Invoice to Cash in Days: A Practical Guide to Faster Reconciliation in SA
April 10, 2026The Future of SME Banking: How Fintech Is Empowering South African Businesses
April 24, 2026Disclaimer:
This blog offers general guidance based on information available at the time of publication. For the most up-to-date details, please contact Netcash or other service providers directly.
Anyone with an online shop in South Africa knows how quickly a customer can abandon their cart if they don’t see their favourite payment methods. At times, SMEs miss out on a big chance to make more money because they haven’t thought about all the different ways people can pay.
It’s more than just being convenient. It’s about making each customer spend more on average each time they buy, thereby increasing the average order value (AOV).
Getting your payment options right can really help overall sales. But not all methods affect customers in the same way. Some payment options push people to buy more, others help speed up the buying process, and other methods are for folks shopping on their phones.
This guide breaks down how different payment methods affect the average customer spend in South Africa. It outlines how to try new techniques and put them into action without risking your customer base, and then, most importantly, how to measure if it all worked out.
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Why the payment method choice impacts the average order value
When starting your online store, setting up different payment methods may seem like an obvious step to getting paid. But the reality is that it plays a much bigger role in your business’s success, as it also shapes customer behaviour and trust.
Here’s how:
- Payment flexibility affects willingness to spend: Customers are more likely to add items to their cart when they can spread payments over time, thereby increasing AOV. This is one of the major benefits of flexible payments, such as Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) with PayFlex, PayJustNow, MoreTyme, or Float.
- Device and context matter: Mobile users usually prefer quick, app-based payments like Scan to Pay over entering card details on a tiny screen.
- Psychology influences choices: Gift cards or loyalty points often feel like “bonus” or “free money” to consumers. This gamification often urges customers to spend more than they initially intended.
Key drivers & how to increase average order value through each payment method
How you let customers pay can affect the average amount they spend per sale. Knowing what makes customers choose one payment method over another helps your business find the right combination for your store and for them.
South African shoppers are familiar with a variety of options. Let’s take a look at each below.
BNPL: How flexible payments increase basket size
Buy Now, Pay Later services, like PayFlex, are growing rapidly in South Africa. BNPL works by splitting a purchase into manageable instalments, often with little or no interest for the customer.
Why BNPL affects AOV:
- Customers feel less financial strain, so they add more items to their baskets.
- High-ticket products become more accessible to people with tight budgets. For example, a customer may not be able to afford to buy a R5,000 smartphone in one go but can pay R1,250 over four months.
- BNPL can reduce hesitation to upsells, such as add-ons and complementary products.
Tip: Highlight BNPL payment options for higher-value items or baskets above a certain threshold. Customers respond well when the payment flexibility is made clear up front.
Instant EFT: Lower fees, faster checkout, different AOV impact
Instant EFT is another popular way to pay in South Africa because it allows customers to pay directly from their bank accounts. It’s also faster for customers and carries lower risk of chargebacks for businesses than card payments
How Instant EFT affects AOV:
- It reduces friction for banked customers, improving conversion rates.
- Unlike BNPL, it doesn’t encourage customers to increase basket sizes as much. Rather, the incentive is speed and low transaction costs.
- It’s ideal for mid-value buys where customers prefer to pay directly without worrying about interest piling up.
Tip: Promote Instant EFT payments for everyday purchases or recurring orders. Highlight speed and security to encourage checkout completion.
Scan to Pay: Mobile-first convenience and conversion effects
Mobile shoppers are a growing segment in South Africa, especially for social commerce and on-the-go purchases. Scan-to-Pay is perfect for them because it makes purchases secure and quick. If used through banking apps, it also doesn’t require customers to type in card details.
Why Scan to Pay matters for AOV and conversion:
- Streamlined checkout, especially on mobile devices, reduces cart abandonment.
- The frictionless payment process allows customers to add items spontaneously.
- It works particularly well for fast-moving consumer goods, such as event tickets and casual online purchases.
Tip: Make Scan to Pay visible early in checkout for mobile users. This can increase both conversion and basket completion.
Gift and loyalty cards: driving repeat purchases and higher order values
These rewards often give the illusion of “free” money, leading shoppers to spend more per basket and make future purchases, increasing customer lifetime value.
Why gift and loyalty cards matter for AOV and conversion:
- Typically, customers using gift cards often spend more than the card value to complete purchases.
- Loyalty points nudge customers to add extra items to their cart for more rewards or reach redemption points.
- This gamification also increases the chance of repeat customers, lowering your churn rate.
- Because of the incentives, customers also tend to check out faster, thanks to increased familiarity and security.
Tip: Combine gift card promotions with upselling opportunities. Clearly communicate loyalty benefits at checkout to encourage higher spending.
Credit card payments: A core checkout option for South African stores
Credit cards remain the most familiar and trusted payment method for many South African shoppers. Unlike debit cards, where people need to have a certain amount to make a big purchase, credit card payments offer leeway to make the purchase and pay it off monthly.
Credit cards’ impact on AOV is subtle but important:
- Trusted methods reduce hesitation for higher-ticket purchases.
- Customers may spend slightly more knowing they can pay over time (if they have credit).
- Credit cards often reward customers through cashback and loyalty schemes, encouraging larger baskets.
Tip: Keep credit card payments prominent, especially for first-time customers or high-value transactions. Many shoppers expect to see this option first.
Hypotheses to test at checkout
A hypothesis is an educated guess about how changes in payment options will affect AOV or conversion rates. So, now that you know the drivers, let’s turn assumptions into hypotheses on how to increase AOV in eCommerce.
