Last Updated on March 20, 2026 by Craig Allen Keefner
Making It Easy For Customers To Pay
“The less customers feel the payment, the more they spend.” One of our principles of ROI is keep TTT (Time to Transaction) at the top of priority metrics. Customers dwelling over payment stage are not good.
Frictionless payments are no longer just a convenience feature—they are a primary driver of consumer behavior and revenue growth. New research from NMI confirms what many in self-service and unattended retail have been seeing in the field: when you remove effort, hesitation, and visibility from the payment process, consumers don’t just complete transactions faster—they spend more, buy more often, and think less about the transaction itself. In effect, payments have evolved from a necessary step in commerce into a behavioral lever that directly influences basket size, frequency, and brand loyalty.
Excerpt – Frictionless payments are rewiring consumer spending habits, according to new research from NMI®, a global leader in embedded payments infrastructure. In its “Psychology of Payments” survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, half (50%) say they shop more frequently when payments feel seamless, while an equal share (50%) admit they abandon carts when the checkout process feels complicated or frustrating.
Key Takeaways
1. Frictionless = Increased Spend
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Nearly half of consumers shop more frequently when payments are seamless
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Over a quarter admit to spending more than intended
👉 Less effort directly correlates to higher revenue
2. Digital Payments Reduce “Pain of Paying”
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About 50% say digital payments feel less “real” than cash
👉 This weakens spending resistance and increases impulse purchasing
3. Convenience is the #1 Driver
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The overwhelming majority choose payment methods based on ease and speed
👉 Payment speed is now more important than payment type
4. Friction Creates Immediate Revenue Loss
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Nearly half of consumers abandon purchases due to checkout issues
👉 Every extra step = measurable conversion loss
5. Younger Consumers Set the Standard
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Gen Z and Millennials:
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Spend more with frictionless systems
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Expect embedded / in-app payments
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Switch brands quickly if experience is poor
👉 Future demand = invisible, instant transactions
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6. Invisible Payments Are the End State
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In-app, auto-pay, biometric, and walk-out models are preferred
👉 The best payment experience is one the user barely notices
7. Direct Impact on Self-Service & Kiosks
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Consumers want self-service—but only if it’s fast and seamless
👉 Poor kiosk payment = adoption failure
👉 Optimized kiosk = revenue multiplier
8. Payments Are Now a Strategic Lever
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Not just infrastructure or compliance
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Directly tied to:
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Average order value
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Visit frequency
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Customer retention
👉 Payments belong in revenue strategy discussions, not just IT
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Infographic
Frictionless payments
