More than eight in ten consumers (86%) in the US, Canada and Europe say their payment habits have changed since the start of the pandemic. Paysafe’s Lost in Transaction report captures a historic moment of great turmoil in the world of payments with 59% of respondents declaring that they have experimented with a new method of commercial relationship for the first time, a percentage that rises to 77% in the age group 18/24. It is not surprising that the key factor for the adoption of new methodologies has been, in recent months, connected to the impossibility of making payments in person (for 33%), but also to the need to monitor spending more closely (for 26%). Card payments continue to be the most used online payment method: debit card in first place (in 54% of cases) followed by credit card (in 51%), even if digital wallets are emerging in the last month as the most popular alternative tool for 43% of respondents. A percentage that stands at 40% in the United States and rises to 47% in the United Kingdom and 55% in Italy. With over 450 payment methods available and in use around the world, merchants are learning that it is no longer enough to offer consumers only credit or debit card payments but to diversify the offer in this area as well by opening up to PayPal, wire transfers and to mobile wallets such as those offered by Apple and Google Pay. Also because, overall, 32% of consumers use these payments more frequently than before the pandemic. Prepaid cards are up 13%, peaking at over 16% in the United States. While 8% of Europeans and North Americans use online money (eCash) the most, research also reveals that having the ability to choose between online payment systems has been a key differentiator for commercial structures. e-commerce dynamics often produce lower prices and the priority on convenience has increased by 110% in the last 12 months. Offering in-store contactless payments increasingly seems to be an essential technological development, with 28% of Americans saying they prefer this payment system even within physical establishments. The recent pandemic, in essence, has proved to be a real accelerator in the adoption of alternative payment methods and the choice between systems is increasingly becoming a key factor. Also because, while merchants can now integrate a wide range of methods into a payment platform, they can quickly adapt to these trends, both online and offline, and modify their offer to try to get out of the crisis earlier. and with more force.
