Make it Easy to Order

By Lisa A. Yorgey

Companies using the Web to connect with customers beyond U.S. borders risk alienating them by offering a credit card payment option only.

Credit card penetration, generally speaking, is much lower outside the United States, and those customers who have a credit card may be reluctant to use it for Internet transactions. For example, few German consumers pay with a credit card and prefer to pay by invoice. And checks are a popular method of payment in France.