girocard: Mr. Rüter, the EHI Retail Institute has just published the latest data. How did retailers pay in 2021?
Rüter: Primarily electronic: Overall, card payments accounted for 58.8 percent of brick-and-mortar retail sales. Compared to 2020 (56.3 percent card share), this figure has thus increased once again. We are therefore seeing card payments increasingly replacing cash payments. This also applies to other systems, but girocard the clear winner across the board: with a share of 42.4 percent of brick-and-mortar retail sales, it ranked first among all payment methods in 2021, relegating cash (38.5 percent) to second place. Looking at the retailretail sector as a whole – i.e., the mix of brick-and-mortar andretail sector girocard is also in the lead girocard a 34.7 percent share of sales, but it is already clear that traditional online payment methods are catching up rapidly in this analysis due to the booming e-commerce business. Due to the pandemic, retail sales fell for the second time in a row in 2021 (from €435 billion to €430 billion), but it is slowly becoming clear that the worst is over and people in Germany are happy to go to stores again.
girocard: What does the retail sector appreciate retail sector the girocard system?
Rüter: On the one hand, retailers value a payment system that they can rely on and that works well and easily in the payment process. That's exactly what we have today with girocard. It also has the advantage of being particularly cost-efficient while offering a payment guarantee, which makes it attractive to small retailers as well as large retail groups. This gives girocard key unique selling points. The fact that the retail sector likes to work with it is also demonstrated by the 150,000 to 200,000 pure girocard terminals we currently have in Germany. This is something that no other electronic system in Germany can claim and is a clear signal for the future. On the other hand, the retail sector also benefits retail sector having its own national payment system. The diversity of the retail sector in this country should be characterized by a healthy, strong middle class. In this structure, the "corner store" in particular has a significantly better negotiating position and more opportunities to exert influence than with international systems. The retail sector welcomes this exchange. In my view, girocard is girocard important counterweight to international providers. Its further development is essential for maintaining a strong position, and banks and Sparkassen Germany would be extremely ill-advised to neglect this asset. That is why girocard must become girocard .
girocard: And what exactly does the retail sector expect retail sector girocard system and the German banking industry in the coming years, in your opinion?
Rüter: The combination of brick-and-mortar stores and online retail will become increasingly important for the retail sector. We see that there is currently no acute need for a new payment solution online – by which I mean that there are a wide variety of options for paying online on the market. And yet we know that girocard is retail sector popular girocard retail sector . For this reason, he would very much welcome a girocard that can be used online across the board and would gladly accept this function. In order to remain competitive, it is therefore particularly important girocard further expand girocard functionality – especially in mobile payment and e-commerce. Banks and Sparkassen drive innovation in this area. Ultimately, it should not matter whether customers visit the online shop or the brick-and-mortar store. The shopping experience must be right from the first click or step to the payment. The same applies to the retail side: not only the payment process but also the processes surrounding it must meet high standards. As I said, in-store shopping will increase again, but online retail is here to stay. The retail sector have to adapt to this, and girocard do the same.
Contact:
EURO Kartensysteme GmbH
Lisa Werner / Jessica Henke
Communication and Marketing
Tel.: +49 (0)69 / 97945-4853
Fax: +49 (0)69 / 97945-4847
presse@eurokartensysteme.de
