With 78% of French people using contactless payment methods, cash registers disappearing from stores and the physical act of paying being rendered unnecessary in some cases, payment is an increasingly discrete part of our buying journey.
Although streamlining the payment experience removes barriers to making a purchase, this is only half the story. Today’s new payment solutions can push things even further, using payment as a selling point in its own right!
On top of this, there are improved conversion rates, a larger average spend, an excellent user experience, and a quicker accelerated payment process – all made possible by the new generation of payment service providers.
Not having enough money in their current account at the moment of purchase can be particularly frustrating for consumers. Particularly when they have enough in their savings account, or they expect a large amount of money to be deposited imminently.
Used by 53% of French people, split payment lets you pay for your purchase in installments without fees over at least three months (free credit) or longer (consumer credit).
Mainly used for relatively high-ticket items in tech, travel, and fashion, this payment method offers users a degree of extra flexibility, which is often enough for them to be able to conclude the sale.
Last year, 74% of merchants estimated that split payments had a ‘significant’ impact on their revenue, and 30% went as far as to say it was “very significant”!
With expenditure often occurring in specific, concentrated periods (sales, Black Friday, New Year, etc.) but incoming funds spread evenly over the entire year (salary, benefits, rental income, etc.), consumers inevitably see intense fluctuations in their savings from one season to another.
The lag between what they want to spend and their spending capacity at the time is frustrating for consumers when their account is almost in the red when sales are on, only to be replenished a few days later once the moment has passed.
Used by 34% of French consumers, Buy now Pay Later lets you make the purchase today and settle at a later date. This finally allows buyers to align promotional period expenses with deposits into their account, reduce bank account volatility and, in particular, increase their buying power during promotional periods.
In 2021, 63% of merchants estimated that deferred payment had a ‘significant’ impact on their revenue, with 20% saying it was a ‘very significant impact!
Are customers buying as a couple, family, or as a group of friends? It’s all possible!
Whether it involves making a common purchase or buying a group birthday present, shared payments let several people pay and greatly simplify the task of the person organizing the purchase (who no longer has to rush around to collect money from the various contributors).
Particularly popular with the younger generation, shared payments let you refine your customers’ purchasing experience by making it more social, increasing conversion rates, and growing your revenue at a low cost.
On top of offering the three payment methods of split, deferred, and shared payments, you can use other levers to boost your sales.
Here are three:
In reality, your customers do not use the same currency or the same payment methods between geographical areas! For example, in the Eurozone, the French prefer bank cards, Germans use bank transfers more, while Belgians favor Bancontact payment.
Quick loading times, personalized design, dynamic forms, etc. Your payment page needs to live up to your brand image, or you risk losing a buyer at the worst possible moment!
Specialized solutions like HiPay Sentinel let you set up your own anti-fraud rules using its 80 scoring criteria designs to reduce abandonment rates and bank chargebacks.
With the three payment methods presented in this article, you have the keys to optimizing your customers’ buying journey and boosting your sales. Offer these solutions online and in-store to give your customers the best experience possible as part of a unified commerce strategy.