Checkout payment methods: how many do you really need

Every payment method added to checkout increases conversions on average by 2-5%, but costs setup, fees and maintenance. The question isn't "how many", it's "which 4-5 are essential for my sector". Here's the practical guide.

Indispensable methods (Italy 2026)

• Credit/debit cards (Stripe or PayPal Pro): 90% market coverage. Fees 1.4-2.9%. Mandatory.
• PayPal: 35-40% of Italian traffic uses it. Fees 3.4% + €0.35. Without PayPal you lose 1/3 of carts.
• Apple Pay + Google Pay: lift mobile conversion 12-18%. Free setup via Stripe/PayPal.

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL)

Klarna, Scalapay, PayPal Pay-in-3: instalments without interest. Consider mandatory if:

• AOV > €80 (target: 5-10% adoption)
• Sectors: fashion, beauty, furniture, travel
• Demographic 18-35 (high propensity)

Fees: 3-6% on order. Conversion lift: 8-15%, AOV: +20-30%.

Bank transfer: B2B only

For consumer B2C e-commerce it's anti-conversion (3-5 day wait). For B2B with orders above €500, it's the preferred method (no fees, immediate invoice). Stripe now supports SEPA instant transfers: useful alternative.

What NOT to add

• Bitcoin/crypto on mainstream e-commerce: 0.1% adoption, high compliance costs
• Postal transfer: obsolete, wrong target
• Cash on delivery: high return rate (15-30%), high courier fees

Quick setup with one provider

Stripe (or PayPal Commerce Platform) handles in one integration: cards, Apple/Google Pay, Klarna, SEPA. Setup: 4-6 hours for WooCommerce, 2 hours for Shopify. The Conversion Site package includes full payment setup.

Want to apply this to your SME?

If you'd like a concrete analysis of your situation, request the free audit from Gamerbit. In 48 hours we tell you exactly where you're losing leads, time or budget — no sales pitch.

For a complete system, the 2026 no-brainer offers are the most direct starting point.