Online shopping is quick and easy. Many people use credit cards as a means of payment – we break down why and how they can help us with online shopping here.
Paying with a credit card for online shopping has now become established. There are a few understandable reasons for this: credit cards are easy to use and the providers promise customers a high level of security. While other payment methods such as invoice, direct debit or advance transfer involve certain lead times for buyers and sellers, payment by credit card works directly. As a result, for example, faster shipping of the goods is guaranteed, and individual steps in payment processing are no longer necessary. Most services are debited automatically by direct debit. But there are other advantages that a credit card brings with it when shopping online. Which ones are they? We list the most important ones.
Numerous benefits: The American Express Platinum Card
A good example of a range of benefits when shopping online is the Platinum Card from American Express. This credit card is ideal for people who travel a lot and use credit cards for personal and business purposes. The catch: The fee of 60 euros per month is steep. Amex would like to convince you with a number of benefits. This currently includes a welcome bonus of 65,000 Membership Rewards points, which has never been higher. Alternatively, there is 230 euros for new customers.
These benefits are included with the Amex Platinum credit card for your next big shopping trip:
- Current offer: 65,000 Membership Rewards points or 230 euros star credit. Requirement for this: A turnover of at least 10,000 euros must be made within the first six months of receiving the card.
- Membership Rewards points: With the American Express bonus program, you can collect points with every purchase. For every euro spent on the card, customers receive one Membership Rewards point.
- Pay with points: The Amex platinum card can be used as a payment method with online providers such as Amazon, after which purchases can simply be paid for with the points you have collected.
- Shopping credit: There is a shopping credit of 90 euros per year.
- 90 days buyer protection as well as the right to return all purchases made.
- Mobile payment: Services such as Apple Pay or Google Pay can be used.
- Contactless payment: The Platinum Card is equipped with NFC (Near Field Communication). This enables payments at NFC-enabled terminals.
- Billing period: Monthly – Amounts are deducted from the account by direct debit.
American Express promises its customers a high level of security when shopping online. Numerous other services can also be used to maximize the shopping experience. Nevertheless, the Platinum credit card is probably the most worthwhile if you also take advantage of the other bonuses that particularly benefit frequent travelers. The turnover of 10,000 euros must first be reached to activate the welcome bonus. Online payment services also offer buyer protection and do not require a basic monthly fee to use.
The alternative: 1822direkt Visa Classic credit card
A cheap alternative to the Amex Platinum Card is, for example, the Visa Classic credit card from 1822direkt Bank. It only costs 29.90 euros per year and also offers some shopping advantages. However, this credit card is only available in conjunction with opening a classic checking account at 1822direkt Bank. These are the advantages of the Visa Classic credit card:
- Annual fee: Free of charge in the first year with your first order, then 29.90 euros per year.
- Billing period: Monthly – Amounts are collected by direct debit from the linked checking account.
- Security: Secure payment when shopping online thanks to 3D Secure.
- Worldwide shopping companion: The card is accepted worldwide for all payments and bookings.
- Contactless payment: Up to an amount of 50 euros possible.
- Mobile payment: Possible via Google Pay or Apple Pay with your smartphone.
Users who can do without comprehensive bonus programs benefit from the 1822direkt Visa Classic. This means a big price advantage, because the Visa Classic credit card from 1822direkt is significantly cheaper than the Amex Platinum. Nevertheless, it makes shopping worldwide and on the Internet easier and promises a high level of security for its users.
Important features of a credit card for online shopping
The following points are essential when users are looking for a credit card that is ideal for online shopping:
- Annual fee: An annual fee is common for many credit cards. How high this is depends on the respective provider. Apart from paid models, there are also some free versions whose services can often be sufficient.
- Billing period: This can be a month or longer and varies from provider to provider. In some cases, the billing period is important for exchange campaigns because it gives the user a certain amount of flexibility, which can last up to two months.
- Foreign currency fees: Fees often apply when shopping abroad, especially if the seller uses a currency other than the euro. How high the respective foreign currency fee is also varies from provider to provider.
These three features are basics for every credit card, provided it is primarily used for online shopping. They are so important because each individual point results in a cost factor that can be higher or lower and therefore should not be underestimated. There are significant differences, especially in the area of foreign currency fees, which may only mean a few euro cents per action, but can sometimes add up to horrendous sums when billed. Therefore, these features should be kept in mind when choosing the right credit card.
How important is the support of bonus programs?
Some credit card providers offer bonus programs. This often pays off, especially when shopping online. Because: Every purchase is rewarded with points or other benefits in that a certain amount of points is credited to the credit card account for every euro spent. Once you have reached a certain number of points, you can exchange them for rewards or use them to pay.
Tip:It is best to choose a credit card where the points do not expire after a certain period of time.
Find the best credit card for online shopping
If you want a credit card primarily for online shopping, it makes sense to choose a model that supports bonus programs. When choosing the right credit card, you should also pay attention to potential foreign currency fees and the billing period. These factors allow for additional leeway that can be used to your own advantage when shopping online with a credit card.
This article contains so-called affiliate links. Further information are available here.
Source: Stern
