Buyer behavior in Thailand and worldwide increasingly shifts toward a cashless lifestyle. Customers now rely on mobile banking transfers and QR code payments, while international tourists use credit or debit cards for everyday spending. Choosing checkout channels that align with digital-era behaviors is, therefore, a necessary strategy for modern stores and entrepreneurs. The payment environment needs to be flexible and handle multiple touchpoints, whether at the point of sale (POS) or through popular digital routes.

In this article, we will get to know electronic data capture (EDC) card machines and web-based checkout platforms in Thailand, compare EDC terminals with online payment systems, explore the benefits and steps to start accepting web transactions, along with recommendations for solutions that help connect physical shops to digital marketplaces, enable professional payment processing, and facilitate smooth and systematic business expansion in the future.

What’s in this article?

• Getting to know EDC card readers
  
• Online payment systems in Thailand
  
• Comparing EDC card readers with online payment systems
  
• Benefits of online payment systems
  
• Steps to connect the POS system with online marketplaces
  
• How Stripe Payments can help
  

Getting to know EDC card readers

An EDC card reader processes electronic payments at the POS. You’ll find these devices in stores, restaurants, gas stations, and other service counters. Its function is to read information from credit or debit cards and support other new transfer methods, such as PromptPay, QR code scanning, digital wallets, or near-field communication (NFC) technology.

Online payment systems in Thailand

Online payments in Thailand began in the early 2000s, growing alongside ecommerce platforms and the increasing use of the internet. At first, web transactions primarily accepted credit and debit cards. Over time, Thai commercial banks began developing internet financial institution systems, followed by mobile banking to meet the needs of modern consumers.

Nowadays, web-based checkout platforms have become the infrastructure driving the country’s ecommerce market. Customers can pay anytime, anywhere without cash or a trip to the bank. At the same time, businesses cut cash-handling costs and improved convenience in receiving funds and managing backend records.

Popular online payment methods

In Thailand, there are various popular online payment methods, including the following:

• Mobile banking: Financial transactions via mobile banking applications allow users to move funds and settle purchases instantly without using cash. They use identity verification options such as PIN codes or biometric authentication.

• PromptPay: An electronic money transfer and receiving service that lets users link their bank accounts with a phone number or national ID number for convenient money sending and receiving. The fees for PromptPay are usually lower than for other transfer options, and there are no fees if it is within the specified limit.

• Digital wallet: An electronic money account that users can top up through channels such as bank transfer, ATM, various service counters, or linking to a credit or debit card. Popular digital wallet platforms include LINE Pay, Shopee Pay, and TrueMoney.

• QR code: Payment via QR code scanning using a banking app or a digital wallet app on a smartphone authorizes the payer to log in and select the “Scan QR code” menu. They can then make the checkout immediately instead of carrying cash or cards, reducing the risk of sharing card credentials.

• Payment link: Links that are created and shared via social media, email, or SMS let customers access the checkout page when they click on them securely. They accept various methods, such as credit cards, PromptPay, and e-wallets, enabling online payments without a website or application.

• Credit and debit cards: Web transactions or swiping using card info, e.g., the card number, expiration date, and card verification value (CVV) code. A credit card is a line of credit provided by a financial institution that lets the cardholder spend first and settle later. In contrast, a debit card deducts money from the bank balance instantly upon purchase.

• Buy now, pay later: Buy now, pay later (BNPL) is an option that allows buyers to pay in installments over a period of 3–12 months (depending on the agreement and provider) with little or no interest if paid on time. Popular BNPL providers include Atome, Lazada PayLater, Grab’s PayLater, TrueMoney’s Pay Next, and Shopee’s SPayLater.

• Prepaid card: A payment method where users can purchase prepaid cards that have a monetary value loaded in advance. When paying for goods or web services, the system directly deducts money from the card without the need to link it to a bank account or additional credit card. This adds protection to transactions because if it gets lost or stolen, the loss is limited to the amount on the card, as with a prepaid card for online games, for example.

• Payment gateway: An intermediary platform that helps verify and transmit payment credentials between sellers and card providers, such as checkouts through websites or ecommerce apps. When a buyer places an order, the system encrypts the data and checks its accuracy before forwarding it to the financial institution for approval. It lets businesses take remittances safely and quickly instead of handling card information themselves.

Comparing EDC card readers with online payment systems

The following is a comparison between EDC card readers and online payment systems:

Nowadays, many businesses running brick-and-mortars often use both EDC terminals and online payment systems to fully serve customers across all pathways, including payment links, QR codes, and digital wallets.

Stripe provides comprehensive web checkout solutions, making it straightforward for sellers to connect with web channels. It supports both offline and online transactions through a single system, and it consolidates that data from all touchpoints in one place for analysis, management, development, and effective marketing strategy planning.

