Retail Payments Solutions: Guide for In-Store and Online Merchants

Figuring out the best retail payment solutions can be overwhelming for merchants. Do you need online, offline, or both? The right choice depends on your business model and customer needs. Let’s break this down – step by step.

Payment Solutions Retailers In-Store

If you’re running a physical retail store, choosing the right point-of-sale (PoS) system is key.

A PoS is the retail payment software that processes payments, tracks sales, and manages inventory in retail stores. It includes both hardware (card readers, barcode scanners, and receipt printers) and software that processes transactions, applies discounts, and updates stock in real time.

Modern retail payment systems connect directly with payment processors, allowing instant transactions with cards, digital wallets, or contactless payments. Many now use cloud-based integration, reducing manual input, errors, and delays. The smoother the system, the faster the checkout – and the better the customer experience.

Types of PoS for In-Store Transactions

• Traditional PoS payment solutions for retail include a fixed terminal, cash drawer, barcode scanner, receipt printer, and card reader. While reliable, they can be expensive and lack flexibility.
• Mobile POS (mPoS) solutions run on tablets or smartphones, making them ideal for pop-up shops, food trucks, small retailers, restaurants and businesses on the move. They’re cost-effective but may have limited back-office features. They wouldn’t typically accept cash – only contactless or card transactions. Contactless and mobile payments have now overtaken cash in popularity, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Self-service kiosks are gaining traction in fast-food chains, supermarkets, and cinemas, helping reduce staff costs and speed up checkouts.

QR Code Payments for In-Store Retail

Apart from traditional PoS hardware, your retail business can also accept payments via QR codes – a modern, cost-effective, and convenient option for retail payment processing, with its adoption growing. Here are some stats:

• With 4.69 billion smartphone users today, set to reach 5.83 billion by 2028, mobile payments are the future ( Backlink & Semrush).
• Digital-native shoppers – Millennials and Gen Z – already expect mobile-friendly payment options. 78% of Millennials use mobile banking, and many have fully switched to mobile-first banks (Finicity & Mastercard).
• The global QR payments market is set to hit $45.9 billion by 2032, growing at 16.27% CAGR (Global Newswire).
• In-store mobile transactions using QR codes are projected to reach 42% by 2025, with China leading at 85% adoption, according to (Global Newswire).

What does this mean for retail merchants?

QR code payments are rapidly becoming a mainstream retail solution, driven by the rise of mobile-first consumers. As smartphone adoption soars and digital-native shoppers demand faster, frictionless payment options, businesses that integrate QR payments now will stay ahead of the curve.

How QR Payments Work

Instead of tapping a card, customers simply scan a QR code, confirm, and pay on their mobile – no extra hardware, no PINs.

For this type of a retail payment, merchants can instantly generate a unique QR code linked to a branded payment page. Customers scan the code, review the transaction, select their payment method, and authorise the payment – all in seconds.

QR Code Payments Are Smart Choice for Retailers

• Lower Costs: No need for expensive card terminals. QR codes work with any smartphone, reducing equipment costs and transaction fees.
• Faster Checkouts:  Customers scan, pay, and go. No fumbling with cash or waiting for card approvals.
• Easy Setup: Instantly generate QR codes for payments. No complex integration, just a simple solution.
• More Payment Options: Customers choose how they want to pay – pay-by-bank, digital wallets, or other methods – all from their phone.
• Better Customer Experience: A seamless, contactless checkout keeps lines moving and customers happy.

Integrate QR Codes for In-Store Retail with Noda

With Noda’s QR code & payment link solution, accepting payments has never been easier. Whether you're selling online, in-store, or through social media, Noda’s retail payment services offer the flexibility to take it anywhere – instantly.

Generate scannable QR codes & payment links on the fly – no complex setup needed.

Let customers pay across different channels, whether in person, through email, or on social media. Use Noda’s no-code payment pages for a seamless, branded checkout experience – no technical expertise required.

We offer all payment methods in one platform – cards, open banking, QR codes, and payment links, plus a fully integrated checkout page. Eliminate card fees and chargebacks via our pay-by-bank gateway and receive funds in real time.

Online Retail Payment Solutions

Now, let’s look at retail payment platforms for online stores. To accept payments online, you need two key components: a payment gateway and a checkout page (if you have a website).

An online payment gateway processes transactions, while a checkout page ensures a smooth payment experience for customers. Let’s take a closer look at these two components.

