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Cart abandonment is one of the biggest headaches in e-commerce. You’ve done the hard work, attracting the shopper, getting them to browse, convincing them to add to cart. But just before the finish line..they leave.

And here’s the surprising part: your payment options might be to blame.

Let’s break down what’s really happening at checkout and how you can fix it.

What is cart abandonment (and why should you care)?

Cart abandonment happens when a customer adds items to their cart but doesn’t complete the purchase. According to research, the average cart abandonment rate is around 70%.

That means 7 out of 10 shoppers walk away before buying.

Now imagine your monthly sales are $100,000. That’s potentially over $230,000 in missed revenue sitting in abandoned carts.

The usual suspects behind abandoned carts

Most merchants think cart abandonment is due to indecision or comparison shopping. And while that’s partly true, there’s a clear pattern behind why customers leave at the last moment.

Here are the top reasons:

• Unexpected costs (like high shipping or fees)
  
  
• Forced account creation
  
  
• Complicated or slow checkout
  
  
• Lack of payment options
  
  
• Concerns about payment security
  
  

Three of these five are directly related to the payment process. That’s where your checkout flow and the methods you offer can make or break the sale.

How payment options impact abandonment

1. Too few (or the wrong) payment methods
If customers don’t see a familiar or preferred way to pay, they’re likely to leave. This is especially true when you’re selling internationally.

For example:

• Dutch shoppers expect iDEAL
  
  
• Germans love Sofort
  
  
• Belgians use Bancontact
  
  
• More and more EU customers now prefer Pay by Bank (Open Banking)

Offering only credit cards or PayPal can push local customers away.

2. Friction in the payment flow
Ever had to:

• Enter a 16-digit card number
  
  
• Look up a CVV
  
  
• Re-type your billing address
  
  
• Pass 3D Secure verification
  
  

Now imagine doing that on mobile. It’s no surprise people give up mid-checkout.

By contrast, Pay by Bank lets shoppers:

• Select their bank
  
  
• Approve the payment via SMS, push notification or via banking app
  
  
• Be done in a few taps

Fewer steps mean fewer drop-offs.

3. Trust and security signals
Some customers abandon carts simply because they’re unsure whether the payment is secure.

Offering Pay by Bank builds confidence by directing customers through their own bank’s interface, something they already know and trust. It doesn’t require card sharing or new logins, which can reduce hesitation.

The real cost you’re paying

Even if it’s just a 5% drop in conversions due to payment friction, the numbers add up fast.

Let’s say:

• You have 50,000 monthly visitors
  
  
• 2% convert = 1,000 sales
  
  
• At €100 per order = €100,000 revenue
  
  

If you reduce abandonment with better payment methods and gain just 0.5% more conversions, that’s an extra €25,000 a year.

Not to mention better customer satisfaction and repeat business.

What you can do today (and how we can help)

✅ Review your checkout flow - How many steps are there?
✅ Add local payment methods - Think beyond cards.
✅ Offer Pay by Bank - Faster, seamless, secure.
✅ Test your checkout on mobile - If it’s not smooth, shoppers will leave.
✅ Display trust signals clearly - Security badges, refund policies, familiar logos.

Final thought

Cart abandonment isn’t just a lost sale. It’s lost marketing spend, lost trust, and lost opportunity.

The good news? A smarter checkout experience can turn it around.

By offering the right payment options, especially secure, seamless methods like Pay by Bank, you remove the roadblocks and turn more browsers into buyers.

It’s a small change that can lead to a big difference.

👉 Book a call with our sales team: sales@alternativepayments.com