In 2022, French users spent nearly 147 billion euros on online shops, which represents 2.3 billion transactions. A fast-growing market (+13.8% in one year) with 84% of French internet users who shop online with an average basket of 65 euros.

Services are by far the most dynamic sector, where ticket sales and travels play an important role. Following the services sector, we observe that e-commerce is strongly driven by the fashion, household and food sectors.

French consumers’ expectations are similar to those observed in the rest of Europe:

1. Online payment’s security
2. Simplicity of payment
3. Speed of checkout

However, France also has some specificities that must be taken into account!

In this article, we give you an overview of the issues you need to master in order to approach this market with confidence and realize its full potential.

Payment means

CB (Carte Bleue): the must-have

1st specificity and not least: 77% of online payments are made by debit cards and 74% of cards in circulation are CB cards (Carte bleue). These cards can be co-branded with Visa or Mastercard. Thus, offering CB on your website is the only solution to reduce acceptance costs on French debit cards.

Good to know: to benefit from these reduced costs, your payment partner must be CB approved and directly connected to the network.

Titres-Restaurant and Chèques Vacances

This is also a French specialty. These means of payment are social benefits regulated by the government. If you are in the catering or tourism sector and if you are eligible, do not miss them!

The Titres-restaurant/food & catering sector: presented as a card and used by more than 4.8 million of employees. It can be used to buy meals or food on working days. This represents approximately 8 billion euros of tickets issued every year.

The Chèques-Vacances/tourism and leisure sector: recently evolved to become a “Chèque-Vacances connect” mobile application. 10 million employees and their families benefit from it for their holidays and leisure expenses. Approximately 1.4 billion euros are spent each year.

Apple Pay takes off

Not so used a few years ago, Apple Pay has now become a must have in France! The majority of French banks promote it by activating it for their clients who are Apple users. More connected, millennials are becoming the target audience of this payment mean.

Good to know: your payment partner must be able to offer Apple Pay linked to CB, Visa, Mastercard and Amex cards.

SEPA Direct Debit

Following the government’s efforts in digital transformation, SEPA direct debit with online electronic mandate signature is very popular, as it is fast, smooth and secure.

Good to know: it is particularly recommended for regular or consumption-based subscription models.

Online transfer

This is the latest payment mean to be introduced by the PSD2 (European Payment Services Directive). If your payment partner is PISP-certified, they must be able to offer you an end-to-end online SEPA credit transfer payment path. In this way, you remove the constraints of card limits and offer a very secure path.

Payment methods

When their shopping experience is successful, the French tend to be loyal to their favorite brands. Therefore, one-click (card registration) becomes the first step in your conquest strategy!

Another trend is the growing demand in France for payment by installments, especially for large shopping baskets. In the household sector, this payment method encourages purchases, increases the value of the basket and improves the conversion rate.

Payments paths

As seen above, security and simplicity of payment are very much appreciated by the French.

Make sure that your payment partner is reliable (PCI DSS and GIE CB certified) and financially sound. Both of you are responsible for the security of customer’s data, fight against fraud and unpaid orders.

However, security does not always mean complexity! Every payment path can be optimized to provide a seamless experience.

On a website, opt for an embedded payment system on your page. Your buyer stays on your website throughout the order process, while the payment data entry takes place in a highly secure environment.

Concerning mobile, you should not neglect the journey. According to your sector or activity, the mobile can be essential. In France, 52% of online orders are made on smartphones. But this figure can vary greatly depending on the sector:

• Retail: about 73% of traffic
• Service: nearly 43% of traffic
• Tourism: around 66% of traffic

However, the mobile conversion rate remains 64% lower than the desktop one. Whether you have a mobile application or simply a responsive web version, payment must be fully integrated into your strategy.

To sum up

Beyond the European Union and French consumption habits, the needs of the French market may seem similar to yours. But to choose and select the right means of payment is something that has to be considered.

To be sure about making the right choices, don’t hesitate to contact a recognized payment provider in France.

Want to know more about the French market?