PayPal have launched cashless payments via mobile for the UK. You can download the app today and go shopping on the High Street with just your mobile phone.
The PayPal inStore app lets you shop on the high street wherever PayPal inStore is accepted, make purchases using your PayPal account and even better automatically redeem retail offers you’ve opted into. When you’re ready to pay the app will display a unique barcode which can be scanned at the checkout and the payment appears as a regular payment on your PayPal account.
Today at launch the PayPal inStore app can be used at the Auroria Fashions group including Oasis, Warehouse, Coast and Karen Millen (currently the app isn’t in use in concessions such as House of Fraser or Debenhams).
That’s just the beginning though – Fashion makes sense as the place to start but expect to start seeing the PayPal inStore app accepted at more highstreet stores soon. If you’re a retailer and want to accept the PayPal inStore app then register your interest with PayPal on the PayPal inStore website.
One of the unique aspects of the PayPal inStore app is that neither you nor the retailer need install special equipement to use it. You don’t need NFC (Near Field Communication) support on your smart phone, the retailer can use their normal point of sale equipment and accept your payment just as easily as if they were scanning a barcode on a discount voucher or receipt for a refund.
Talking of refunds the app also fully supports them, you can generate your own refund barcodes ready to be scanned when you return an item in the shop you purchased it from.
Today marks the start of a shopping revolution in the UK. Realistically although I’ve downloaded the app I’m unlikely to go out and use it over the Bank Holiday weekend, but only because women’s fashion isn’t really my thing. There’ll be plenty of people out celebrating the four day weekend who will be using it though, so if you’re in an Auroria store watch out for people paying via PayPal with their mobile phones.
The PayPal inStore app is free to download for your Android or iPhone.
2 Responses
What happens if the customer states they did not receive the goods? There is no delivery tracking info, so do they get an automatic refund a la online transactions?