Payment Friction Drives Store Checkout Abandonment
Retailers risk losing repeat business as shoppers abandon in-store purchases due to limited payment methods and slow checkout.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Retail
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Would you abandon a store purchase if your preferred payment method was not available?
A recent survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers indicates that rigid payment systems are driving shoppers away from brick-and-mortar stores. Thirty-six percent of shoppers report abandoning an in-store purchase in the past year due to payment difficulties.
Why it matters
Retailers failing to align in-store checkout capabilities with consumer expectations risk losing repeat business and immediate sales. The data suggests that payment friction acts as a significant deterrent to customer retention.
A survey of 2,000 consumers shows 53% will avoid stores that lack their preferred payment method, and 44% are less likely to return after a slow or failed transaction. These figures highlight an ongoing tension between outdated terminal infrastructure and rising consumer expectations for seamless checkout.
The players
Aevi
A payment technology provider that enables modular, integrated transaction solutions for retail environments.
The details
Retailers are seeing a clear divide in how different demographics experience checkout, with 33% of shoppers aged 18 to 24 citing payment failures as a top frustration compared to 10% of those over 65. The findings show that 85% of all consumers now expect the same frictionless experience in-store that they currently enjoy in online checkout flows.
Timeline
36% of shoppers abandoned in-store purchases during the past year.
10% of shoppers abandoned in-store purchases during the past month.
Market Landscape
The findings mark a departure from viewing in-store and online payments as distinct silos for retail operations. This shift follows the broader industry move toward omnichannel retail checkout standardization, where consumers demand consistent digital experiences across all points of sale.
Owners should assess their current point-of-sale systems to determine if they support the payment methods preferred by their specific customer base. Prioritizing reduced latency at the register is a direct operational step toward preventing the purchase abandonment cited by 36% of shoppers.
The takeaway
Retailers must treat payment friction as a tangible threat to customer loyalty rather than a minor technical inconvenience. Review your checkout logs and customer feedback metrics to identify if transaction speed or limited payment options are creating unnecessary churn at your point of sale.
Further reading
For more context on how checkout technology is evolving, explore the Retail section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Chain Store Age.
Live Poll
Would you abandon a store purchase if your preferred payment method was not available?
