According to the ONS, the total value of online transactions in the UK in December 2020 was nearly 22 billion British pounds. Clearly, the continuing effects of the pandemic and trend of online shopping means that online payments are here to stay and are quickly becoming the norm for online shoppers.
There are so many online payment methods and PayPal was the most popular online payment option in 2019 (Statistica.) But is it still the best online payment option in 2021? If you're a business with a web store or e-commerce site, this blog post is for you.
In this post, we've compiled the best options for accepting online payments, so you can focus on running your business.
Why offer different online payment options?With so many options and methods out there, it can be tempting to skip the overwhelming research and stick to one that you are familiar with. However, your favourite payment option may not be your customers' favourite.
Different payment methods also offer different benefits. For example, some offer the convenience of payments via banking apps and some offer perks like buy-now-pay-later.
So, accepting different methods increases your potential customer base, turnover, customer retention and improves the user experience of your business, however small or large.
Best all-round online payment option for e-commerce and small business 2021
Roqqett
Summary

As far as e-checkouts go, Roqqett is the best, new and innovative solution for forward-thinking businesses.
Previously with more traditional methods, going through multiple steps to only fill in their payment details results in customers abandoning their carts at a higher rate. Now though, Open Banking technology means that better financial services are available - and Roqqett is one of them.
Roqqett's e-checkout enables instant and secure payments at just a tap of a button on a web browser or mobile app for your customers, which means lower dropout rates for e-commerce businesses.
For you, the business, this means more reliable cash flow and lower costs as fewer parties are involved in the transaction. As Open Banking technology improves and shopping on mobile gets more popular, it is wise to integrate a payment option like Roqqett to keep up with better payment methods for your customer.
Other online payments options 2021Stripe - good for versatility
Summary
Stripe has made a name for itself as a trustworthy payments method for both businesses and customers, with many people offering payment through its system.
For businesses that have developers on the team, their thorough documentation written in simple English makes for an easy and smooth customisation process. However, if you don't have a developer to assist you, adding new features or customising might be a challenging prospect if you don't have some coding skills.
But since customers don't need to set up an account with Stripe in order to use their payment options, it's more accessible and feels like your business is being paid directly. The potential downside is that Stripe will hold the money in your Stripe account for 7 days before depositing into your bank account. You will be able to see this in your account dashboard.
PayPal - good for global paymentsSummary
With such a globally known as PayPal, your customers are likely to already have an account. However, if they don't, this may prevent customers from completing a purchase on your site, but PayPal is constantly adding new options.
PayPal does also provide various business solutions such as invoicing, subscriptions and more, which may be something that is helpful for your business. If it is, setting up a PayPal business account is easier than traditional merchant payment methods which may include credit checks.
On the other hand, high transaction fees of 2.9% + 30p per transaction might affect your business costs more than other payment options. Furthermore, the chargeback fees of £14 would also be a deal-breaker for you.
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