How Offering More Payment Options Keeps Customers Coming Back

BillShiphr   |   03 October, 2025

Every time I look at why customers leave a business, payment friction shows up as a big reason. People rarely complain directly, but when checkout does not offer their preferred method, many simply abandon the purchase. The fix often comes down to providing more ways to pay.

A small online clothing store I know used to accept only credit cards. Sales looked fine until they realized that younger customers, especially those using mobile wallets, were dropping off at checkout. Once the store added Apple Pay and Google Pay through a payment gateway platform , conversion on mobile jumped by more than 20 percent. Nothing else about the website changed, but giving people familiar options made a difference.

I have also seen a subscription-based app increase retention simply by adding PayPal as a recurring payment choice. Before, users whose cards expired would often cancel instead of updating details. With PayPal, renewals kept flowing without disruption. The app team reported that cancellations dropped by nearly a third after this change.

Another strong example comes from a travel booking site. Customers from different countries wanted to pay in local ways, like iDEAL in the Netherlands or Sofort in Germany. By expanding options, the site reduced failed international transactions and opened new markets. What once required manual intervention from support became a smooth process, and bookings grew in regions they previously struggled with.

Even small service providers can benefit. A local gym I worked with allowed only cash or bank transfers. Many younger clients found this inconvenient. When the gym added card payments and digital wallets, not only did sign-ups increase, but recurring memberships became easier to manage. The owner told me late payments almost disappeared.

These examples show that payment flexibility is not about adding complexity, but about meeting customers where they are. People feel more confident and stay loyal when they can pay the way they prefer. The right mix of options helps businesses avoid abandoned carts, reduce churn, and build long-term trust.