Payment Methods in German eCommerce

For Germans, a world without cash is hardly conceivable. This leads to the question of how they pay online. Or: What payment methods do the top 500 German online stores offer to German online shoppers?

Surprisingly, the most common payment method (grouped in clusters) offered by the top 500 German online stores are eWallets (95%), closely followed by Cards (93%). Bank transfer only comes in third, with 89%.

When looking at single payment methods, PayPal clearly leads the field: 95% of the top 500 German online stores offer this online payment service. Close behind are the well-known credit card brands Visa and Mastercard (91% each).

There are also two internationally less common methods which are popular among the top 500 German online stores: cash in advance (71%) and Sofortüberweisung (62%), a payment service offered by Klarna that provides the seller with a payment confirmation as soon as a purchase has been made by the customer.
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