{"podcast":{"title":"Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis","slug":"click-convert-with-maria-sparagis-1375413","podcast_index_feed_id":1375413,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/maria-sparagis/","website_url":"https://directpaynet.com","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/0bfda54a-9b87-4d2d-8065-e279d8530fce/pod-cover-1.png","author":"Maria Sparagis","episode_count":200,"summary":"Maria Sparagis has spent 20+ years helping online businesses find the revenue they didn't know they were losing. As president of DirectPayNet and a payment solutions expert, she knows that the difference between a good business and a great one often comes down to how you handle payments and conversions. On Click & Convert, Maria shares the strategies, tools, and insider knowledge that ecommerce founders and online entrepreneurs need to scale to 6 and 8 figures — from optimizing your checkout flow to maximizing what hits your bottom line. Featured in American Banker, Vice, Coindesk, and Yahoo. Connect at mariasparagis.com or directpaynet.com.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-17T20:18:52.125688+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/click-convert-with-maria-sparagis-1375413"},"episode":{"title":"#223 Shopify Payments Isn’t Your Only Option (Keep Your Store)","slug":"223-shopify-payments-isn-t-your-only-option-keep-your-store","published_at":"2026-02-19T21:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/click-convert-with-maria-sparagis-1375413/223-shopify-payments-isn-t-your-only-option-keep-your-store","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/click-convert-with-maria-sparagis-1375413","url":"https://directpaynet.com","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/27d6262d-146e-4aba-adad-8ae3fab5074f.mp3","summary":"Shopify Payments ≠ Shopify. If Shopify Payments isn’t right for your business, you don’t have to rebuild your store. You can keep your Shopify storefront and connect your own 3rd party payment gateway to take payments your way. In this video, Maria busts the myths: Shopify Payments isn’t the only option, and it’s not built for every business. Whether you’re selling subscriptions, running a creator business, dropshipping, or just want more flexibility, she shows how to add a 3rd party payment gateway to your Shopify store—so you can stay in control, avoid limits, and keep scaling. From understanding why Shopify alternatives matter, to actionable steps for setting up your own gateway within Shopify, this video gives you everything you need to continue selling smoothly, protect your revenue, and keep your online store thriving. ____________________________________________ 🎯 Key Concepts Covered 🟩 Shopify A leading ecommerce platform that allows businesses to build and manage online stores. Shopify handles storefront setup, product management, and checkout experience, independent of the payment method used. 🟩 Shopify Payments Shopify’s built-in payment solution. While convenient, it may not support all business types or industries. Merchants can choose other payment gateways if Shopify Payments isn’t the right fit. 🟩 Merchant Account A type of bank account that allows a business to accept credit and debit card payments. The merchant account holds funds temporarily before they’re deposited into the business’s main bank account. 🟩 Payment Processor A company that handles the technical process of authorizing and settling credit/debit card transactions between a merchant, the issuing bank, and the customer’s bank. 🟩 Payment Gateway Software that connects your online store to a…","meta_description":"Shopify Payments ≠ Shopify. If Shopify Payments isn’t right for your business, you don’t have to rebuild your store. You can keep your Shopify storefront…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1176,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/click-convert-with-maria-sparagis-1375413/episodes/223-shopify-payments-isn-t-your-only-option-keep-your-store/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/click-convert-with-maria-sparagis-1375413/223-shopify-payments-isn-t-your-only-option-keep-your-store.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}