Background
In 2014, Klarna acquired SOFORT, a popular bank transfer method, used in Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain. Following the acquisition, SOFORT continued to function as an independent payment method. Klarna has since incorporated SOFORT into its “Pay Now” offering, enabling customers to make immediate payments with their cards or bank accounts.
Changes
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New Onboardings
As of 01 November 2023, new Mollie merchants cannot offer SOFORT as a separate, standalone payment method. There are no extensions as this deadline is externally imposed. -
Market Withdrawals
As of 01 January 2024, SOFORT stopped support for customers in Poland, Italy, and the UK. However, merchants in these countries can continue to offer SOFORT to customers in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, and Spain until 30 September 2024. -
Existing Businesses
Current Mollie merchants using SOFORT standalone can continue processing payments until 30 September 2024.
Required Actions
You should remove all references to SOFORT on your webshop by 30 September. Additional actions required depend on your Mollie setup:
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For Platforms/Plugins
- Disable SOFORT in your Mollie Dashboard
- Disable SOFORT in your plugin/ platform
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For direct integrations:
- Disable SOFORT in your Mollie Dashboard
- Remove SOFORT from your checkout
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For Mollie Hosted Checkout
- If you're using a Mollie-hosted solution like Checkout, Invoicing, or Payment Links, Mollie will automatically remove SOFORT on 30 September, you will not need to take any further action.
What Are My Alternatives
Klarna is phasing out SOFORT as a standalone payment method by 30 September 2024. We recommend you enable Klarna to provide your consumers with continuity at the checkout. With all Klarna payment options consolidated into one seamless method, your customers can benefit from a smooth checkout experience by paying with their stored card or bank details with Pay Now. Merchants who switched from Sofort to Klarna saw a 4% Conversion Rate uplift over a 2-3 month period (*). Further information is available on our product page.
Mollie offers a large choice of payment solutions among them the following solutions for Direct Bank Transfer that support SEPA Direct Debit first payment validation:
- Trustly: Available in AT, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, GB, LT, LV, NL, NO, SE. Further information is available on our product page. Available from mid-September.
- Pay by Bank: Available across the EU. Available from mid-September.
Offering these alternatives can ensure a seamless transition for your customers while maintaining a high conversion rate for your business.
If You Take No Action
If SOFORT is not removed from your checkout by 30 September 2024, it may still appear as an active payment method. If a customer tries to use it, an error will occur, potentially harming your conversion rates. Therefore, we strongly advise taking the necessary steps to remove SOFORT by the deadline.
SEPA Direct Debit First Payment Validations
For merchants who use SOFORT for SEPA Direct Debit validations, particularly in Germany, Mollie recommends using either Pay by Bank or Trustly for the first payment validation. Detailed information on all available payment methods for SEPA Direct Debit first payments can be found in our API Documentation.
(*) Source: Klarna