Diversity of online payment methods influence online consumer behavior and boleto reaches a historical low of 27% in e-commerce, reveals camara-e.net

An unprecedented survey by the Brazilian Chamber of Digital Economy (camara-e.net), in partnership with the consultancy Gmattos, reveals that the bank slip recorded its worst historical performance in March, being accepted by 27% of the monitored stores.

In 2021, the bank slip was accepted by 85% of the stores IO level that has been falling consistently until reaching the current 27%, the historical low. In the same period, the debit card remained practically stable, in the range of 15%, while the Pix has advanced continuously and consolidated its leadership among the means of cash payment.

The survey shows that the current focus of e-commerce it is in the expansion of credit lines as a sales engine. The offer of installments with interest on the credit card reached the record of 35% of virtual establishments in the first quarter of 2026.

The study also evaluates that, although only about 10% of card-paying customers opt for installment payments with interest, these sales would not occur without the option of long-term installment.

This flexible credit movement also drives alternatives outside the card ecosystem.The direct credit model and the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) (BNPL) (buy now, pay later, translated into Portuguese IO, gain strength, with example of innovations in the airline industry.

In the field of payment facilitation, the Click to Pay ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ allows payment for one click, maintained its stagnant acceptance rate at 5.1%, indicating that the massification of the modality at the time of closing the purchase is still a challenge in the country.

Promotions 

In addition to the means of payment, the data bring an x ray of promotional strategies of March 2026, marked by a retraction in the aggressiveness of discounts. The survey points out that 40% of stores limited their offers to a ceiling of 60% discount, a very different scenario from the 15% recorded on the last Black Friday. Discounts above 80% plummeted and were found in only 1.7% of e-commerces, against 20% in the same promotional period in November.

To compensate for this reduction, retail bet on logistics. The free shipping offer was the highlight, present in 10.2% of stores, a volume almost three times higher than that measured at the beginning of the year.

Methodology

The Gmattos de Paidamentos Study monitors the main online stores, every 2 months since January 2021. The observed stores, from various segments, are representative of the market, corresponding to more than 80% of online sales in Brazil. The observation criterion is the same since its origin, ensuring support for comparisons the analysis of trends and identification of promotional practices and means of payment.