As global markets become increasingly interconnected, cross-border eCommerce has emerged as a vital channel for businesses aiming to expand their reach and tap into international customer bases. Your business, along with others, is playing a significant role in this growth.
According to recent statistics on cross-border eCommerce, this market is projected to continue its significant growth, highlighting its importance for businesses worldwide, reaching USD$8 trillion by 2030.
However, navigating the complexities of international transactions can be challenging, particularly when it comes to managing authorization rates.
Authorization rates, which measure the percentage of approved transactions out of total attempts, are crucial for the success of any eCommerce business. Low authorization rates can pose significant risks, particularly in the context of cross-border transactions.
This blog post delves into the risks associated with low authorization rates in cross-border eCommerce and explores strategies to mitigate these risks.
Check our Give Me 5 video on How to Improve Authorization Rates
Impacts of Low Authorization Rates
Lost Sales and Revenue
The most immediate and tangible impact of low authorization rates is the loss of sales and revenue. Each declined transaction represents a direct financial hit to the bottom line. While this straightforward consequence is often the primary focus, it’s essential to understand that the repercussions extend far beyond this initial monetary loss.
Hidden costs, such as customer acquisition expenses and marketing investments, are also at stake when transactions are declined. Moreover, each declined transaction represents a missed opportunity to build customer loyalty and generate repeat business.
Increased Cart Abandonment
When customers are met with unexpected payment failures, frustration levels can quickly escalate. Studies have consistently shown that unexpected declines are a significant contributing factor to shopping cart abandonment. In fact, payment issues are often cited as one of the primary reasons consumers give for not completing online purchases.
This not only results in immediate lost sales but also damages customer trust and loyalty, making it more challenging to recover the sale or retain the customer for future purchases.
Damaged Customer Experience
Frequent transaction declines can erode customer trust and damage the overall shopping experience. Customers may perceive these declines as a sign of instability or unreliability in the payment process.
This underscores the importance of maintaining a balance between security and customer convenience, as effective fraud management plays a crucial role in maintaining this trust.
Reputational Risk
If customers believe their transactions are being wrongly flagged as fraudulent, it can severely harm the business’s reputation. Such incidents can lead to feelings of distrust and frustration among customers, who may perceive the merchant as careless or even malicious.
Negative word-of-mouth and scathing online reviews can rapidly spread, damaging the business’s credibility and deterring potential customers. Maintaining high authorization rates is essential to avoid these reputational risks and foster a positive customer experience.
Reasons for Low Authorization Rates in Cross-Border Transactions
Increased Scrutiny by Issuing Banks
Issuing banks often exercise heightened scrutiny over transactions originating from unfamiliar locations. This cautious approach aims to mitigate the risk of fraud but can lead to legitimate transactions being declined.
This is precisely why domestic acquiring is crucial. By processing payments locally, businesses can bypass the additional layer of scrutiny typically associated with cross-border transactions.
Lack of Trust Between Banks
Cross-border transactions hinge on a delicate balance of trust between issuing and acquiring banks operating in different countries. When this trust is compromised, it can lead to a cascade of challenges, including higher rates of transaction declines.
To address this, our eBook on How to Localize Your Digital Business underscores the importance of cultivating stronger relationships within international payment networks. By fostering trust and collaboration, businesses can streamline cross-border payments, reduce transaction declines, and ultimately enhance the overall customer experience.
Friction in the Checkout Process
Differences in currencies, unfamiliar payment methods, and the need for additional verification steps can significantly hinder the checkout process for cross-border transactions. These complexities create a sense of uncertainty and inconvenience for customers, increasing the likelihood of abandonment.
A seamless and frictionless checkout experience is crucial for converting potential customers into paying clients.
Strategies to Improve Cross-Border Authorization Rates
Partner with an Experienced Payment Processor
Collaborating with a payment processor experienced in cross-border transactions can significantly improve authorization rates. These specialized partners possess in-depth knowledge of international payment landscapes, enabling them to navigate the complex web of regulations, currencies, and payment methods. By leveraging their expertise in intelligent payment routing, businesses can optimize transaction flows, reduce declines, and ultimately enhance the customer experience.
2Checkout offers comprehensive cross-border payment solutions, including fraud prevention, currency conversion, and local payment methods, that can streamline operations and increase the likelihood of successful transactions.
Check our 2Checkout Subscription Billing to better understand how we can help optimize your business
Implement Fraud Prevention Measures
Effective fraud prevention measures are essential for safeguarding businesses from financial losses. However, it’s crucial to strike a delicate balance between security and customer experience. As previously mentioned, excessive friction in the checkout process can lead to increased cart abandonment.
The 2Checkout Fraud Management solution is a prime example of how this balance can be achieved. By implementing such measures, businesses can protect themselves from fraudsters while fostering trust and loyalty among their customers.
Offer Local Payment Methods
When customers can pay in their familiar currency without the added complexity of currency conversion, the checkout process becomes more streamlined and transparent. This familiarity fosters trust and reduces perceived costs.
Additionally, offering a range of local payment methods, such as digital wallets or bank transfers, caters to diverse customer preferences and can increase conversion rates. By creating a seamless and localized shopping experience, businesses can improve customer satisfaction and drive sales.
Check our Payment Method Coverage solution brief, and dicover endless posibilities for your business
Communicate Costs Clearly
Clearly communicate shipping costs and potential customs fees upfront to avoid any surprises during the checkout process, which can lead to declined transactions.
Transparent communication is not just a best practice, it’s a key strategy for maintaining customer trust and improving authorization rates. It empowers your customers, making them feel more informed and in control of their purchasing decisions.
Build Trust with Customers
To enhance customer experience and minimize transaction declines, focus on building trust. A secure, user-friendly website with trust signals like SSL certificates, reviews, and badges can boost customer confidence. Also, strong customer service and reliable payment options further solidify trust.
Encouraging satisfied customers to leave positive reviews can help build credibility and reassure new customers about the safety and legitimacy of your transactions. Make it easy for customers to leave reviews by providing clear instructions and multiple platforms where they can share their experiences.
Conclusion
High authorization rates are crucial for the success of cross-border eCommerce. By understanding the risks associated with low authorization rates and implementing effective strategies to improve them, businesses can enhance their international sales and customer satisfaction.
We invite you to share your experiences or ask questions about cross-border authorization rates.
Explore our 2Checkout Monetization Platform, designed to optimize your cross-border payment processes.
