Offer how India actually pays
The payment methods you offer quietly decide how many carts turn into orders. In India, that means UPI, cards, cash on delivery, and wallets - but not in equal measure. Get the mix right and checkout feels effortless. Get it wrong and you lose buyers at the last step. Here's what each one is for.
UPI: the default
UPI is how most of India pays online now. It's instant, free for the buyer, and a tap to confirm. It has to work flawlessly at your checkout, because for many buyers it's the only method they'll reach for. If UPI is clunky on your store, you're losing sales you never even see.
Cash on delivery: still huge
Don't switch COD off. In smaller cities it can be more than half your orders, and turning it off can gut your volume. COD does bring returns, so pair it with controls - but the answer is to manage it, not remove it. For a large slice of Indian buyers, COD is what trust looks like.
Cards: fewer buyers, higher value
Debit and credit cards are a smaller share than UPI, but they matter - especially for higher-value orders and repeat buyers. Offer them cleanly, support saved cards and EMI where it fits, and you cover the buyers who prefer cards without much extra effort on your side.
Saved cards follow RBI's token rule
Saved cards speed up repeat orders, but you cannot keep card numbers yourself. RBI rules say no one in the payment chain other than card issuers and card networks may store the actual card data. Instead, a saved card becomes a token. It is set up only with the buyer's consent and an extra check by their bank. Your gateway handles this for you. For a repeat buyer, a saved card turns a long checkout into a few taps. So never ask buyers to send card details over WhatsApp or email, even to help them. Point them to the checkout instead, where the gateway keeps it safe.
Wallets and the rest
You don't need every option under the sun - too many choices can even slow checkout down.
Net banking: the quiet fallback
Net banking is not the first choice for most buyers, but keep it on. It helps buyers whose UPI app is not set up, or who hit a UPI limit on a large order. Some older buyers also trust their bank's own login more than an app. On Razorpay's standard plan it carries the same 2% fee as UPI and cards. It also gives buyers a way to pay when their UPI app is down for maintenance. Keep the bank list short and searchable, with the big banks at the top. Place it below UPI and cards, so it is there when needed without crowding the page.
Which methods to offer
| Method | When to offer it |
|---|---|
| UPI, cards, COD | Cover them well first |
| Wallets | Add if your buyers actually ask for them |
| Net banking | Fills the gaps for buyers who prefer it |
What each method costs you
Online methods cost about the same through a gateway. Razorpay's standard plan charges 2% per successful transaction on domestic cards, UPI, netbanking, wallets and EMI, with 18% GST on that fee. International cards cost up to 3%. So a ₹1,000 UPI order costs you ₹20 plus ₹3.60 GST. Razorpay also lists no charge for processing a refund. Check your settlement report each week, so the fees you pay match what you expect. COD works differently. It can feel free, but it is not. You pay your courier a COD charge, wait for the cash to reach you, and risk the parcel coming back. Weigh those costs before you nudge buyers one way or another.
More methods isn't always better
There's a limit. A checkout crammed with twenty options is slower and more confusing than one with the four that matter. Watch which methods your buyers actually use, and lead with those. At checkout, simplicity converts better than choice.
Order your checkout so the right choice is easy
The order of methods on screen shapes what buyers pick. Put UPI first, since it is the method most buyers reach for. Show cards next, then net banking and wallets. Put COD last, with a clear note on any limit you set. Show the total with any COD fee before the buyer picks, so there are no surprises at the door. If you want more prepaid orders, offer a small reward for paying online, like faster dispatch. Keep labels plain - 'Pay by UPI' beats a row of logos with no words. Check the page on a phone after every change. A list that looks tidy on a laptop can stack badly on a small screen.
How to set up your payment mix
- Open a gateway account and finish KYC with your PAN and bank details.
- Switch on UPI, cards and net banking in the gateway dashboard.
- Set COD rules: a cart value limit and a list of blocked pincodes.
- Place a small real order with each method and check it reaches your bank.
- Write a short payment FAQ for buyers: methods, COD limits and refund times.
- Turn on payment alerts so you hear about failures the same day.
- Review each month which methods buyers use, and drop any nobody picks.
Plan for failed payments
Some UPI and card payments will fail, often because of a bank timeout. Don't let that buyer go. Show a clear message and a one-tap retry. Offer another method on the same screen, including COD if the order qualifies. If the buyer still leaves, send an email with a link back to their cart. Send it within the hour, while the buyer still remembers what they chose. Watch which bank or app fails most often, too. If one keeps failing, tell your gateway and move a steadier option higher up. These buyers already chose your product. They just need a second, easy chance to pay.
Where your store helps
The Storemate wires this up for you. UPI, cards, and COD are ready from your first order - through Storemate Payments, or your own Razorpay account on a paid plan - with COD controls built in. You offer how India pays without stitching gateways together yourself - so checkout just works, on the methods your buyers reach for.