Payments come in various forms. For any business to decide on suitable payment methods, it needs to study and analyze the advantages and disadvantages it might have on its growth. By keeping this in mind, one can use the best payment option for their business and hold on to all the potential buyers differentiating themselves from their competitors.
This article will walk you through the different types of payments. Read on!
What is Payment?
Payment is the transfer of money in exchange for services in acceptable proportions by all parties involved. Payments are made in the form of services exchanged, cash, check, credit or debit card, or even digital currencies. Payment is the most integral part of every business, and it is running the world economy.
Today, the financial system allows expenditures with currency. Currency, which has abridged the means of economic transactions, delivers a convenient medium to make payments. Currency maintains its value over time. Payments or transactions have evolved with advancing technologies and today’s tech-savvy Gen-Z. It is to enhance further and undergo transformations in years to come.
Different Types of Payment Methods
Today, to stand out in your marketplace and win sales against your competitors, one needs to offer excellent payment options.
We all know that getting paid on time is the only objective for each sale that the company performs. It is necessary to choose the payment method wisely to eliminate any risks.
Cash
Cash was commonly used for making transactions before the pandemic. But after that online payments have become a preferred option. Cash is used to make small payments, and many businesses accept payments in cash. There is a drawback that people need to visit the ATMs more often to withdraw money, making it slightly tedious.
Cheques
Cheques are now getting outdated as there are more convenient options coming in. They can be unsafe for customers and businesses as confidential data such as account numbers, bank addresses, and codes are mentioned on them directly. It means that a misplaced cheque can pose as identity theft.
Credit/Debit Cards
People are increasingly using credit and debit cards these days. Credit cards have a limit and fees involved in the transactions while using debit cards is completely free and the money is deducted from the holder’s account. Using cards gives people the ease of not having to carry cash.
Mobile Payments
Today’s generation is tech-savvy and prefers making payments using mobile phones via GPay, AmazonPay, and Paypal. And this trend is supposed to augment in the coming years with increasing technological advancements.
Contactless Payments
Contactless payments are becoming popular as they are fast to process and easy to use. They are done by tapping their cards or phones on the payment machines. People can use debit, credit, prepaid cards, or mobile phones to make transactions. However, it can be a little risky as anyone can make payments using anyone’s card or phone with just one tap.
Wrapping up
The payment was, is, and will always be an integral part of businesses and the whole economy of the world. As years have passed, the term payment has evolved with new gateways coming into the picture. With technological advancements, customers have started expecting more choices, faster transactions, increased security, and ease of transactions.
