How to Handle Reluctance Toward Online Payment?

You're sold on online payments, but there's pushback internally. That's understandable. Here are the answers you can give to address the most common concerns.

• How do I convince my board to switch to online payments?
• My members will never agree to pay online.
• My members are worried about the security of online payments.
• Our members skew older. What can we do?

How do I convince my board to switch to online payments?

• Card payments are the preferred payment method for most Americans — and it's easy to see why: they're fast and simple;
• For a nonprofit, accepting card payments signals a modern, professional image — which is especially appealing to younger members;
• Internally, it cuts down on time-consuming manual tasks so your team can focus on higher-impact work.

My members will never agree to pay online. What should I do?

Start by understanding what's holding them back: why are they reluctant? What specifically concerns them? Take the time to understand the reasons behind their hesitation.

Thousands of nonprofits already use online payments through Springly.
The feedback speaks for itself: every organization that has tried it has adopted it — and most end up making it their primary payment method.

We often assume something will never work — but the best way to find out is simply to try it. You might be pleasantly surprised!

Read stories from nonprofits that made the switch.

Members and donors are worried about the security of their card information. What can I tell them?

Card data is never stored, and everything is encrypted.

The payment page is hosted by our payment provider, and 3D Secure is enabled. When a member makes an online payment, they are redirected to their bank's servers to verify their identity and confirm they are the authorized cardholder.

Our members skew older and will never want to pay online. What can we do?

Card payments have become mainstream across all age groups in recent years.

Older adults are perfectly comfortable paying online today.

You can always continue accepting checks and other payment methods for those who prefer not to pay online. The vast majority of your members will appreciate having the option to pay digitally.

Here's what worked for one nonprofit community (read the full story here) :

• An older-skewing membership of 600 members;
• The nonprofit decided to move to online payments — processing hundreds of checks had become too time-consuming and draining;
• To reassure members, they ran a thorough communication campaign, walking everyone through how to join online, access receipts, update their information, and more;
• Result: within 6 months, membership numbers rebounded — after a period of decline.

📘 Check out our complete guide to online payments on Springly.