While Google Checkout doubles adoption, PayPal more than triples it

According to a new study by Brulant, Inc. (http://www.brulant.com), one of the US recognized interactive marketing companies, 30% of leading e-retailers now offer alternative payment methods (APM). Of those, Bill Me Later bore the palm with the adoption at 21%, leaving PayPal nearly behind at 19% and Google Checkout at 10%. 5% of the surveyed firms currently offer all 3 options.

"One of the most surprising findings in our most recent evaluation is the increase in retailers offering all three alternative payment methods," Adam Cohen, Principal with Brulant, says. "As recently as February of ´07, none of the retailers we surveyed offered all three methods. Today we find 5% adoption of all three, and at a variety of retailers from Toys"R"Us to PetSmart and Rite Aid. This reinforces the ´customer is king´ mentality, as retailers begin to offer a multitude of choices for checkout."

Here are the results:

 Referring to PayPal´s rise challenging Bill Me Later as the widest-offered APM, Cohen believes this is a matter of retailers paying attention to consumers’ supplement with options they trust. "Online consumers are looking for more payment options, and retailers are finding that offering more options is leading to increased conversions. For PayPal, shoppers who are concerned about credit card fraud have an option that has established a high level of trust."