Online shoppers have a wide range of payment methods to choose from and during a March 2017 survey of global online shoppers, 42 percent of respondents stated that they preferred to pay via credit card. Credit cards were the most popular payment method, ahead of electronic options such as PayPal.
Digital payments
Digital and mobile payments have been around for a while but not all shoppers have taken to them equally. Whereas some Asian markets are leading in terms of digital and especially mobile payment adoption, North American audiences have been slower on the uptake. As of the fourth quarter of 2019, 47 percent of online users in Asia Pacific have used a payment service on their mobile phone in the past month. However, only 29 percent of online users in North America had done the same. Currently, the most popular digital payment method accepted by North American retailers was Apple Pay. PayPal ranked fifth with a 36 percent acceptance rate among North American retailers.
Preferred payment methods of online shoppers worldwide as of March 2017
Characteristic
Share of online shoppers
Credit cards
42%
Electronic payment (PayPal if available)
39%
Debit cards
28%
Cash on delivery
23%
Bank transfers
20%
Gift cards or vouchers
15%
Mobile payment
14%
Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin)
3%
Other
3%
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Share of online shoppers42%42%39%39%28%28%23%23%20%20%15%15%14%14%3%3%3%3%Credit cardsElectronic payment (PayPal if available)Debit cardsCash on deliveryBank transfersGift cards or vouchersMobile paymentCryptocurrencies (Bitcoin)Other
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CIGI. (April 29, 2017). Preferred payment methods of online shoppers worldwide as of March 2017 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved June 02, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/508988/preferred-payment-methods-of-online-shoppers-worldwide/
CIGI. "Preferred payment methods of online shoppers worldwide as of March 2017." Chart. April 29, 2017. Statista. Accessed June 02, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/508988/preferred-payment-methods-of-online-shoppers-worldwide/
CIGI. (2017). Preferred payment methods of online shoppers worldwide as of March 2017. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: June 02, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/508988/preferred-payment-methods-of-online-shoppers-worldwide/
CIGI. "Preferred Payment Methods of Online Shoppers Worldwide as of March 2017." Statista, Statista Inc., 29 Apr 2017, https://www.statista.com/statistics/508988/preferred-payment-methods-of-online-shoppers-worldwide/
CIGI, Preferred payment methods of online shoppers worldwide as of March 2017 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/508988/preferred-payment-methods-of-online-shoppers-worldwide/ (last visited June 02, 2025)
Preferred payment methods of online shoppers worldwide as of March 2017 [Graph], CIGI, April 29, 2017. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/508988/preferred-payment-methods-of-online-shoppers-worldwide/
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