate gift cards, membership-based payments, and custom payment flows through service plugins for specialized business models like subscription services, loyalty programs, or membership organizations.

+ **Custom payment processing**: Implement specialized payment logic, validation rules, and configuration settings through Payment Settings service plugins when you need custom payment behavior, compliance requirements, or integration with external payment systems.

## Payment flow integration

Payments integrate seamlessly with other eCommerce platform components:

+ **Checkout integration**: Payment methods and configurations are automatically applied during the checkout process, ensuring consistent payment experiences across different purchase flows.

+ **Order management**: Successful payment processing triggers order creation with complete transaction details, enabling post-purchase fulfillment and customer management.

+ **Service plugin extensions**: Payment-related service plugins can modify payment behavior, validate transactions, and integrate external payment services while maintaining compatibility with the broader eCommerce platform.

## See also

- [About Wix Payments](https://support.wix.com/en/article/about-wix-payments)
- [About Purchase Flow](https://dev.wix.com/docs/rest/business-solutions/e-commerce/purchase-flow/introduction.md) 
- [About Orders](https://dev.wix.com/docs/api-reference/business-solutions/e-commerce/orders/orders/introduction.md)
- [Architecture and Data Flow](https://dev.wix.com/docs/rest/business-solutions/e-commerce/architecture-data-flow.md)