TNS Research Finds Consumers Around the World Want One Thing in Payments: Simplicity

Transaction Network Services (TNS), a global leader in providing full-stack, modern and secure payment and network solutions, today released its Keeping Payments Simple: Exploring Consumer Demand for Seamless Payment Methods white paper, revealing that despite cultural differences in payment habits across the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, one clear consumer demand unites all markets: simplicity.

The white paper draws on an independent survey, commissioned by TNS, of more than 3,000 consumers across the three countries, highlighting generational divides, regional differences and shifting expectations. While payment technologies continue to advance, the research shows consumers value reliability and straightforward processes above all else.

Key findings from the research provide invaluable insights for the payments industry, as well as in-store and online retailers, fuel and convenience retailers and parking providers. Covering areas such as parking, unattended payments, in-store connectivity and payment preferences, TNS' white paper reflects the differences between the three countries, such as in person payments prevailing in Australia, the UK reporting the highest mobile payment adoption and the US revealing a fragmented approach to payments.

With almost half (43%) of respondents across the three countries still opting for in-person payments and just over a quarter (26%) preferring online payments, there is a clear sign that the payments industry must ensure simplicity is prevalent across all payment methods, including traditional and alternative payments.

"Whether in Sydney, New York or London, consumers are telling us the same thing: make payments simple," said John Tait, TNS' Global Managing Director for its Payments Market business. "As technology evolves, the challenge for retailers and enterprises is balancing digital innovation with reliability, security and coverage, while acknowledging that traditional payment methods hold sway still with a significant number of consumers. Those who deliver consistency and flexibility in equal measure will earn consumer trust and set the pace for the future of payments."

The research also uncovered that while frustrations exist, they vary sharply by age. Younger consumers are more likely to encounter failures with app-based or unattended payments, while older consumers, who remain card-first, report fewer problems. Across all three regions, public Wi-Fi expectations, digital advertising engagement and automation adoption show distinct generational splits, reinforcing the need for flexible, inclusive strategies.

The Keeping Payments Simple: Exploring Consumer Demand for Seamless Payment Methods white paper is available now and provides a comprehensive look at consumer attitudes, challenges and opportunities shaping the payments ecosystem across Australia, the UK and the US.