According to a representative survey conducted by OTP Mobil and reported by MTI on Tuesday, the majority of people now consider it essential for businesses, markets, and service providers—such as mobile repairmen and hairdressers—to offer card payment options.
The survey, representative of the Hungarian population over the age of 18, was conducted by the Pulzus Research System on behalf of OTP Mobil, the company behind SimplePay payment solutions, between October 31 and November 5, 2024.
According to the findings, 29% of respondents consider electronic payment solutions important, while 62% deem them essential. Only 9% stated that they are satisfied with cash-only payment options in stores.
Half of the respondents said they would like to see electronic payment options at markets, 40% in beauty salons, and many also missed this feature when dealing with mobile repair services. A smaller percentage mentioned the need for card payments at auto repair shops, bakeries, kiosks, public transportation, and public restrooms.
The study also highlighted that negative payment experiences—such as the absence of a terminal or slow transactions—affect how customers perceive a business. A total of 78% of respondents found such experiences frustrating, and 17% said they would likely not return to a store or service provider after a negative payment experience.
