How to Offer Multiple Payment Options?

This woman had $200 worth of stuff in her cart. She messaged me through chat, ready to check out. Then she asked, “Do you accept Afterpay?” At the time? I didn’t even know what Afterpay was. I told her, “No, just credit cards.” Never heard from her again.

That moment haunted me. Not because of the lost sale — well, okay, partly that — but because I realized I was unknowingly putting up walls for my customers. And honestly? I was doing it with good intentions. I thought keeping things simple would make checkout faster. But what I was doing was making it inconvenient for people who shop differently than me.

Why Multiple Payment Methods Matter?

Let’s be real: people don’t all pay the same way. Some love using Apple Pay because it’s just two clicks. Others rely on PayPal for the extra layer of security. And then you’ve got the “Buy Now, Pay Later” crowd who are spreading payments across weeks. If you’re only offering one or two ways to pay, you’re leaving money on the table — no question about it.

Adding more options isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s a sales booster.

What Payment Options Should You Offer?

Over the past year, I’ve tested a bunch, and here’s what’s worked:

• Credit/Debit Cards
  This one’s obvious. Visa, Mastercard, Amex — gotta have the basics. But don’t forget to enable international card support if you ship globally.

• Digital Wallets
  Apple Pay and Google Pay are lifesavers for mobile shoppers. Once I added Apple Pay, mobile checkout completion jumped 18% in two months.

• PayPal
  Still huge. Especially for folks who don’t wanna dig out their card. Plus, there’s that built-in trust factor. If you’re on Payhip, here’s a step-by-step guide to connecting PayPal to your store — it’s easier than you think.

• Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)
  Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm — these services are changing how people shop. I was skeptical at first, but when I added Klarna, the average order value increased by nearly 22%. Not kidding. This is especially important when you’re offering partial payments or flexible payment plans.

• Bank Transfers or Local Options
  If you’re selling internationally, look into local payment solutions. In Europe, they love SEPA transfers. In Latin America, it might be something like Boleto.

How to Actually Set This Up?

Okay, so how do you do all this without breaking your site?

• Use a Flexible Payment Processor
  I switched to Stripe and Shopify Payments because they make it super easy to toggle payment methods on or off. Just check a box. Same goes for WooCommerce with plugins. If you’re still deciding, here’s a full breakdown of the pros and cons of PayPal vs Stripe to help you choose the right fit.

• Test Each Method
  Don’t assume it works right out the gate. I had Apple Pay enabled but forgot to check the mobile view — turned out it wasn’t showing for half my users.

• Make It Obvious at Checkout
  People won’t guess what you offer. Add icons or text before they click through to checkout. I’ve found conversion bumps just by adding a “Pay however you want — PayPal, Apple Pay, or Klarna!” line on the cart page.

• Monitor Performance
  Track which payment methods are being used. If 70% of your customers are using PayPal, that’s a sign to optimize for it even more. I use analytics plugins that show payment type breakdowns.

Lessons I Learned the Hard Way

Truth? I used to think more payment options would confuse buyers. But it’s the opposite. When people see their preferred method, they relax. It builds trust, especially with new customers. And if you’re offering high-ticket items, BNPL is a game-changer.

I’ve had folks buy $300 products just because they could split it into four payments.

Offering multiple payment options isn’t about overcomplicating things — it’s about meeting your customers where they are. And when you do that? You’re not just making checkout smoother. You’re showing them you get it. And that can be the difference between a sale… and an abandoned cart.