Increase in cost charges for the use of Acceptgiros at webstores

Amsterdam, September 29, 2009. Providing various payment methods is one of the most important factors in the choice of a webstore, as revealed by a study commissioned by Currence, the product owner of iDEAL, and conducted by Motivaction. The various means of payment accepted by a webstore are often specified too late in the ordering process. Online buyers prefer seeing this information on the homepage already. In any case, they want to see the most familiar products, such as iDEAL and Acceptgiro. Familiarity with and the reputation of the webstore also appear to play a role in their choice; online buyers are more inclined to purchase from a webstore that is well-known.

The study differentiated between five types* of online buyers, each with their own payment pattern*. Most types of buyers prefer iDEAL, except conservative and controlling types. They have a preference for Acceptgiro in particular. However, the actual use of payment methods often differs from the indicated preference. Other factors also play a role. The payment method depends on the personal situation (are there sufficient funds in the bank account, for example), the methods offered by the webstore, and any promotions it has that are linked to a specific means of payment.

Promotions offered by the webstore have a major impact on the payment behaviour of online buyers. Free home delivery, a discount, the chance to win a cash prize or obtain free insurance make these buyers switch to the webstore's preferred means of payment en masse. Even the hardened Acceptgiro user is keen to switch to iDEAL when promotions are offered. Additional charges imposed by webstores on ‘paper’ Acceptgiros have increased by roughly 50% this year compared to 2008.

Currence concludes that sales will increase if the webstore’s homepage clearly stipulates the available payment methods. Specific promotions can enable the webstore to steer customers towards choosing a means of payment.

iDEAL is still growing substantially (+60% compared to last year). Recently, account holders at Friesland Bank can also pay with iDEAL. Several other banks will follow suit in the following twelve months.

* For more information, please refer to the iDEAL fact sheet.