Online payment habits have shifted rapidly, and the risks of falling behind are significant. Data from the Baymard Institute shows that 21% of shoppers abandon their carts if their preferred payment method isn’t available. This represents a preventable loss at the most critical stage of the customer journey.
What Customers Expect to See at Checkout
Modern shoppers prioritize flexibility. They require a fast, secure, and intuitive checkout experience. Meeting these expectations requires providing the specific payment methods your customers already use.
• PayPal: A widely trusted wallet that makes checkout feel low-risk for first-time buyers.
• Venmo: Familiar and mobile-first, especially popular with younger users.
• Apple Pay: Enables instant checkout on iOS devices using your fingerprint or Face ID.
• Google Pay: A seamless way to pay across devices using stored credentials.
• Shop Pay: Accelerates checkout on Shopify stores by remembering returning users.
If these aren’t available, some customers will bounce regardless of how interested they were in the product.
Payment Options Influence Trust
Checkout is a pivot point for customer trust. Offering recognizable payment methods establishes immediate credibility for new users while confirming your brand’s relevance to returning customers.
This alignment is critical for overall marketing efficiency; failing to provide preferred payment options creates a bottleneck that undermines the investment made in SEO, paid media, and email acquisition.
The Financial Impact of Limited Payment Options
Higher processing fees for alternative payment methods are often secondary to the cost of customer abandonment. Restrictive checkout experiences drive shoppers away, directly impacting the ROI of your SEO, paid search, and email marketing investments.
Expanding your payment options protects the revenue those acquisition efforts generate.
Starkmedia’s Approach
Starkmedia bridges the gap between traffic and transactions. From performance optimization and mobile UX to modern payment integrations, we ensure your site supports the way customers shop today.
If your payment experience hasn’t been revisited in a while (or if you’re unsure whether it’s meeting expectations), it’s time to take a closer look.
Let’s fix the part of your site that should be closing the deal. Contact Starkmedia to get started.
