Consumers in Latin America demand eCommerce with local payment methods

The rise of the connected economy has opened avenues of commerce, where wielding everything from cell phones to tablets to cars, consumers can transact in more ways than ever before.

FREMONT, CA: Latin America is a profitable market for a wide range of businesses. However, there is no one-size-fits-all strategy for the region, and success depends on getting an understanding about where and how customers want to make payments. In Chile, more than 90 percent of customers have access to at least one internet-connected device, when compared to 75 percent in Columbia and 60 percent in Peru.

The statement was made during a time when credit and debit cards were becoming increasingly used for digital purchases in Latin America, accounting for 70 percent of eCommerce sales last year, making them the most popular payment option. However, in 2021, local credit cards accounted for a third of all Latin American eCommerce purchases. Since these local cards are not accepted everywhere, a large percentage of consumers hesitate to use eCommerce potential if they do not possess international cards. For instance, only 20 percent of people in Brazil own international credit cards.

To that purpose, the company facilitates foreign companies' entry into Latin America by providing local payment options. This helps merchants to expand their consumer bases while also providing customers with access to a variety of items and services that might otherwise be unavailable. For instance, Boleto is a ticket-based payment method that works using barcodes and is extremely popular among the non-banking sector in Brazil. This payment model now accounts for 10 percent of eCommerce transactions in Latin America.

Irrespective of the payment method chosen, consumer trust is a major factor. Experts point out that Brazil is further along the open banking adoption curve than other countries, and also people are generally willing to share their personal information with third-party suppliers. Only if the consumer has faith in their financial institution, they would provide their personal information to obtain loans or conduct business with other banks.