Checkout Page

A checkout page is the final step in the online shopping journey. It’s this place on your website where customers review their order, enter shipping and billing details, and choose a payment method. A smooth, well-optimised checkout reduces friction, shopping cart abandonment, and boosts conversions.

Types of Checkout Integration

• On-Site Payments: Large businesses keep everything on their servers, offering full control over the checkout experience, yet have more responsibility of keeping customers’ data protected.
• Checkout on Site, Payment Off-Site: The checkout happens on your website, but the payment is processed by a gateway in the background.
• Redirects: Customers are sent to a third-party site to complete the payment. It’s easy to set up but offers less control.

Retail Payment Gateway

A payment gateway is the software behind your checkout page. It securely processes online payments by transferring sensitive data between the customer, merchant, and bank.

Payment authorisation, settlement, and transaction reporting, all go through a payment gateway. In simple terms, it acts as a bridge between your website and the payment processor.

Types of Payment Gateway Integration

• Hosted Payment Gateways: Customers are redirected to a third-party provider’s secure page to complete payment. Simple but less control.
• Self-Hosted Payment Gateways: Transactions happen entirely on your site, creating a seamless customer experience. Yet it comes with added responsibilities – you’ll need to manage security, ensure PCI compliance, and manage fraud risks. It also requires more technical resources to set up and maintain.
• API Integration: Developers can embed retail merchant payment processing directly into websites and apps for full flexibility, using Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) from their provider.
• Direct Post Integration: Customer details are entered on your site but securely sent to the gateway for processing.
• Plugins: Plugins for e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce, Shopify, and Magento make integration fast and easy. They require no complex development and offer quick setup and scalability.

Why UX Matters for Retail Payment Solutions

A smooth, intuitive checkout experience is the difference between a sale and an abandoned cart. If customers struggle with clunky payment flows, they leave. Here are some stats:

• 88% of online shoppers won’t return after a bad experience (Toptal).
• 49% of consumers have abandoned brands due to poor UX (Emplifi).

A fast, secure, and frictionless checkout boosts conversions, builds trust, and strengthens your brand. Digital natives, in particular, won’t tolerate slow, complicated checkouts. If a payment page is confusing, customers drop off before completing their purchase.

Since e-commerce runs 24/7, your payment system must be stable, secure, and always online. And if you sell globally, you need multi-currency support to avoid frustrating international buyers.

How to Get It Right

Know your audience – different customers prefer different retail payment methods. Offer choices that fit their habits, whether it's credit cards, digital wallets, or pay-by-bank. Optimising checkout UX isn’t optional – it’s what keeps customers coming back.

No Website? No Problem

Not every business needs an e-commerce site. Some merchants just want a fast, simple way to accept payments without dealing with web development.

No-code payment pages make that possible. They let you create custom, professional payment pages in minutes without coding. They’re fully branded, easy to customise, and can be shared anywhere – via links, email, social media, or QR codes. Customers click, pay, and you get the money in real time.

It’s a perfect solution for small retailers who don’t need a full website but still want to accept online payments. Perfect for pop-up shops, seasonal sellers, and entrepreneurs looking for a cost-effective, fast retail payment solution.

Open Banking for Online Retail Payments

Open banking, also known as pay-by-bank, lets customers pay directly from their bank accounts – no card networks, no extra fees. It cuts transaction costs, eliminates chargebacks, and ensures a seamless, secure checkout experience. Customers authorise payments within their trusted bank’s interface, making transactions fast and frictionless.

Introduced in Europe in 2018 with the PSD2 regulation, open banking requires banks to share data with licensed providers – like Noda – via secure APIs. Retailers can easily integrate it through APIs or plugins, adding a low-cost, high-conversion payment method to their checkout.

At Noda, we connect with 2,000+ banks across 28 countries, supporting multiple currencies for a truly global open banking network.

Noda: Complete Retail Payment Solution

Noda combines card payments, open banking, QR codes, instant payment links, checkout and no-code checkout pages in a single, easy-to-integrate solution. Whether you’re running an online store, a brick-and-mortar shop, or both, we help you accept payments faster, more securely, and with lower fees.

No complex setups – our ready-to-use plugins for Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and PrestaShop get you up and running instantly. Need more flexibility? Our API lets you customise payments your way.

Why Choose Noda?

• All payment methods in one platform – cards, open banking, QR codes, and payment links.
• Faster, lower-cost transactions – real-time payments with pay-by-bank, no card fees, no chargebacks.
• No-code checkout pages – perfect for businesses without a website.
• Smart data tools – better insights, smarter payment flows.
• Global reach – 2,000+ banks, 28 countries for open banking payments.