Dividing your big-ticket purchases into series of installment payments is generally accepted as a smart strategy to consider these days. The payment method is no longer reserved for those who aren’t patient enough to wait until they’re able to splurge on something expensive – after all, even with a reasonable savings account, it’s always beneficial to avoid putting a dent in your budget. Despite of its advantages, the installment payment method is yet to be fully implemented in the world of online commerce. This may soon change with the new offer announced by Blue Media.
The availability of deferred payments in online shops is on the rise, but the option is still very much reserved for big-name retailers who redirect the payment plans to major banks such as Alior, mBank, or Credit Agricole. According to the “Digital Payments 2017” report, in the second half of the past year, 14% of online shoppers have benefited from installment payments, but these numbers could be much higher once the service becomes available for smaller retailers. And that is exactly the plan of the Sopot-based company.
In the future, online installment payments will be available not only when shopping for consumer electronics and home appliances, but in any industry with an [average] purchase value exceeding 600 Zloty. From financial operators’ point of view, these solutions will need to be developed, as they constitute a natural supplement to their offer. – states Krystian Wesołowski from Blue Media
Introducing the offer of installment payments typically means signing a complicated bank contract which may not be viable for most small online retailers. Blue Media’s service essentially eliminates the requirement by introducing the deferred payment methods into the business panel of their payment operating services. From the perspective of a customer, the process is not much of a hassle either – after selecting the goods, a client will need to complete a simple online form, and wait for their application to be accepted. The entire process takes just a few minutes.
However, the accessibility of the service is not the only positive aspect to consider – according to Blue Media’s press release, providing a client base with the deferred payments service can be beneficial to the retailers in the business sense as well. Blue Media stresses that the introduction of installment payments has the potential to increase not only the number of sales, but also the average value of purchases. As customers do not need to spend a lump sum on the contents of their online shopping cart, they’re often more inclined to take the plunge and finalize their purchase. This, in turn decreases the rates of cart abandonment, which is a common issue for small online businesses.
Do you think the option of installment payments is the perfect match for your business? For more information about Blue Media and their services, feel free to check out their website.
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