Being a market with a large percentage of wealthy customers, Europe offers numerous growth opportunities. Analysing every European market, companies must consider to accept regional payment methods, which are as diverse as languages in all European countries. With the right location target and payment methods selection, companies can acquire customers across the whole Europe.
Switzerland
There is a variety important payment methods in Switzerland. Apart from the international payment methods like credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express), PayPal and different e-wallets, local payment methods are used very often such as PostFinance Card, Twint and Reka. Also WIR Pay and RatenKauf over Swissbilling are used quite often.
Read moreCombine credit cards, alternative and local payment methods in order to turn to as many customers as possible. Offering several payment methods within a single checkout is easy with Payrexx.
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Germany
Germans are known as the most active online international shoppers: over 50% of online purchases for consummable goods are done on international websites. It is also exciting to observe that payment methods like SEPA direct debit, SOFORT transfer and Giropay make up the biggest part of the online transactions.
Read moreDue to the scale and availability related to international payments we recommend companies which think about growing their market in Europe to begin with Germany.
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Austria
The Austrian e-commerce is booming. In the meantime 69 percent of Austrians make their purchases online, while the overall turnover of the retail industry stagnates. The Austrian e-commerce market profits mostly from the national customers, while only a small percentage of the turnover is achieved by sales abroad. The majority of customers prefer to pay by invoice or credit card.
Read moreThe Austrian e-Commerce market profits mostly from native customers, while only a small percentage of the turnover is reached by sales abroad. That’s why focus on providing local payment methods and credit cards, payment option by invoice and Sofort.
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Denmark
Almost 100% of all online shoppers in Denmark use a credit card, either a visa card or a master card. Often, the Visa card is combined with the local Dankort (debit). Mobile payments are becoming more and more popular, MobilePay from Danske Bank is the market leader in mobile payments. However, the mobile payment solutions are very different from country to country. Payrexx is ideal because you can also offer your customers other mobile payment methods, such as TWINT in Switzerland. Google Pay, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay are payment methods that are also emerging in Denmark.
Read moreDenmark is one of the most digitized countries in the world, it is easy to start a webshop in Denmark. Offer your customers Mobilepay as a means of payment, to differentiate you from other web shops and competitors you can also offer Apple Pay, Goolge Pay and Samsung Pay. The local Dankort (debit) is on its way out.
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France
France offers an opportunity to simply set up and run business because it does not require a registered legal entity which is the case with the most European countries where you need a locally registered legal entity. Cartes Bancaires and other credit & debit cards dominate the French market.
Read moreWhoever wants to sell successfully in France, should know the French language and use it accordingly. It is recommended to translate the whole website to French, because French customers prefer to enter into business relationship in a familiar language to them and also communicate in French.
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Italy
Although Italy’s economy relies heavily on cash, Italy is the fifth largest e-Commerce market in Europe. Growth in the e-Commerce industry is also be expected much steeper than in the other European markets.
Read morePrepaid cards are a favorite payment option because of their security and low costs.
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Great Britain
British shoppers are worldwide leaders when it comes to mobile shopping. Debit cards are the preferred payment option and an average every buyer holds more than one card. Debit cards make up roughly 90% of all online payments, e-banking on the other hand is almost never used.
Read more1. Currently Great Britain is the only European country supporting AVS (Address verification service).
2. Issuers strongly prefer the use of 3-D Secure (an additional security step within the payment process intended to prevent fraud).
Netherlands
Although international shopping is very popular in the Netherlands, iDEAL remains to be the most popular payment option – one of the Netherlands’ local payment methods. iDEAL is a banking system that most of Dutch banks have joined up to now. It enables buyers to use their bank account for online purchases. Direct debit payments and payments by invoice are also very popular.
Read morePayrexx gives the following tips for market growth in the Netherlands:
1. Due to high online transaction volume it is vital to provide iDEAL as a payment method.
2. The Netherlands provides one of the easiest access to international e-commerce and that is why it should be considered as one of the first countries to grow on the European market.
Belgium
Thanks to its unique location in Europe, its diverse population, its growing market and cultural diversity, Belgium has established itself as one of the most important players on the international e-Commerce market with a high potential for international online retail growth. The most favorite payment methods of Belgian customers are credit and debit cards, PayPal and Bancontact.
Read moreKeep in mind the language diversity in Belgium while setting up your online shop.
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Russia
Russia is a classic example of an important market, where credit cards are not dominant: cards make up less than half of all online transactions. Instead, e-Wallets belong to the most favourite national payment methods.
Read moreA locally registered entity is not needed and the majority of local payment options (e-Wallets and cards) is easily accessible.
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With a mix of credit cards and PayPal, companies can reach customers from the immense US market. Other popular payment methods such as Mobile One Touch, Apple Pay, Android Pay and Samsung Pay, as well as debit cards shall be considered. In Canada debit cards are actually the clearly preferred option.
USA
USA is the second largest e-Commerce market worldwide and is dominated by the card payments. The only important payment alternative on the market is PayPal. Approximately 95% of the US population hold Visa or MasterCard.
Read moreApple Pay, Android Pay and Samsung Pay are quickly gaining acceptance, especially as the preferred payment option at the point of sale.
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Canada
Canada is a global leader in the area of cross-border e-Commerce in the retail industry: 75% of all online payments are international. It is of no surprise that the majority of these purchases are initiated by US-registered companies.
Read moreCanadian buyers are open to cross-border e-commerce. Besides that, a locally registered company is not required. This considerably simplifies the entrance into the Canadian market .
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Latin America has huge growth potential in the e-commerce industry due to increased reach to the global market. Although Latin America is economically dominated by Brazil, other countries offer good opportunities and growth potential too!
Brazil
Brazil accounts for over 40% of all Latin American e-commerce. Brazilian shoppers are enthusiastic credit card users and prefer card payments for online purchases.
Another major feature of the Brazilian payment landscape is that 80% of e-commerce payments are made by installments and partial payments which further helps to achieve growth within e-Commerce industry.
More than 4 billion people live in the Asia-Pacific area. It is currently one of the most lucrative markets. Asia-Pacific is also extremely diverse when it comes to payment options. Rapid market growth is mainly achieved by constant investments in the Asia-Pacific market. In Australia, China, Indonesia and the Philippines, no locally registered branch is required to launch a business. Offering the right payment options you can quickly & simply, reach regional buyers.
India
The Indian e-commerce market grows as quickly as no other market in the world. Razorpay and CCAvenue are mostly used payment providers by Indian as well as international merchants in order to reach local buyers.
Read morePayrexx allows you to combine PayPal, Razorpay and CCAvenue making it easy to grow your business and accept payments on the Indian market.
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Australia
Australia has one of the largest share of digital buyers in the Asia-Pacific region. Cross-border e-commerce already accounts for a significant portion (36%) of online purchases made by Australian customers.
Read moreAustralia offers a relatively simple market entry for global companies, since the establishment of a local company is not necessary, a card-dominated payment culture prevails and the local buyers are comfortable to purchase from international companies.
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Increasing internet usage, improving infrastructure and a growing middle class drives the African e-Commerce industry forward. There is a good opportunity with mobile payments as mobile devices are much more widespread than computers on the African continent.
