57% of SMBs Now Sell Through Their Own Websites

A recent PYMNTS Intelligence report reveals that small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are increasingly turning to digital channels for growth, with 57% now selling through their own websites. This shift comes as confidence in SMBs reaches a four-year high, with 82% expressing strong belief in their ability to survive the next two years. While revenue gains remain uneven, the data highlights practical opportunities in digital sales, broader payment acceptance, and more strategic use of financing.

Among businesses utilizing delivery aggregators, 61% reported higher sales through this channel, up from 49% in January 2022. Owned mobile apps also show promise, with 51% of businesses reporting increased sales. Marketplace sellers and social media sellers experienced gains at 48% and 46%, respectively. These digital tools act as secondary entry points, expanding customer access without the expense of opening additional physical locations.

Payment methods have also evolved, with credit card acceptance at 79% both in-store and online. However, newer payment options remain uneven, with Venmo online at 41% and Apple Pay at 32% both online and in-store. Buy Now, Pay Later usage stands at 13% online and 8% in physical locations. Closing these payment gaps could provide customers with more convenient purchasing options.

Securing financing has become a viable strategy for SMB expansion. Of those seeking outside capital in February 2026, 37% pursued it as a strategy, while 28% cited both strategy and necessity. Only 13% expressed an inability to secure financing as a threat to their survival. This gap presents an opportunity for lenders and FinTech companies to offer working-capital products linked to invoices or sales activity, with quicker decision-making processes and clearer business applications.

Interestingly, despite the growing importance of digital sales, SMBs selling through their own websites still fall short by just 4 percentage points compared to businesses operating physical stores. However, larger firms with annual revenues exceeding $1 million report average growth of 13.7% from 2020 levels, in contrast to the 0.6% growth experienced by smaller businesses.

As a result, owners of smaller enterprises can adopt several practices associated with their larger counterparts, such as expanding sales reach, increasing payment options, and employing smarter financing strategies to propel their growth.