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Abstract
The paper presents results of research conducted to characterize and assess market behaviours of businesses
accepting payment cards operating in rural areas and the identification of factors determining and diversifying
these behaviours. The study involved 117 points of sale, operating in rural areas in Malopolska. As results
from conducted analysis, 54% of the surveyed retail and services points possessed a POS terminal, whereas
the other did not accept card payments. Equipping a retail point with POS terminal depends on the kind of
the retail and services point and the period of the business operation on the market. Payment cards were the
most frequently accepted by self-service stores, petrol stations and shops selling television, radio and domestic
appliances. Almost 70% of subjects operating on the market for between 6 and 10 years had POS terminals.
The main reason why the owners of shops and service points decided to accept non-cash payments by card was
interest among customers. The barriers to the development of payment card acceptance network in rural areas
are high commissions charged by settlement agents and the fact that rural dwellers do not have payment cards.