Payment methods in the Online Shop
Reading time: approx. 6 Minutes
January, 24., 2024
There are many online payment systems in Germany
But which ones should you use for your store?
What are the most important payment methods in the online shop?
There are many payment methods. A number of providers have established themselves on the market, especially in Germany. But which method is also a secure payment method so that your customers can buy safely online?
We list the top providers in a direct comparison and show the advantages and disadvantages.
Online payment systems: a direct comparison
You should be familiar with the following payment methods and consider them for your online store.
PayPal
Für den Verkäufer entstehen Gebühren, die er allein zu tragen hat. Jedoch ist auch ihm die Zahlung für seine Ware sicher. Win win for both sides. There should no longer be a way around PayPal in online stores these days if the customer’s UX is the focus.
Google Pay/Apple Pay
These services offer additional security features such as biometric authentication to ensure the confidentiality of payment information.
SOFORT
A TAN is required for approval, as with real online banking, but this also protects the buyer from unauthorized access by third parties.
Credit card
One advantage for the end customer is that credit card payments are often linked to buyer protection, which takes effect in the event of fraudulent transactions or undelivered goods and offers the customer a certain level of security.
The top 3 from 2023: the most popular payment methods
in Germany
The most popular payment methods in online retail
PayPal PayPal is one of the most important, if not the most important, means of payment in online stores in 2024. Customers trust the security of the payment and the seller is protected against payment defaults or payment cancellations.
Buying on account Despite many online payment systems, buying on account is still very popular. There is no risk for the customer and they can only pay once they have received the goods.
Direct debit/bank collection Even if it is necessary to enter bank details, many online shoppers trust the online store and the secure handling of their bank details. In any case, it is convenient if you no longer have to actively think about the payment yourself. The seller also has the payment secure before the goods are dispatched.
Fee structure of the individual payment methods
Nowadays, the end customer hardly incurs any fees when paying via the online store. However, you as the provider or seller and operator of the store do.
In order to be able to make a decision for or against a payment method, you should inform yourself very precisely about the fee structure of the individual payment method.
- Transaction fees: Fees that are incurred for each transaction. These can be a percentage of the transaction amount and/or a fixed amount of money
- Currency conversion fees: Costs incurred when a transaction is made in another currency and a conversion is necessary.
- Chargeback fees: Fees incurred for chargebacks, for example due to unauthorized transactions or suspected fraud and returned direct debits.
- Payment service provider service fees: Any additional fees charged by the selected payment service provider for the use of their platform.
- Additional costs for certain payment methods: Some payment methods may incur higher fees than others.
Inform yourself comprehensively and calculate your product prices accordingly. Passing on fees for payment methods to the customer is no longer common nowadays and may ensure that your customer buys the product from a competitor and not from you.
Customer ratings and experiences with payment methods
A good step towards deciding which payment methods you would like to offer in your store is to analyze customer reviews or testimonials. Read here explicitly what positive and negative experiences customers have had.
Then weigh up whether there may be too many negative experiences, even if it is a well-known provider, so that you can still save yourself some fees, because perhaps the majority of your customers would not choose this payment method anyway.
Frequently asked questions
about easybill and Payment methods
Credit cards and debit cards such as VISA, Mastercard and AMEX are widely used means of payment, as they can also be used internationally. PayPal is the most popular payment method for online shopping as of 2023. However, payment methods such as SOFORT/Klarna or bank transfer and direct debit are also still payment methods that you should consider for your store.
Even if high fees can certainly be incurred here for you as a seller, you should not forego the use of PayPal. The customer benefit should always be the focus and contribute to a perfect experience in your store.
The easybill PLUS and BUSINESS packages are available for e-commerce. Here you start from as little as 25 euros for using the software. Depending on the number of orders to be imported, you can see from the price overview which price is suitable for you.
The security of a payment method for sellers depends on various factors. Credit and debit card payments are widely used and often offer protection against fraud, provided security standards are met. Services such as PayPal are popular and offer additional security features such as buyer protection. It is advisable to use established payment service providers and ensure that the methods chosen meet industry security standards. Nevertheless, it is important to regularly review security practices and keep them up to date.
easybill offers over 50 interfaces to marketplaces and online stores from all sectors. Most stores can be connected to easybill via an interface so that you can retrieve your order data very conveniently and fully automatically and convert it into invoices. You can find all the useful tips on the e-commerce information page.
