The customer has chosen a product, typed their address, and at the final step they do not see the payment method they use. They close the tab. It is one of the most expensive mistakes an e-shop can make, because you lose the customer at the exact moment they were ready to pay.
The Greek market has its own habits. Copying the checkout of an American store is not enough. Here is what Greek shoppers expect and what is worth offering.
The essentials
Debit and credit cards
Obvious, but the details matter. Greek shoppers rely heavily on debit cards, and payments go through 3D Secure (Strong Customer Authentication under PSD2), which means approving in the bank's app. Make sure that:
- The payment page works properly on mobile, because that is where approval happens.
- The customer is returned to your shop cleanly after approval, without the order getting "lost".
- Visa, Mastercard and, if you accept them, American Express and Diners logos are visible.
Your provider (Viva, Cardlink, Nexi, Worldline, Everypay, Stripe and others) matters for fees, settlement speed and plugin quality. Get quotes and compare total cost, not just the headline percentage.
Interest-free instalments
This one is very Greek. For larger purchases (appliances, furniture, electronics) shoppers look for instalments on their credit card. If you sell high-ticket products, instalments are not optional.
- Set an instalment scale by amount (for example 3 instalments above one threshold, 6 above a higher one).
- Show instalments on the product page, not just at checkout: "or 6 interest-free payments of X €".
- Do the maths: instalments usually carry an extra merchant fee.
Cash on delivery
Yes, still. Cash on delivery remains popular, particularly with older shoppers, outside the big cities and for a first purchase from an unfamiliar shop. It works as a trust mechanism.
You know the downsides: a courier fee, a delay before the money reaches you, parcels returned uncollected. Practical fixes:
- Show the COD fee upfront, not as a surprise at the final step.
- Cap the order value allowed for COD.
- Confirm expensive orders or first-time customers by SMS or phone.
- Flag customers who have left parcels uncollected before.
Do not drop it without first measuring what share of your orders it represents.
IRIS
IRIS payments let customers pay straight from their bank account by approving in e-banking or scanning a QR code. Funds arrive instantly and merchant fees are typically lower than cards. For many shops it is now a core option rather than an experiment.
Apple Pay and Google Pay
On mobile, wallets are the fastest way to pay: one tap, no typing a card number. Most modern providers support them at no cost beyond the usual card fee. If your traffic is mostly mobile (and it almost certainly is), this is one of the highest-return switches you can flip.
Nice to have
PayPal
Less critical in Greece than in other markets, but useful if you sell abroad or your audience often buys from foreign sites. Fees are usually higher.
Buy now, pay later
BNPL services (Klarna, for example) have started appearing in the Greek market, often through your payment provider. They suit fashion, accessories and mid-sized baskets, especially for younger shoppers without a credit card. Ask your provider what they support and at what cost, as terms change often.
Bank transfer
Still handy for B2B customers and large amounts. For consumers, IRIS is gradually replacing it, since it is instant and needs no manual confirmation.
How to present them at checkout
Having every method is not enough. They have to be easy to understand:
- Order: put first what most of your customers use. Your order data will tell you.
- Express buttons: Apple Pay and Google Pay at the top, before the form, for people who want to finish fast.
- Cost next to the option: "Cash on delivery (+2 €)", not a hidden fee that appears later.
- Logos and a one-line explanation: "IRIS: pay from your bank's e-banking".
- No more than five or six options. More than that confuses people.
And before checkout: mention your payment methods in the footer and on product pages. A shopper looking for cash on delivery wants to know before filling the cart.
Common mistakes we see
- Payments that hang. The customer approves at the bank, but the order stays "pending payment" because the provider callback was never set up properly. Result: duplicate orders and angry phone calls.
- Wrong language on the provider page. The payment page opens in English for a customer shopping in Greek. Small, but it erodes trust.
- Forgotten payment plugins. Old providers you no longer use stay installed, slow the site down and widen your attack surface.
- No email when a payment fails. A simple "your payment did not go through, try again or choose another method" message saves orders.
Checklist
- Cards with 3D Secure that works flawlessly on mobile
- Interest-free instalments if your average order justifies them, visible on product pages
- Cash on delivery with a clear fee and limits
- IRIS
- Apple Pay and Google Pay as express options
- PayPal or BNPL depending on your audience
- A "Payment methods" page with all the details
- A test order with every method after every update
What to measure
Every quarter, look at: share of orders by payment method, failed payment rate by method, uncollected COD rate, and true cost per method (provider fees plus courier charges). Make decisions with these numbers, not gut feeling.
The bottom line
The right mix for Greece is cards with instalments, IRIS, mobile wallets and cash on delivery on sensible terms. If you need help choosing a provider or setting up checkout, see our payments and checkout service or get in touch.