Carte Bancaire comes first
Most French online payments still run on the Carte Bancaire network, known as CB, which co-badges with Visa and Mastercard on the same card. A shop that accepts CB is accepting what the majority of customers carry. Apple Pay and Google Pay sit on top and shorten checkout on phones.
Payment providers
- Stripe and Adyen: global platforms with strong CB support and good developer tools
- PayPlug and Lyra: French providers with local support and CB-first setups
- Mollie and Worldline: European options that cover cards and bank methods
- PayPal: still widely used as a second option
- Check that the contract covers recurring payments and refunds
3-D Secure and strong authentication
European rules on strong customer authentication mean most card payments pass through 3-D Secure, usually a confirmation in the banking app. A well-built checkout keeps the customer on your page, explains the step and retries cleanly if it fails.
Instalments and delivery
Pay-in-three or pay-in-four options from providers such as Alma or Oney work well for higher baskets, and usually carry a fee for the merchant rather than the customer. On delivery, shoppers expect Colissimo, Mondial Relay or a relay-point choice, and clear delivery dates before they pay.
Invoices and TVA
Every sale needs a proper invoice with the legal mentions, and TVA at the right rate, 20 % for most goods. Connect the shop to your accounting tool so reconciliation does not become a weekly chore.