GATEWAY BASICS
Expand with local payment methods
In this chapter you’ll learn:
-
How to evaluate which payment methods to support
- How to integrate new methods
It's an exciting time for cross-border ecommerce
The global ecommerce market is projected to double, climbing from $2 to $4 trillion by 2020. And a report by McKinsey predicts that the flows of goods and services across borders will triple by 2025.
Businesses of all sizes are expanding across borders to reach shoppers around the world. But, before you rush to launch localized websites and set up entities in new markets, it’s important to consider how these international shoppers want to pay.
Hundreds of millions of your potential customers don’t use international credit cards.
Instead, shoppers use an array of local payment methods, like online banking, open invoice, digital wallets, cash and local card schemes. So, to reach your full potential in new markets, it’s vital that you offer the payment options your local customers know and trust.
In China Visa and Mastercard make up a tiny proportion of online payments.
In Brazil most cards issued are not enabled for international use.
In Germany three-quarters of shoppers prefer not to pay with credit cards.
Don't forget mobile
Many local payment methods offer a mobile-optimized integration. So don’t forget to integrate with mobile in mind.
Since iDEAL developed a mobile-friendly payment flow, 50% of iDEAL payments are made on mobile. And mobile apps that support iDEAL tend to have a higher conversion rate in the Netherlands.
Chinese mobile wallet Alipay, with a reported 520 million active users worldwide, accounts for almost half of the $500 billion ecommerce market in China. And WeChat Pay (part of the WeChat app) is China’s fastest-growing payment method. Both are supported online and in store.
So, if you want to expand into China or serve Chinese tourists, Alipay and WeChat Pay are
must-have options.
One size doesn’t fit all
When evaluating which payment methods to support, it’s important to consider your own business model. If you’re a subscription business, for example, some payment methods won’t work for you as they don’t support recurring payments. So make sure you understand the functionalities and restrictions of each method you support.
Support local payment methods with OkePay
One contract and one integration with OkePay gives you access to all key local payment methods around the world, optimized for mobile and ready to go out-of-the-box. No need to set up a local entity in each new market; going live is as simple as flipping a switch.
You can even serve up a targeted list of payment methods based on your customers’ location, device, and
basket value. So each customer only sees the payment methods relevant to them.