This article includes tips, suggestions and general information. We recommend that you always do your own research and consider getting independent tax, financial and legal advice before making any important decision.
It wasn’t long ago that choosing online payment options for small businesses meant deciding which credit cards to accept. And while many people still take out their credit card to make a purchase, digital payments are becoming increasingly popular.
In recent years, online payment options have evolved far beyond just credit and debit cards. You now have the option of digital wallets (like Apple Pay®, Google Pay® and Samsung Pay®) and regional payment methods (e.g., Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) or local e‑wallets) too.
Giving customers as many ways to pay as possible means more convenience and lower cart abandonment rates (around 27% of shoppers will leave1 due to limited payment choices). It also helps you reach different audiences across various devices, regions, and spending habits.
In short, offering the right mix of payment options means fewer barriers between the customer and their purchase. That can only be a good thing for a growing business.
However, while adding digital payment options to your checkout can be easy; deciding which ones to accept may be a little harder. So how do you choose the right payment options for your business?
Before you dive head first into the digital payment comparison abyss, take a deep breath and think about your customers. Which payment methods are going to be the most convenient for them?
While digital wallets like Apple Pay® or Samsung Pay® may be preferred by some, they only work for customers with a compatible device.
Your goal should be to provide checkout options that are convenient for all your customers, no matter what kind of technology they use.
You should also keep in mind that security is the primary concern for most customers, so it’s important to offer payment options that your customers trust. This can be especially true for new businesses with low social proof. In these cases, customers may be looking for added assurance that the checkout is secure.
Letting shoppers check out using a familiar payment method can give them added confidence when buying from your site.
While putting your customers first can be the key to good conversions, don’t forget about the needs of your business. A payment option with complicated pricing can make record keeping difficult. Worse still, it could potentially hurt your bottom line.
You should also consider what kind of technical support will be needed. If a payment method requires ongoing updates and you don’t have regular access to a website developer, that payment method may not be right for your business.
At the end of the day, you want to offer online payment options that meet the needs of your customers and your business. That’s where PayPal Checkout comes in.
Ultimately, when customers consider buying from a new site, data security is their primary concern, far beyond convenience or ease-of-use.
Almost all UK shoppers (96%) believe a secure checkout is essential and nearly 70% are (understandably) concerned about sharing personal information online. Over half, meanwhile, will stop shopping with a brand entirely after a data breach.2
Once burned, forever shy.
That’s why trusted online payment methods are so invaluable. Digital wallets and established platforms like PayPal use tokenisation, multi-factor authentication and PCI‑compliant encryption, which instantly builds consumer confidence and reduces abandonment.
Research shows that mobile wallets with biometric security features like fingerprint scans and facial recognition are now used monthly by 34% of Britons, and 53% of UK consumers choose PayPal because they don’t want to share card details.3
These features combine convenience with security in a way that’s immediately apparent and most modern smartphones come with these features built in as standard.
Let people know you use these industry leading technologies by highlighting secure, familiar logos at checkout (like the PayPal or Apple Pay® badges).
This way, you reassure customers instantly and give them peace of mind that their payment journey is going to be safe.
Choosing the right payment options is a subtle mix of art and strategy. Start by understanding your customers.
Next, balance that with your business needs. Look at your pricing structures, fees and how each method fits into your existing tech stack.
Integration should be low friction at every level. If you don’t have developer support, go for plug-and-play solutions, where possible.
Technical reliability and support matter just as much as transaction rates.
Next, weigh convenience against security. Is authentication low friction? Does the user stay on your site or get bounced to another portal? And don’t forget legal compliance.
Finally, test your chosen payments and review your analytics: compare conversion rates, average order values and abandonment metrics to refine your setup over time. The customer’s needs are always changing and evolving, so your offering should always do likewise.
PayPal Checkout is a one-and-done payment solution that lets your business accept a range of payment types.
With a single integration, your checkout will automatically show customers relevant payment options.
And no matter how someone chooses to pay using PayPal Checkout, they’ll be able to complete their payment without leaving your site.
With PayPal Pay in 3*, your customers have a chance to buy now and pay over time, while you get paid upfront. This flexibility in digital payment options can help boost sales and increase average order sizes.
Of course, not everyone has ditched their physical wallet and gone digital. You should still accept traditional online payment methods such as credit and debit cards at checkout. You may even have payment processing already in place for these transactions, but if you don’t, PayPal Checkout has you covered.
Shoppers who would rather pay with a debit or credit card can use PayPal to check out as a guest, without leaving your site.
Letting your customers pay the way they want can help improve your conversion rates and help reduce cart abandonment.
You work hard to meet the evolving needs of your customers. Make sure you choose a payment option that works to meet the evolving needs of your business.