Payment Complexity Drives Up Business Operating Costs

Digital commerce has pushed merchants to support cards, bank debits, wallets, real-time transfers and other local methods across online and physical channels. Each option can lift conversion, but it also adds processors, contracts, APIs, settlement schedules, fraud controls and reporting formats. When those systems do not share data, the advertised transaction fee understates the real expense: finance and operations teams absorb extra reconciliation, collections, dispute handling and security work, while payment delays strain cash flow and inconsistent checkout choices can cost customers.

Global Payments Inc. and Australian subsidiary Ezidebit released the 2025 Ezidebit Australian SMB Payment Pulse on Sept. 24, 2025, based on a survey of more than 300 businesses. Respondents spent an average 22.6 hours a week on payment administration; 54% regularly faced late or missing payments, and 25% believed limited payment options were costing them customers. Businesses used an average 3.5 payment methods across 2.1 providers, yet only 20% had consolidated providers, despite 93% of multi-provider users being open to doing so. The report did not provide a single Australian-dollar estimate of the hidden cost.