The Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft published statistics about payment methods in Germany.[1]<\/a> There are 4,5 billion transactions by Girocard (debit cards) per year with an average payment amount of 46,86\u20ac.<\/p>\n What does it mean for retail?<\/em><\/p>\n The development of payment procedures of the retail sector was analysed by the newsletter of \u201eFinanz-scene.de\u201c. In total, the share of cash payments fell to 48,3% and of direct debits to 10%, while Girocard’s share made only 30,1% of payment transactions in retail. [2]<\/a> This is also due to the fact, that retailers still do not offer more options and that there are still signs with \u201eOnly cash payments\u201c.<\/p>\n Despite the growing offer of mobile payment options, compared to other countries, it is still difficult for Germans to say good-bye to cash. Security aspects, fees and the hesitant approach of retailers to advance in this field, are among the reasons.<\/p>\n Advantages of modern payment methods Modern payment methods lead to higher cost efficiency, speed and transparency. The technology is developing, card-based solutions give way to alternative payment methods which rise with e-commerce and FinTechs.<\/p>\n Because of e-commerce, customer expectations and also because of new regulations, like the PSD2, mobile and alternative payment methods gain ground. The market is still complex, there exist a number of strong alternative solutions to PayPal and Apple Pay.<\/p>\n Time for strategic choice When selecting a platform, customer expectations, training of employees and costs and security aspects are to be considered. But please keep in mind that cash payments involve risks and costs as well.<\/p>\n If you need support to make the right choice, I will be there for you with my expertise in cash management processes and systems.<\/p>\n
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