1 – Donald McPhee, Kilts and More, 2025
Kilts & More is a family-run retailer based in Mühlhausen, Germany, specialising in traditional Scottish bagpipes, Highlandwear, and accessories. Founded by Donald McPhee, the company has now grown to attract customers from across the continent, both online and in store.
Donald first learned to play the bagpipes as a child growing up in Scotland. He later found his way back to his childhood passion when he moved to Germany, discovering a growing interest in Highland instruments and clothing.
What began as a way to meet the needs of local pipers soon evolved into Kilts & More, a brand offering high-quality Highlandwear for weddings, cultural events, and everyday wear, appealing to a much wider audience beyond the piping world.
Today, more than 25 years later, Kilts & More serves a thriving international community of pipers, pipe bands, and Highlandwear enthusiasts.
We spoke with Donald to learn how, since the beginning, PayPal has helped the company grow and deliver a seamless customer experience worldwide.
Operating in a niche market, Kilts & More’s success depends on building strong relationships and trust, not only with pipers and pipe bands, but also with wedding customers, Highlandwear collectors, and people passionate about Scottish culture. With more than half of all orders sent across Europe and beyond, the company needed a reliable, flexible cross-border payments solution.
They wanted to ensure online shoppers could easily and securely purchase from almost anywhere in the world. At the same time, they needed to reduce cart abandonment and deliver a frictionless checkout experience that reflected the premium service customers receive in store.
And for the shop team in Mühlhausen, it was just as important to have a Point of Sale (POS) solution that integrated smoothly with their backend systems, without disrupting their first-class personal service. After all, many visitors travel hundreds of kilometres to shop in person.
Donald McPhee, Founder, Kilts & More
Previously, using multiple payment providers had made accounting and operations unnecessarily complicated. As the company grew, it became clear that a more streamlined approach would be essential to manage time and resources effectively.
After using PayPal alongside other providers, Kilts & More decided to consolidate all their payments, online and in-store, to run through PayPal. Since then, they have been able to take international payments with ease, alleviating concerns about rejected cards or blocked transactions.
PayPal’s Buyer Protection** on eligible purchases also helps build trust with overseas customers, when ordering from abroad.
Donald McPhee, Founder, Kilts & More
To meet diverse customer needs, Kilts & More offers a full range of payment options, including PayPal Checkout and PayPal Pay Later. And their refunds are handled efficiently, which is another trust-building factor.
In store, Kilts & More now uses PayPal’s POS system, making it easy to invoice walk-in customers. All payments, online or in person, are collected in the same PayPal account, allowing the team to manage finances more transparently.
Donald McPhee, Founder, Kilts & More
Thanks to PayPal’s API, Kilts & More can download transaction data directly into its internal systems for easy reconciliation. The accounting team no longer has to wait for payments to clear, everything is processed fast.
And with no monthly service fees and a simple setup, the switch brought real improvements without added cost.
Donald McPhee, Founder, Kilts & More
Since consolidating all their card and digital payments to run exclusively through PayPal, Kilts & More has seen a 14 percent increase in international orders and sales¹.
By simplifying the payments process, the company has also made it easier for new customers to trust them and reduced the risk of abandoned purchases.
Donald McPhee, Founder, Kilts & More
The benefits are felt across the business. From secure, streamlined checkouts to simplified financial processes, the Kilts & More team has more time to do what they do best: delivering friendly, expert service and offering exceptional products, whether for a Highland wedding or a top-level piping competition.
The result? A payment setup that supports customer satisfaction, reduces admin, and helps Kilts & More grow its reputation across Europe and beyond.