Benefits of online payment systems

Accepting online payments helps enterprises to grow steadily and sustainably in the digital era, offering numerous benefits:

Ease of use

Web checkout allows customers to buy goods and services anytime, anywhere, through quick, secure steps. There is no need to travel to a physical store or carry cash. Shoppers can choose from a variety of payment types, including mobile banking, e-wallets, and card checkouts via a payment gateway. This convenience helps create a positive shopping experience, making them more likely to return for future purchases.

Increase sales and revenue

Shops that lack a web-based checkout platform face several limitations in reaching and serving shoppers. Opening digital channels helps expand the customer base, as they complete checkouts quickly and easily via a variety of payment methods. This reduces the likelihood that customers will change their minds during the ordering process, making it easier for businesses to close orders and directly increase sales and revenue.

Market expansion opportunities

These opportunities provide shoppers access to stores from any location, for instance remote areas, enabling them to order and pay immediately. It can help entrepreneurs grow and expand into a broader market, supporting customers from other provinces and international ones. With tools such as Stripe Payments, operations can expand globally and readily process exchanges from foreign buyers. Merchants accept transactions in the local currency or automatically convert them into another currency, expanding cross-border buying and selling.

High security

Web checkouts feature robust security measures, for instance two-factor authentication and data encryption, that help customers feel more confident in their purchases. In addition, online payment solution providers such as Stripe offer innovative fraud prevention tools, including Stripe Radar, which uses advanced AI to enhance protection and improve transaction safety continuously.

Marketing information

The ability to collect data through online payment systems enables business owners to analyze customer information and plan marketing strategies more accurately. Companies can collect detailed records on their spending behavior, covering average spending, popular product or service types, and peak spending times.

Connecting to the backend system

Digital checkout platforms such as Stripe Payments make it easier to integrate with accounting or enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems than traditional EDC card readers. Additionally, Stripe API connects transactions in real time and displays results on a dashboard, enabling automatic updates and payment data collection. This increases efficiency in monitoring and tracking settlement information, making financial reporting and business planning more effective.

Steps to connect the POS system with online marketplaces

In Thailand, accepting payments electronically to connect with a retail infrastructure is not difficult. Shops that have previously used EDC machines can expand into the digital market by adopting financial solutions such as Stripe, allowing them to process online transactions without hardware. The steps are as follows:

Learn how to choose a payment method

Review and choose the web checkout methods that best suit your customer group and business goals, for example mobile banking, PromptPay, digital wallets, payment gateways, and payment links.

Choose a payment service provider

Choosing a payment solution that aligns with the target audience’s behavior and business use is one of the key factors that can enhance operational efficiency, reduce management costs, minimize repetitive work, and increase buyer satisfaction. Select a checkout provider by considering factors including ways to pay, fees, added features, security, and customer support.

Apply for a payment service

After you have selected a checkout option and compared fees, you can contact a payment service provider, such as Stripe, to activate it. You need to prepare financial documents for account setup, for instance a copy of your identification, a company certificate or business registration, and bank details.

Connect data and try it out

Enterprises must bridge their in-store data to web platforms by installing payment APIs, using website plugins, or integrating through tools such as Stripe Connect if operating on an ecommerce platform or marketplace. The setup has to be tested and checked for errors before activating the online payment system. Train staff and equip them with clear procedures so they can handle exchanges smoothly and securely.

Activate and monitor results

Activate the digital payment setup, then track and analyze transaction results to keep the checkout flow efficient and secure. Use system records to inform product development, marketing, and operational decisions. Through solutions such as Stripe Payments, you can capture sales insights from every transfer channel in the Stripe Dashboard to provide real-time, consolidated financial reporting.

How Stripe Payments can help

Stripe Payments provides a unified, global payments solution that helps any business—from scaling startups to global enterprises—accept payments online, in person, and around the world.

Stripe Payments can help you:

• Optimize your checkout experience: Create a frictionless customer experience and save thousands of engineering hours with prebuilt payment UIs, access to 125+ payment methods, and Link, a wallet built by Stripe.
  
• Expand to new markets faster: Reach customers worldwide and reduce the complexity and cost of multicurrency management with cross-border payment options, available in 195 countries across 135+ currencies.
  
• Unify payments in person and online: Build a unified commerce experience across online and in-person channels to personalize interactions, reward loyalty, and grow revenue.
  
• Improve payments performance: Increase revenue with a range of customizable, easy-to-configure payment tools, including no-code fraud protection and advanced capabilities to improve authorization rates.
  
• Move faster with a flexible, reliable platform for growth: Build on a platform designed to scale with you, with 99.999% historical uptime and industry-leading reliability.
  

Learn more about how Stripe Payments can power your online and in-person payments, or get started today.