Métodos de pago alternativos (APMs)
Amplíe su alcance con el soporte de Cardflo para métodos de pago alternativos (APMs). Permitemos a los comercios ofrecer una amplia gama de opciones de pago más allá de las tarjetas tradicionales, atendiendo a las preferencias regionales y aumentando las tasas de conversión.
Integre los APMs sin problemas en su flujo de pago existente.
- Categoría
- Métodos
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- 10
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La visión general
Alternative payment methods (APMs) constitute any form of transaction that does not involve a traditional credit or debit card issued by a major global network. These methods encompass digital wallets, bank transfers, buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) schemes, and prepaid vouchers.
Within the payments stack, APMs are integrated via a gateway or payment service provider (PSP) to allow local settlement in regions where card penetration is low or where consumer behaviour favours specific digital infrastructures.
For a merchant, supporting these methods involves managing various technical standards and regulatory requirements such as PSD2 compliance in Europe. The mechanics usually involve a redirect to a third-party environment where the customer authorises the transfer of funds.
Successful implementation requires an understanding of local preferences, as payment habits are often dictated by national banking systems or the prevalence of mobile-first financial technologies.
Cómo funciona
Method selection at checkout
The customer selects their preferred alternative payment method during the checkout process. The merchant terminal or gateway identifies the APM type and initiates a request to the relevant provider.
This step often triggers a redirection to the provider's specific interface or an integrated mobile application for secure authentication.
Customer authorisation and SCA
Authentication is managed by the APM provider, often satisfying Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) requirements through biometrics or one-time passwords. Once the identity and available funds are verified, the customer confirms the transaction.
This process bypasses the traditional four-party card model, interacting directly with the customer's account or wallet.
Real-time payment notification
The APM provider sends a real-time status update to the merchant's gateway via a webhook or callback URL. This notification confirms whether the transaction was successful, pending, or declined.
Immediate confirmation is typical for digital wallets and bank redirects, though some asynchronous methods may require longer processing times.
Settlement and reconciliation
Funds are collected by the APM provider and transferred to the merchant's acquirer or PSP, following the agreed settlement cycle.
Reconciliation involves matching the APM provider's reports with the merchant's internal order management system to ensure that all authorised transactions are correctly accounted for and settled.
Por qué importa
Conversion and regional relevance
In many territories, card-based transactions are not the primary mode of commerce. By supporting local bank transfers or digital wallets, merchants reduce checkout friction and lower abandonment rates.
Consumers are more likely to complete a purchase when they can use a familiar interface that supports their local currency and respects regional security standards.
Lowering operational transaction costs
APMs can frequently offer more competitive fee structures compared to traditional credit cards, which are subject to complex interchange and scheme fees.
By shifting volume to bank-to-bank transfers or local schemes, merchants may reduce the total cost of acceptance and decrease their reliance on the global card networks' pricing models.
Reduced chargeback and fraud risk
Many alternative payment methods, particularly push-based bank transfers, do not allow for the same dispute mechanisms as card schemes. This can significantly lower the rate of friendly fraud and the administrative burden of managing chargebacks.
Verification is often handled through a bank's own secure login, providing higher assurance of the payer's identity.
Casos de uso
Cross-border e-commerce
Merchants selling into European or Asian markets often find that local schemes, such as iDEAL in the Netherlands or digital wallets in China, outperform global credit cards.
Subscription energy and utilities
Utility companies utilise recurring bank transfers and direct debit APMs to ensure consistent collection of monthly payments while minimising the risk of card expiry declines.
High-ticket luxury retail
Retailers selling expensive items often favour Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) or bank transfers to accommodate higher transaction values that might exceed standard daily card limits.
Mobile-first gaming platforms
Gaming and digital content providers prioritise mobile wallets and carrier billing to facilitate small, frequent micro-transactions that require rapid, one-tap authorisation by the user.
En cifras
Average improvement in checkout completion rates when merchants introduce local payment methods in non-card-dominant markets, based on cross-border trade benchmarks.
A typical decrease in cart abandonment observed when a consumer's preferred local payment option is available at the point of sale.
The proportion of global e-commerce volume currently transacted via alternative payment methods, reflecting the declining dominance of traditional credit and debit cards.
Términos relacionados
Talk to our team about a live rollout on your acquiring stack.
Lo que obtienes con Métodos de pago alternativos (APMs)
- Acceso a una amplia cartera de APMs
- Cobertura de APMs regional y global
- Integración única para múltiples APMs
- Experiencia de pago optimizada para APMs
- Reducción de las tasas de abandono del carrito
- Reconciliación automatizada para transacciones con APM
- Automated webhook notifications for real-time status updates across all payment types.
- Simplified reconciliation processes to match APM payouts with original customer orders.
- Built-in compliance with PSD2 and Strong Customer Authentication for secure processing.
- Customisable checkout components to prioritise the most relevant methods by geography.
A short scoping call, then a written plan for your MIDs.
Preguntas sobre Métodos de pago alternativos (APMs)
¿Qué son los métodos de pago alternativos (APMs)?
Los métodos de pago alternativos (APMs) son opciones de pago que van más allá de las tarjetas de crédito y débito tradicionales. Esto incluye billeteras digitales, transferencias bancarias, débitos directos y esquemas de pago locales, que son populares en regiones o demografías específicas.
¿Por qué debería mi negocio ofrecer APMs?
Ofrecer APMs le permite atender a una base de clientes más amplia, especialmente en regiones donde la penetración de tarjetas es menor o se prefieren APMs específicos. Esto puede aumentar las tasas de conversión, reducir el abandono del carrito y mejorar la satisfacción del cliente.
¿Cómo integra Cardflo los APMs en mi proceso de pago?
Cardflo proporciona una integración unificada que le permite ofrecer múltiples APMs a través de una única conexión. Nuestra plataforma maneja las complejidades de cada APM, simplificando el proceso para los comercios y asegurando una experiencia de pago consistente para los clientes.
Do I need a separate merchant identification number (MID) for each APM?
In most modern payment orchestration or PSP setups, merchants do not require a separate MID for every APM. The provider typically aggregates multiple methods under a single contractual and technical integration.
However, some specific regional methods or high-risk APMs might require a direct relationship with the underlying provider, necessitating a separate account or identifier. A consolidated gateway approach generally simplifies this by providing a single point of entry for multiple payment types.
Can APMs support recurring billing and subscription models?
Many APMs are designed for one-off transactions, but several support recurring functionality. Digital wallets often allow for stored credentials or 'tokenised' recurring payments.
Direct debit schemes like SEPA are specifically built for subscriptions.
When choosing an APM for a recurring model, merchants must verify if the method supports Merchant Initiated Transactions (MIT) and if the customer's initial authorisation remains valid for future payments under local regulations and specific scheme rules.
How does integration of local APMs affect the checkout user experience?
Effective integration should be dynamic, presenting the most relevant APMs based on the customer's IP address, browser language, or shipping destination. Forcing a user through too many irrelevant options can lead to choice paralysis.
A well-optimised checkout will prioritise the top two or three local methods alongside traditional card options. Technical implementation usually involves either a redirect to the provider's hosted page or an embedded component that keeps the customer on the merchant's site while they authenticate.
Características relacionadas.
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