How to Choose a Shopify Payment Gateway for Europe and the DACH Region
In German-speaking countries, payment methods often decide whether customers complete an online purchase. Shoppers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland favour secure, flexible options like purchase on account and instalment payments. By offering suitable BNPL solutions, merchants can boost trust and increase conversion rates.
The Importance of Payment Preferences in Europe
When selling online in Europe, payment preferences are not just a detail, they’re a competitive advantage, especially in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). One trusted option dominates: Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL). In particular, methods like Invoice and Instalment are strategic conversion drivers. If you operate a Shopify store and target Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, providing high-performing BNPL choices can be the difference between a completed sale and an abandoned cart.
Why Invoice and Instalment matter in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
Customers in Austria, Germany and Switzerland are used to convenience and safety. Shoppers want to order first, check the product at home, and only then pay for it. This sense of security has measurable business benefits. For example, enabling Invoice can lift conversion rates significantly because hesitant buyers who might abandon a card-only checkout are far more comfortable with the flexibility of paying by invoice.
Instalment gives shoppers flexibility in their spending, while retaining control and visibility over their budget. In today’s competitive e-commerce environment, offering BNPL, invoice, and instalment options is an absolute growth requirement for reaching and retaining European customers.
Why Unzer Is the Best Shopify Payment Gateway for the DACH Region
Unzer combines a strong understanding of local payment habits with technical excellence and seamless integration for Shopify. What makes Unzer’s solution stand out is its dedication to European consumer preferences and the merchant experience alike.
Rechnungskauf With Unzer: Trusted and Seamless
With Unzer, you gain access to a suite of BNPL solutions designed for both customer confidence and business growth. Unzer’s Invoice option is especially popular in Germany and Austria, trusted because:
- Customers pay only after they’ve received and inspected their order.
- Shoppers feel safer and experience less financial risk.
- These options help build trust, particularly among first-time buyers.
The plugin integrates directly with your Shopify store, keeping the payment process smooth and free from unnecessary redirections that often result in lost sales.
Ratenkauf: Flexible Instalments Drive Growth
Unzer’s Instalment further elevates your checkout by letting customers split purchases into manageable 3, 6, or 12-month payments. This arrangement is not only transparent with clear costs and terms, but also quick, as the approval flow is handled instantly within the checkout itself. For merchants, this means more than just happy customers. Higher average order values, more frequent purchases, and greater willingness to buy premium products all add up to measurable revenue growth.
How to Choose the Best Shopify Payment Gateway in Europe? - 3 Essential Criteria
When choosing a payment gateway for your Shopify store in Europe, key considerations should include:
- Local payment preferences and expectations in your target countries, especially whether BNPL (invoice and instalments) are supported.
- Smooth, merchant-friendly integration with your e-commerce platform, ensuring you can offer essential payment options without technical hurdles.
- Authorization rate optimization to ensure maximum payment approvals reducing false declines and improving overall conversion.
Easy Integration, Fast Onboarding, and Smart Risk Management
Integrating BNPL with Unzer is designed to be fast for both established and growing businesses. The process doesn’t require an overhaul of your existing Shopify theme or checkout, and onboarding is quick. Smart automation in risk and credit checks means minimal manual intervention, so you can focus on running your business.
Optimised Acceptance Rates and Customer Experience
Beyond flexibility and convenience, Unzer’s approach to BNPL draws on deep local expertise. Our solution uses:
- Local scoring models and risk algorithms that fit European markets.
- Fallback strategies with multiple BNPL providers, increasing acceptance rates even where card usage is low.
- A seamless, mobile-optimized checkout that keeps customers in your store.
This way, you maximize order approvals and revenue, while delivering the trusted, native experience shoppers expect.
Liquidity and Fully Managed Collections With Unzer
Unzer also strengthens your day‑to‑day operations by ensuring you maintain healthy cash flow without added complexity. You receive liquidity for invoice purchases according to your agreed payment rhythm, giving you predictable and stable payouts as your business grows. At the same time, Unzer takes care of the entire shopper payment collection process on your behalf — including reminders and all dunning steps — so you can focus fully on growing your business.
Conclusion: The Advantage of Unzer for Shopify BNPL in Europe
In summary, if you want to succeed with Shopify in Europe, and especially in the DACH region, Unzer delivers a stand-out BNPL package. The combination of trusted payment options, local knowledge, seamless Shopify integration, and robust support means you can boost conversions, drive growth, and stay one step ahead of the competition.
Ready to get started? Book a consultation to enable Invoice or Instalment on your Shopify store in DACH today!