Publication in Retail Detail Year-End Book 2021 - Interview with Karl Bosmans, Ecommerce Manager at Torfs.

Online shoppers haven't noticed, but since the end of August, payments on the webshop of the shoe retailer Torfs have been processed through the Mollie platform. The Dutch provider of payment services became known as a user-friendly solution for starting webshops but now explicitly targets larger ecommerce players.

The importance of the payment moment in the customer journey requires no explanation. For retailers, having a reliable payment partner is crucial. We explored why a well-known shoe retailer decided to transition to a new payment platform by talking to Karl Bosmans, Ecommerce Manager at Torfs.

"We faced service issues with our previous payment partner," he explains. "Getting quick support was a challenge due to the company's lack of local presence. We couldn't overlook this, as downtime comes with a hefty cost. While we always keep one independent payment method, usually PayPal, and bank transfers are still an option, a significant 80% of our customers prefer the convenience of Bancontact."

Torfs also aimed to keep up with emerging trends, including user-friendly payment solutions like Apple Pay and Google Pay. Additionally, the retailer wanted to expand online payment options to include various meal- and eco-vouchers. As a result, Torfs quickly found its solution in Mollie.

Mollie also caters to larger players.

Mollie has a significant market share in Belgium, with about 50% of all Belgian ecommerce platforms using their service. "We initially focused heavily on self-service. New customers can quickly create an account with us, and in less than 15 minutes, they can process transactions via Bancontact without having to go through complicated procedures. We do everything to make it as easy as possible for our ecommerce clients. Our support is also user-friendly," says Mirelle Cuvelier of Mollie.

"For smaller ecommerce websites, this system works very well. Larger ecommerce platforms, on the other hand, have different needs: they want to offer more payment products, they want to be paid faster, or they want to receive additional information. Since we now strongly focus our service on the needs of larger ecommerce clients, it's great to receive recognition from a company like Torfs."

High Responsiveness

Mollie offers a wide range of ecommerce plugins. The full-service payment solution collaborates with various partners and platforms in Belgium and is integrated into Salesforce Commerce Cloud, the platform on which the Torfs ecommerce website operates. This facilitated and accelerated the implementation process. The provider also emphasises strong customer service.

"We experience that too," responds Karl Bosmans. "When you call, you get someone on the line immediately who looks into solutions right away. Problems are not always avoidable, but you don't benefit from a partner who first tries to deny the issues or doesn't respond quickly. Customers in the checkout zone will leave their order open for a while if we can tell them that the problem will be resolved quickly."

Seamless Transition

Torfs contacted Mollie for the first time in May, and by the end of August, the transition was complete. "There are only a few periods in a year when you can make such a transition. You can't do this during the sales or back-to-school period. The agreed timings must be guaranteed." "Such a transition is undoubtedly one of the most exciting things you can experience as an Ecommerce Manager," testifies Karl Bosmans. "At that moment, I expected a few phone calls, but they didn't happen. It went smoothly."