When payment options stand out: payment option salience on the product page increases purchase likelihood

Abstract

Displaying payment option information on the product page is a growing phenomenon we observed in the online retail landscape. However, research falls short in documenting how and why presenting payment option information on the product page influences consumers’ purchase decisions. Across four studies, including field and online experiments, we show that making payment options salient on the product page increases purchase likelihood, because it prompts consumers to engage in mental simulation of the payment process. Online retailer website designs that enhance payment option salience on the product page, such as through the use of logos and prominently visible displays, thus can increase purchase likelihood. However, under high cognitive load the effect can be mitigated. Our findings contribute to the literature by introducing the notion of payment option salience as well as providing insights to the retailers on how to effectively communicate payment option information.