The purpose of most online stores is to generate revenue and the only way to accomplish this is by establishing an online payment method. The key here is to understand how your customers can swiftly navigate through the stages of your checkout funnel.

But what are some of the most popular e-commerce payment methods? In this blog, we’ll be showing you what are the most popular methods of payment and how your online business could benefit from these!

What are payment gateways?

In essence, an e-commerce payment gateway is a service that enables users to make purchases from online stores. It serves as an intermediary between you and your clients, making sure the transaction is completed smoothly. Payment gateways store your customer’s payment details which allows them to manage online security and prevents fraud.

By integrating your store with a payment gateway, your online business can then be set up with a variety of payment methods. This means that you can cater for a range of customer payment needs and preferences. So if you’re trying to increase your sales, implementing a number of popular payment methods will be beneficial to your business.

Here are some of the most commonly used payment methods online:

Card Payments

The most used payment method in all types of transactions, including online payments, is the card. This means that by accepting debit and credit cards payments, you can start to reach a wider and more international market.

Card payments are also widely used in online purchases because they are straightforward to use and generally secure. However, customers will need to enter their credit card information at the checkout which can be time consuming, giving more opportunity for your customers to abandon their cart.

E- Wallet

A mobile device or computer can utilise an e-wallet to make purchases online much like how a credit or debit card works. To assist customers in making purchases, a user’s bank and credit card accounts will need to be connected to their e-wallets.

E-wallets will store your customer’s card data. This means that the required information on a payment form is automatically filled out by an e-wallet after the checkout procedure is completed. Users can input their passwords to activate their e-wallets but can also use other unlocking methods like a finger or face scan.

Paypal

Of all the available methods for making payments online, PayPal is among the most popular and well-known. More than 254 million people use the service globally and it accepts international and multi-currency payments. That's a large number of potential visitors who would find it simpler to make purchases on your website if PayPal was an option.

PayPal states that over 17 million companies presently use its services and that customers who use PayPal as their payment method during checkout convert at an 82% greater rate than those who use alternative payment methods. Although PayPal’s services are not the cheapest, there are no start-up costs or monthly fees. PayPal operates on a per transaction service charge.

Apple Pay

Apple Pay functions as a mobile wallet for users of Apple devices and gives them the opportunity to make a one-click payment on websites that support it. With the introduction of face scans and touch identification, Apply Pay provides a quick and secure way for your customers easily checkout of your online store. The service is also completely free of charge for you and your customer.

Amazon Pay

Amazon Pay is increasingly overtaking other payment options as the preferred choice for many small and medium-sized online businesses, and this can be attributed to its strong brand recognition. With the Amazon Pay merchant account, you can get sophisticated fraud prevention solutions but these features are limited to only the US, UK, and Germany.

The onsite checkout option made possible by this technology reduces friction in the customer checkout experience. Amazon offers a variety of ways for customers to interact with your business. For example, they allow the use of voice commands through Alexa to further improve your customer's shopping experience.

Google Pay

Google is one of the only companies that has a chance of taking on PayPal and Amazon for market share, now providing Google Pay as their own online payment option. According to Google, millions of its users already have their credit card information stored on their Google accounts which makes the availability of Google Pay an added convenience for a large chunk of online users.

Google Pay also enables shops to build up customer loyalty programmes, digital gift cards, and discounts. For a wider audience, Google Pay may also be integrated with other services like PayPal and Visa Checkout.

Last words

You can choose to integrate a variety of payment methods onto your online business, allowing you to expand your customer reach. These can ensure that transactions are completed quickly , accurately, and securely , while also satisfying your customers.

However, selecting methods that are appropriate for your online store structure can sometimes be daunting.

If you would like to find how to optimise your online reach through payment strategies, then reach out to us! In only 45 minutes you will gain free insight from our team with over 50 years of experience. Start reshaping your e-commerce strategy today!