The most popular point-of-sale payment options are…

Consumers now have plenty of options when it comes to paying for goods, but one type of payment method reigns supreme. 

Despite the widespread availability of new forms of digital payment, debit cards are used by more consumers than any other form of payment at the point of sale, with 78% of consumers indicating that they use debit cards for purchases, according to the inaugural J.D. Power U.S. Consumer POS Payment Program. 

Debit cards are followed by cash (74%); credit cards (66%); digital wallets (36%); gift cards (33%); buy-now-pay-later (28%); merchant apps (20%); checks (19%); prepaid cards (14%); pay by bank (7%); and cryptocurrency (3%).

While most consumers say they use debit cards, they also say they use multiple forms of payment. On average, consumers are using 4.1 different payment methods, and the reasons given for each varies considerably, incorporating everything from ease of use to the perception of social status associated with different forms of payment.

•More than half of consumers used non-traditional payment method in past 90 days: A slight majority (55%) of consumers say they have been using newer forms of digital payment methods, such as digital wallets, buy-now-pay-later (BNPL), merchant apps and even cryptocurrency. The most frequently used of these are digital wallets (36%) and BNPL (28%).

•Distinct consumer segments exist: Based on patterns of consumer behavior and customer satisfaction with the multiple different forms of POS payment methods, J.D. Power has identified six distinct consumer personas that POS payment brands can use to segment the market and target delivery of their offerings: experimenters; borrowers; rewards optimizers; security seekers; budgeters; and minimalists.

“The POS payment landscape is moving very quickly, and consumers are being confronted with so many different options that we’re seeing a real splintering of the total addressable market,” said Miles Tullo, managing director, banking and payments at J.D. Power. “Consumers now use multiple different payment options for dozens of different reasons, mostly correlated with specific needs but sometimes out of basic habit. By analyzing consumer behavior across the proliferation of different POS payment types, scenarios and consumer personas, we’re able to provide critical insights on what’s driving utilization and what steps brands need to take to scale POS payment products.”

The new program consists of four interconnected J.D. Power syndicated studies focused on understanding consumer preference and experience with the various forms of POS payment options: the POS Choice Satisfaction Study; Debit Card Satisfaction Study;Digital Wallet Satisfaction Study; and BNPL Satisfaction Study. 

 The program, which includes evaluations of 30 top payment brands and 11 different payment methods, delivers a detailed, nuanced view of changing patterns of consumer behavior and preference for different forms of POS payment.