Payment method placement
- If we place BNPL or Scan-to-Pay options at the top of the checkout, then more customers will select them, because they are more visible and convenient.
- Testing placement lets you see which strategies drive higher baskets or faster checkouts without adding friction.
BNPL threshold and messaging
- If BNPL is offered for orders over R1,500 and messaging highlights “pay over 3 months,” then the average basket size will increase, because customers perceive the purchase as more reasonable.
- Messaging should clearly communicate the benefits of instalment plans, not just their availability.
Implementation plan: How to test payment methods without hurting conversion
Accepting new payment methods requires careful consideration. Here’s a practical approach:
- Use small test groups: Roll out new tweaks with a small subset of your customers first, for example, mobile users only, or buyers with carts above R1,000.
- Run A/B testing: Compare your current checkout setup against a modified one. Track both AOV and checkout completion rates. You will likely need the paid version of a tool like VWO to run A/B tests. But rolling out changes to payment options can be straightforward and relatively low-risk, as you can quickly activate or deactivate them if there's a negative impact. This allows you to test with all customers in a short period (2–4 weeks) and assess whether there's any significant impact.
- Communicate changes clearly: Avoid leaving customers scratching their heads by clearly explaining the different payment options, transaction fees, and instalment plans.
- Let the data guide one variable at a time: Change placement, messaging, or method availability individually. This helps you pinpoint what drives results.
- Look at what the data is telling you: If BNPL improves AOV but you notice a dip in conversion, first try adjusting messaging. If this doesn’t work, try adjusting thresholds rather than dropping the option altogether.
Note: Unless customers have requested a specific option, it may take your regular shoppers some time to adopt a new payment option. Keeping payment options enabled longer is advisable.
Measuring AOV and conversion uplift
Testing is only useful if you measure it correctly. Focus on two key outcomes:
Key metrics to track
Tracking these metrics over time gives a clear picture of what works and what needs adjusting.
- Average Order Value (AOV): Total revenue divided by total orders
- Conversion rate (CR): Percentage of visitors who complete a purchase
- Payment method adoption: How many customers choose each option
- Checkout abandonment: Did changes increase drop-off?
- Customer sentiment: Is there an increase in payment queries, positive/negative feedback from customers on your site, in chats, or on social media?
How long to run tests for reliable results
- Minimum two to four weeks, depending on traffic volume
- Ensure enough orders in each group to reach statistical significance
- Avoid making conclusions too quickly; small variations in daily traffic can distort results
What this means for South African eCommerce stores
For your online store, the main takeaway is that payment options shape how much customers spend and how many convert at checkout. When customers feel in control of how they pay, they are far more likely to complete their purchase and add that extra item to their basket.
Buy Now, Pay Later options play an important role in increasing basket size. By allowing customers to split a R1,000 payment into four R250 payments over time, higher-value purchases now feel more manageable. This simple compromise often leads customers to upgrade products, add accessories, or buy bundles they might otherwise have skipped.
Instant EFT offers a different, but equally valuable, impact. Some people find this payment method very useful as it makes the checkout process smooth and saves on transaction fees. Many online shoppers in South Africa prefer to pay directly from their bank account, so if that process is made easy and quick, fewer customers will abandon their carts.
Scan-to-Pay is especially important as mobile shopping continues to grow. Mobile users don’t want to fiddle with multiple cards. QR payments eliminate these pain points and the need to type card details on a small screen. This allows you to target impulse buyers and slash drop-offs, particularly among customers shopping on social media or on the go.
Gift cards and loyalty cards help build long-term value, not just one-off sales. Customers who use these payment options are likely to buy again, and often spend more than the value of the card or the reward. Over time, this repeat buying increases both customer lifetime value and average order value, making gift and loyalty cards powerful for retention-focused growth.
Credit card payments are still a reliable option at checkout, with many customers expecting them to be the default option, especially for expensive purchases. Cards also come with built-in rewards and security, giving shoppers the confidence to spend more in one transaction.
Do you want to increase your average cart value?
Flexible payment solutions like Payflex might be what you need.
Contact Netcash to start accepting BNPL payments today.
Frequently asked questions
● Gift cards and loyalty programmes also encourage higher spending — customers usually spend beyond their card balance.
● Credit cards have a subtler effect, with trust and built-in rewards nudging larger purchases.
● Instant EFT and Scan-to-Pay mainly improve conversion and checkout speed, and can indirectly lift AOV when paired with smart upselling at checkout.
● Monitor both AOV and conversion rates throughout, and adjust gradually rather than removing existing options entirely.
● Track metrics over at least two to four weeks for results you can rely on.
Optimise your payment mix to increase AOV with Netcash
Increasing your average order value doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right payment mix, careful testing, and clear messaging, you can encourage customers to spend more while improving checkout experiences.
Netcash makes it easy for South African stores to implement secure and scalable digital payment solutions. Whether you want to add various payment methods or manage loyalty and gift cards, Netcash gives you the tools to optimise your checkout for higher revenue and happier customers.
Want to process payments in the most reliable and preferred way?
Contact Netcash to explore our card payment solutions today.
Author:
Candice Sergeant
Product Manager
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Candice Sergeant is a digital dynamo at Netcash, where she’s on a mission to help South African businesses level up their online game. As an eCommerce Product Owner, she’s got her finger on the pulse of the latest trends and technologies, constantly seeking out ways to boost sales and streamline operations. With a knack for spotting opportunities and a passion for innovation, Candice is your go-to guide for taking your e-commerce business to the next level.
