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Expand globally with local payment methods

Learn how to offer the best payment method mix to your customers and easily integrate each new payment method.

February 18th, 2021
 ·  7 minutes
Illustration of a person with a laptop and a Cartes Bancaires bubble

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 localised websites and set up entities in new markets, it’s important to consider how these international shoppers want to pay.

Stylized global payment options including credit cards and mobile payments

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-optimised 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 Adyen

One contract and one integration with Adyen gives you access to all key local payment methods around the world, optimised 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 most relevant to them.

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